New York-inspired halal place attracts a variety of customers

If you’ve spent any amount of time in New York City, you have no doubt seen food carts selling halal on what seems like every street corner in Manhattan. In the city, the food stands are as integral as the city’s MetroCards. One of the better-known sellers, The Halal Guys, branched out to franchise beyond the East Coast and have opened a restaurant in Long Beach in an attempt to bring a taste of Manhattan to the West Coast.

The success of the original Halal Guys cart encouraged the owners to open two sit-down restaurants in New York city and then multiple locations worldwide. The first Southern California location opened in Costa Mesa. The second location opened in Long Beach earlier this year. For those who balk at the idea of trekking to Long Beach, The Halal Guys’ website states they will soon open a location in Koreatown. Growing from a small food cart to brick and mortar restaurants in various countries is no easy feat; however, it is no surprise to anyone that has enjoyed The Halal Guys.

Currently, the Long Beach restaurant is the closest to USC. Nestled between a Wingstop and a Chipotle, the restaurant holds its own in the vast shopping center. Although it’s only been open for a few weeks, word has definitely gotten around as there are hardly any empty tables and the line can extend to the door on weekends — though this might be attributed to the small size of the restaurant. There are only two main items on the menu: platters or pita bread sandwiches. The protein choices include chicken, gyro or falafel — falafel is the only vegetarian option while the gyro is beef. There are also sides and baklava for dessert. The food is prepared in an assembly line in front of the customer.

The platters come in large or small sizes and come with rice, pieces of pita bread, lettuce and tomato. The small size is by no means a puny serving and is extremely satisfying.  The chicken platter is a safe bet for the first timer who is wary of trying a new restaurant; the most popular combination is chicken and gyro. The chicken is served over rice with no odd seasoning or artisanal twist. The chicken and rice are genuinely good but nothing special. It is almost unbelievable that something so simple can create such an impressive cult following.

The secret is probably the white sauce. The white sauce and the hot sauce are added as toppings as the last step in the assembly line. This hot sauce truly is “hot” and even someone who has an affinity for spicy foods should take caution. However, the white sauce is nothing short of addicting. It’s definitely difficult to pinpoint the taste of it; it’s not rich or extremely flavorful, yet it seems to enhance the flavors of the entire platter. It is not uncommon to hear patrons ask for more white sauce or for some on the side. Thankfully, The Halal Guys has packets of the sauce to take home, for a surcharge. The white sauce is a must-try for every customer.

For around $10, customers can have an extremely satisfying meal in Long Beach. There are no frills in the restaurant and it does not have any “hipster” touches so prevalent in modern eateries. It is worth the commute from USC. If not for the food itself, then it is the perfect chance to jump on the bandwagon and see what everyone is raving about. The opening of The Halal Guys in Southern California gives Californians a taste of New York in a welcoming environment. It is the first New York City transplant opening this restaurant. There is no better way to wait for Shake Shack to open in West Hollywood than to hop on the Metro blue line and have some halal in Long Beach.