Gold Street Halal

"Gold Street Halal"

Location: Corner of Gold Street and Maiden Lane in front of Sovereign Bank branch.

Date: Friday, July 16, 2010 at 11:45am

Cuisine: Middle Eastern and American

Grub: Chicken over rice with side salad = $5 (Rabia tossed in a falafel ball and a few fries too)

Review: This nondescript silver cart with a Sabrett's hotdog umbrella on top is what a halal cart should be. Marinated chicken, freshly cooked, not greasy. Rabia, the cook, is a young guy who barely speaks English, but seemed to have no communication problem with the Asian postman hanging out with him. Rabia's pre-cooked chicken is piled high in big pieces on the side. He chops it up into bite-sized pieces when you order and warms up the rice on the grill too, adding some seasonings, sauces and a bit of vegetable. Rabia has a light hand with the yogurt and spicy sauce, letting the chicken flavors come through. HD preferred Rabia's chicken and rice to the plain chicken and vegetables I had made her. My only criticism is the uneven quality of the chicken. Some pieces were perfect white meat, but others had a bit of gristle/cartilage. The falafel was dry and flavorless. Fries don't travel well, but HD wolfed them down. Salad is basic iceberg and tomato, but fresh and crispy.

Rating: I'd return the day after tomorrow. 3 out of 4 pita.

La Cense Beef Truck

"La Cense Beef Truck"

Location: South side of Wall Street between South and Front.

Cuisine: American

Grub: Steakburger and a pickle: $7.50

Date: Friday, July 2 at 11:45am

Delivery: Call 1-800-935-4699 with (undisclosed) minimum order

Review: This green-and-blue truck just started parking on Wall Street a week ago. Big sky country meets big finance with an eco sensibility. That's how I'd market this truck to Hollywood producers. The burger is precooked to well-done and not all that juicy. But it's not too dry either. It is well-seasoned and the beef flavor is delicious. I'm not a big fan of grass-fed beef. To my palate, it's too dense. The sauteed onions and soft bun were a nice contrast to the density however. My husband would love this. And HD kept asking for more. Don't be fooled by the small silver package this burger comes in. It's a big chunk of meat. Still, I think you should get a freshly cooked burger for seven bucks. But might be a good lunch outlet for bond traders worried about the BP spill. (Small gripe: I ordered a hamburger, but the worker gave me a cheeseburger. I didn't realize until we were several blocks away. But nice touch placing the cheese on the bottom and the onions on the top.)

I ordered a pickle for 50 cents. It was way too salty and not cured enough. More like a salty cucumber.

Usually, I'd say beware of trucks with a slick painting job. But this truck is clearly a marketing gimmick for La Cense Beef, which, and I'm guessing here, is trying to become a high-end Omaha Steaks. There's a pamphlet at the truck window about all the raw meat you can order to cook at home. (La Cense? You'd think America was beyond the mystique of Haagen Daaz and other fake Euro names. )

Rating: 3 pita. I'd go back next week.