Chicken & Rice run, anyone?

It's 1 o'clock in the morning. You just stepped out of a crowded bar and into the cool brisk air. The lights of Midtown Manhattan are blinding and the world is spinning, well, only in your head. You've had enough to drink for one night but your stomach is growling. Maybe its the overload of alcohol in your stomach and you need some sustenance to soak it up or maybe youre just hungry. Where can you go for a lot of food that is filling and cheap? Chicken & Rice, of course.

Located on 53rd street and 6th avenue, this curious-looking street food cart draws in throngs of people ranging from fine-suited businessmen to disheveled drunkards. Usually street food carts in New York City are frowned upon for its dirty, street-side cooking, so whenever tourists pass by this street corner and see the long lines, they do a double-take and go, "Huh???" But who cares; if youre in need of a lot of food that is good for your buck, this is the cart you should go to.

Platters are offered as chicken and rice, lamb and rice, or a combination of both meats and rice. Along with your desired meat (or meats), your platter comes with yellow rice, salad, and pita bread. The salad, meh, ice berg lettuce and just a petty excuse to have your veggies of the day; the rice, at times, a couple of kernels are dry; but the meats and pita, flavorful and all good. Along with your platter, comes two sauces: red hot sauce and white sauce. Im not a brave soul when it comes to extremely spicy food so a few droplets of the hot sauce is enough to make me want to gulp a gallon of water, but I like to add a couple of droplets anyway. Despite the white sauce looking like mayonnaise or ranch dressing, it is far from it. Some call their white sauce, "crack sauce" because it is super good and addicting. Some dont know what it really is because it is their "secret" recipe.

Good tasting, very plentiful, and all for a mere $6?! I'm there! One time, I went out of my way, waited for a half an hour on the long line in the cold, just to get Chicken & Rice. And whenever I get a combination platter for dinner, I always have lunch the next morning.

Just a note: the authentic 53rd & 6th cart is open from 7:30PM-4AM. During the daytime, it is different vendor at the location who is totally unaffiliated. So there are impostors out there! Also the real "Chicken & Rice" vendor is the one next to the Hilton Hotel and in front of a fountain/ sculpture like thing, not the one across the street! But quite honestly, no matter what time of day I went, Ive always had a good experience.  I guess if you want the authentic experience, gotta go between those times and at that location.

Check this place out: http://www.53rdand6th.com/index.html