Halal Sandwich Shop

MOROCCO 🇲🇦

With its bold color scheme and easy to digest chopping block name, Halal Sandwich Shop was one of the last places on Steinway I wanted to explore. Somehow it just gave off too much of a chain fast food vibe.

During the World Cup, I finally had my first taste of it, grabbing a poccadillo to go. Many of the hookah bars allow you to bring your own food, including the one I was headed to for Morocco's match. I did not take pictures that afternoon, but given the Atlas Lions poor performance on the pitch, that delicious spicy tuna sandwich was the highlight of the day.

I have since been back a few times and give the place very high marks. Most of the energy revolves around the front of the slim space which is divided between the kitchen and an area customers congregate to order and pay. If you get your order in, navigate to the back which has about six tables for eating inside. Sandwiches are fine to take with you, but soups and tagines are best enjoyed immediately when hot. A few of the tables are usually taken by solo male diners, sometimes with baby strollers, sometimes loudly talking on their phones.

Every trip back here has included a bowl of their delicious harira ($3.25, above), Morocco's famous tomato-based soup full of chickpeas, lentils, soft noodles, and spices.

The aforementioned poccadillo ($6.75, below) comes on fresh bread and covered in a layer of crisp fries. In between is a slightly spicy layer of tuna, thin slices of mortadella, hard-boiled egg, cheese, and vegetables. The photo below does not quite give justice to the size, but the sandwich is large enough to be two meals.

Tagines here are not served in their traditional cookware, but seem to be very popular nonetheless as most of the men in the back are digging into one of the options. Shown here is the lamb shank tagine ($12, below) with saffron yellow rice. Amazingly at this price point you get two large tender shanks, which with the rice is again more than one meal for many.

Tagines can also be enjoyed with chicken or beef, the former of which seemed to be the most popular item in the place based on my spywork. Halal burgers and gyros, as well as kebab platters and sandwiches are also on the menu.

This may be a "sandwich shop," but it is also a lot more.

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ASTORIA Queens

25-61 Steinway Street

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