New York Street Food

One of the lesser-known gems of the New York Street Food scene is the Trini-Paki Boys cart on the north side of 43rd St just east of 6th Ave.  They were on the south side of the street for many years, but had to move across the street due to construction.  It’s a little tight across the street, squeezed in between the excellent El Rey Del Sabor Mexican food cart and a generic halal cart, but they should be able to move back across 43rd St next spring, when construction is expected to be completed.

Fatima (above, in yellow) and her husband started this cart many years ago.  One of them is from Trinidad and one is from Pakistan.  They named the cart after their boys – the Trini-Paki Boys.  Now one of their sons and his wife help run the cart.  They have a regular following, with a line of around 8 people in front of me and then behind me by the time I ordered, but it didn’t take more than 5 minutes or so to get lunch.

The menu is eclectic, with some Indian/Pakistani dishes like dal and samosas, and some Trinidadian dishes like shrimp curry and doubles, which I have previously enjoyed.

For Today’s Lunch, I went with the classic chicken over rice – but at the Trini-Paki Boys cart, there’s a twist that makes it better than at most of the other carts.

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Trini-Paki Boys double

Rosa Braz of Oakland just got back from Trinidad and offered up some tips to SF Gate readers.  One of her “don’t bother” tips: Don’t spend too much on food when there are “doubles” – channa inside two pieces of fried bread, an inexpensive, delicious, street food – everywhere. [SF Gate]

For those of us who can’t make it to Trinidad in the near future, there’s always the Trini-Paki Boys cart on 43rd St, east of 6th Ave.  We’ve thoroughly enjoyed their their doubles in the past.  Just remember – they are across 43rd St from their long-term location due to building construction on the south side of the street – right next to El Rey Del Sabor.

Open Trini-Paki Boys double

Today’s Lunch is shrimp curry over white rice and a double from the Trini-Paki Boys Halal Food cart on West 43rd St, just east of 6th Ave.  This cart is owned by a couple, and the unusual name is because one of the owners is from Trinidad and one is from Pakistan.  They named the cart after their boys, the Trin-Paki Boys.  In New York, it sounds intriguing.  In London, it can be more like a racial slur.

shrimp curry and vegies

The shrimp curry over rice was quite spicy and good.  Instead of a few large shrimp, there were a lot of smaller shrimp, which was fine.  This was definitely one of the spicier lunches I’ve had, and I was glad for the rice after the shrimp was gone because it cooled me down a bit.   They also put a spoonful of vegies over half the shrimp, which you can see above.  Under the vegies was more shrimp curry.  I got the small size for $5, and it would have been plenty, even if I didn’t get the double, although larger sizes are available, too.

Trinidadian double

Open double

For the double ($2), he put two thin pieces of flat bread that looked like tortillas on the grill, warmed them up, spooned some chickpeas and sauce onto one, put the other on top and closed it up in foil.  It was spicy and a little sweet and very tasty.  It reminded me a little of ka-chori, and Indian dish I’ve had.  One reviewer on Yelp! said these doubles changed their life and one reviewer was unimpressed.  It didn’t change my life, but I was impressed.  It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Today’s Lunch was a very good, if spicy, one.  I tried some new dishes and was amply rewarded, as you will be if you try the Trini-Paki Boys cart.

Shrimp curry over rice