New York food phenom Halal Guys opens in Costa Mesa

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New York food phenom Halal Guys opens in Costa Mesa

Sept. 29, 2015 Updated 12:00 a.m.

BY HANNAH MADANS / STAFF WRITER

New York food cart sensation Halal Guys, known for its white sauce smothered chicken and rice platters, plans to open its first West Coast restaurant Friday in Costa Mesa.

The concept originated in the early 1990s as a food cart in New York City, where a hot dog stand was converted to serve halal food to Muslim cab drivers.

The cart developed a cult-following among locals and tourists, triggering long lines among fans craving its gyros and chicken platters. Copycats also emerged on city streets.

Now the company is growing globally through franchising. One of its first stops is California.

Working with franchise developer Fransmart, Halal Guys has entered into three franchise deals in California. Fransmart, with its Western headquarters in Irvine, has worked to grow other national and local brands including Fountain Valley-based Slapfish, Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill.

Halal Guys has already sold 50 franchise units in Southern California, including locations in Orange County. It also plans to open another 50 locations in Northern California, including 30 in San Francisco and the East Bay.

Halal Guys? Southern California partner is Costa Mesa-based Halal Or Nothing, which has the rights to develop the brand from San Diego to Santa Barbara. The group?s chief executive is Thomas Pham.

Since the franchise program was launched in 2014, Halal Guys has opened two corporate restaurants in Manhattan and has more than 200 franchise locations in development.

The Costa Mesa location is at 3033 Bristol St. The second Southern California location will be in Long Beach.

The Register caught up with Pham to learn more about his love of chicken and rice and plans for Halal Guys in Southern California.

Q. Why did you want to open a Halal Guys?

A. I tried the food four years ago and fell in love with it. I tried at the original location in New York at 53rd and 6th and when I was out there I ate it like five times in three days. I tried it and I said that if I ever opened a restaurant it would be a Halal Guys.

Q. What did you do before deciding to open a Halal Guys?

A. Marketing and branding for restaurants.

Q. Why did you want to open your first location in Costa Mesa?

A. Costa Mesa is a great foodie place. This location is directly between three freeways. We?ve got big buildings over here for lunch, residential for dinner and plenty of late night guests from neighboring entertainment venues. And everyone leaving Newport Beach hopefully.

Q. What exactly is white sauce?

A. It has a lot of ingredients in it. It?s like a mix between ranch and mayo, with a little bit of tanginess to it. I am a huge white sauce fan.

Q. What has been the biggest surprise in opening a Halal Guys?

A. We?ve found so many people that are already passionate about Halal Guys. We knew it was a big deal in New York City and that it has a huge cult following and die hard fans, but there are so many more than we thought.

Q. What has been the hardest part of opening a Halal Guys?

A. Looking for the right people to work in the stores. We?re looking for someone that?s very passionate about food. It?s easy to teach someone to cook chicken, but to find the right person that?s really passionate about food and about hospitality is the mix we?re looking for and that?s harder.

Q. What makes your Costa Mesa location different from the original Halal Guys?

A. It?s true to the original brand.

Q. You are looking to add 49 more Halal Guys locations in the region, starting with Long Beach. What do you look for in a location?

A. We think Halal Guys? food can be served at lunch, dinner, late night and late, late night. So we?re looking for a place that can do business at all those times.

Q. What are your favorite items at the store?

A. I like the combo platter with falafel on top. Falafel is our vegetarian option. You can also add onions, jalape?os and olives.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
 
Halal Guys: The New York food cart phenomenon will open a second Orange County restaurant this summer in Tustin. The new location is replacing a closed Pinkberry at The District Shopping Center.
 
paydawg said:
I was not impressed with Halal Guys.  I wish Zankou Chicken would come down to the Irvine area instead.

Not impressed vs. the original cart in NYC or not impressed with the food in general? 

For me, I love the place.  They really don't have any competitors with the same type of food products.  I've tried others carts in NYC and the difference is incredible.  It's all about the white sauce as everyone likes to say.  The gyro meat, chicken, and rice all have deep marinated flavors that the other carts just can't touch.
 
woodburyowner said:
paydawg said:
I was not impressed with Halal Guys.  I wish Zankou Chicken would come down to the Irvine area instead.

Not impressed vs. the original cart in NYC or not impressed with the food in general? 

For me, I love the place.  They really don't have any competitors with the same type of food products.  I've tried others carts in NYC and the difference is incredible.  It's all about the white sauce as everyone likes to say.  The gyro meat, chicken, and rice all have deep marinated flavors that the other carts just can't touch.

Not impressed in general.  The food was good, but I think I was expecting more.  I didn't love it and I LOVE that type of cuisine.
 
I tried Halal Guys once and liked it.  Glad to see there's a closer one coming. 

About a year ago I was at Halal Guys in Costa Mesa with a friend for the first time.  I told him what I was going to order, and he stopped me.  He then said: "Don't order that.  Look around.  What is everyone eating?  That's what you need to order."  Pretty much everyone was ordering the same dish so that's what I ordered. 
 
paydawg said:
I was not impressed with Halal Guys.  I wish Zankou Chicken would come down to the Irvine area instead.

I would love for Zankou to open a location closer to Irvine. I hate trekking all the way to Anaheim for it.
 
There is a Halal Guys opening in The District in the old Pinkberry location next to In&Out.

You can have your Nothing Bundt Cake and eat Halal too.
 
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