Street Dawgs

Sammy's Halal in Jackson Heights.
(All photos by Ben Stechschulte)

Sammy's Halal in Jackson Heights.

Hakim Elnagar across from the Port Authority.

Tonight I came home from work at like 10pm, and I needed to unwind a bit before doing some more work. I decided to read last week's New York Magazine, which was at the top of my leaning tower of periodicals. I randomly opened it and started reading about New York City's pushcarts, and I was completely fascinated. I secretly fantasize about eating at the chicken and rice kebab cart on the corner of 26th and 11th Avenue, like every day. The cart smells like some delicious yumminess on four wheels and it is really hard to walk by without making a purchase. Anyway, I have never eaten there, because then when I contract hepatitis A, Kenny will have every right to lecture me on the evils of eating crap off the street, instead of lovingly bringing me a glass of water in bed with a bendy straw. So, I have to content myself with reading about the top 20 best food carts in the city, the day in the life of a kebab man, and all my questions about food cart hygiene have been answered, here... Except for the question about what does the vendor do with his cart and all of the food stuff when he has to go to the bathroom? Does someone watch it for him? Surely, he has to pee at some point. Does he pull down a little shade with a Be Back in 10 Minutes sign?

I have decided that some of the food carts sound way to tasty to pass up, and besides which, I have already had my hepatitis A shot anyway. Is anyone down for a trip to Queens and eat an arepa, a tamale, or a taco off the street?