As for the entree, I decided to get the Turkish prize of Adana Kabab, while my friend got a dinner special which consisted of a gyro platter with a special tomato based sauce. The appetizers came out on time and were good to munch on with the Turkish bread. The falafel was well cooked and had a great crunch while the hummus left a lot more to be desired.  After the appetizers, the entrees came out and were amazing. The Adana Kabab was delicious and flavorful. The portion size was great and I can say it was one of the best I have ever had. The gyro platter was even better. The gyro was layered with sauce and a small layer of crispy, sauce soaked bread. I asked the name of the dish and all they said it was their “special gyro platter”. In conclusion, if your looking for a delicious new place for some good, well priced Turkish food, Istanbul Park is the place to check out.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Gyro Platter
• Adana Kabab
• Turkish Bread

Rating

• Food: 4.5 – Great flavors and tasteful entrees
• Value: 4.5 – Fairly priced and great portion sizes
• Service: 4.0 – Good service, friendly staff
• Lota-Pani: 4.0 – As to be expected clean restaurant
• Decor: 3.5 – More to be desired, modest setup

Overall

Halal Rating

• Halal verification by staff
• Maybe BYOB

Location

293 7th Ave (between 4th Ave & 5th Ave)  Brooklyn, NY 11215

Contact

Phone: (718) 832-3400

Website: http://www.orderistanbulpark.com

If there is ever a chance for us to ever sit down and eat some good grub, we are always for it. The other day we trekked out to Flushing and checked out an Afghan restaurant called Choopan  Kabab House. This place is a favorite for a lot of people in the neighborhood and we decided to give it a try.

When we first got there, we were greeted by a wonderful lady who was very nice and helpful. We ordered the usual kebab and rice dishes and waited. We got bread and salad it was great.  The food came out pretty fast and was pipping hot. The afghan food is probably one of the most delicious ones we have had. If your with a group, try to get a the combo platter so you can taste a bit of everything and really experience it all. The kebabs have a freshness to them and the rice is better than at Bakhtar Kabab.  Price wise your also looking around $10 depending on what your ordering. There really aren’t any real complaints about this place except that it isn’t the best place to sit & eat, so you may wanna take it to go!

Overall, if your in the neighborhood picking up groceries or just talking a walk at the park, this is a wonderful little place to check out.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Combo platter (get a little bit of everything)
• Kufta kebab & don’t forget the white sauce
• Green Tea

Rating

• Food: 4.5 – One of the better & clean afghan food out there.
• Value: 4.0 – Not over priced, looking at under $10 for most platters
• Service: 4.5 – Great & helpful waitresses (please tip them well)
• Lota-Pani: 4.5 - Clean bathrooms
• Decor: 2.0 – Could be done better; place is a bit cozy

Overall

Halal Rating

• Fully Halal

Location

4327 Main Street Flushing, NY 11355-4743

Contact

Phone:  (718) 539-3180

Website:  None

Since it was a weekday afternoon, we got just in time for a lunch time for the lunch special. The place is located near bus & subway stops so its easily accessible. After getting seated we were pleasantly greeted with a salty treat as we decided on our order. We decided to get an order of General Toa’s Chicken & Hunan chicken. The meals came with a soup and we both opted for hot & sour soup.

The soups came out very fast and were chunky & thick. The tofu was surprisingly very delicious. Soon after that the both dishes came out. At first sight the portions sizes are big. The hunan chicken was crispy and very tasteful.  The general’s was a bit too sweet for my liking, but the hot sauce did the trick. Overall the food was delicious, cooked to perfection and definably worth the money. So if you get a chance, check it out.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Hunan Chicken
• Pepper Steak
• General Toa’s Chicken

Rating

• Food: 4.5 -Best authentic Chinese food around
  
• Value: 4.5 – Great prices, especially if you get the lunch special
• Service: 3.5 – Decent service, could be better.
• Lota-Pani: 3.5 - Clean tables and floors
• Decor: 3.0 – Could be improved, but not the worst

Overall

Halal Rating

• Full Halal

Location

25-25 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106-3413

Contact

Phone: (718) 278-0080

Website: None

The Italian equivalent for ice cream is a known staple at this shop and they surely take pride in it. With so many different flavors and boat loads of different toppings and options, this place is definitely worth checking out.

A few weeks back while I was visiting some friends in Queens, we headed over for some gelato in the area. The restaurant has small meals such as panini sandwiches but we came for dessert. The service at this restaurant isn’t the greatest and on a busy weekend, be prepared to wait for a table. After being seated and checking out the menu, I opted for hazelnut gelato sundae. They have great custom creations as far as desserts go, so you shouldn’t have a problem.  The best flavors are  chocolate, passion, lemon, mocha & strawberry.  The good thing is you can you try as many gelato flavors before ordering to get a feel of what your going to be getting it.

Overall, this is a great little place to stop and have some desserts if your in the area and craving something sweet & creamy.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Any Gelato your in the mood for
• Food isn’t the best, but you got options.

Rating

• Food: 4.0 - Great gelato and a vast variety of flavors
• Value: 3.5 – Not the cheapest gelato; but worth it!
• Service: 2.0 – Needs improvement
• Lota-Pani: 3.5 - Clean floors, but the bathrooms could be cleaner
• Decor: 2.5 -  Decent decor; could use some improvement

Overall

Halal Rating

• Non Applicable

Location

70-09 Austin Street Forest Hills, NY 11375

Contact

Phone:  (718) 268-4400‎

Website: www.piubellogelato.com

Last week, I happened to be in the neighborhood and went in with some friends to have a nice little dessert. We ended up getting a bunch of things including chocolate cake. The place is small, cozy yet sparsely decorated.  After being seated we were greeted with chocolate in a small spoon to try, which tasted quite good.  The servers leave more to be desired overall, but they are nice and courteous people who just happen to serve too many tables at once.  We ended up ordering  a chocolate fondue, some hot chocolate, brownie ala mode (Chocolate brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream) and of course a piece of chocolate cake.

The food came out after a few minutes and was very chocolaty which may and may not be a good thing depending on your tastes on the intensity of chocolate. The chocolate cake was delicious, but I have had better. The hot chocolate was just okay; nothing great. The ice cream that came with the brownie was amazing. It came with fudge but it wasn’t overly sweet. I would say that this is something that everyone should order. If not that, then definitely check out the fondue. It was probably just as good as the brownie ala mode (make sure to only order one with milk & dark chocolate), because it was nicely melted and the flavors really came out with every bite.

In closing, if you’re in the area then this is definitely a nice place to check out. Honestly speaking though, I wouldn’t make a plan to go here specifically since I’m not much of a choco-lover, but if you’re around and have a need for a chocolate fix, you can’t go wrong.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Chocolate fondue
• Any Ice Cream type dish

Rating

• Food: 3.0 – good chocolate desserts & drinks but nothing more
• Value: 3.5 - reasonable prices/ looking at around $4-8 per item
• Service: 3.0 – service is nice, but place needs more servers & it can be pretty busy at times
• Lota-Pani: 4.0 - pretty clean, okay bathroom
• Decor: 3.5 – simple design, nothing amazing

Overall

Halal Rating

• Non/Applicable
• Ask before ordering if in doubt

Location

86 5th Ave (between St. Marks & Prospect Pl.)
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Contact

Phone: (718) 783-2900

Website:  www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com

I wanted to take this time to address the upcoming plans on behave of everyone at hungrymuslim.com. First of all, we will be posting up a few new reviews with in the coming days and weeks. Second, we will be also expanding into new areas of the nation, primary in the west coast, Texas, & Washington D.C.  with the expansion, we will be having a new web interface and location based search for the website, iA in the first half of 2010.  Third, since its the end of the year, we will be giving out our best of places as voted on by the online community.

In closing, we finally addressed the hookah issue that’s been a debate for quite some time. After consulting with the fans & community we will be reviewing places that serve hookah/shisha. We all felt that its only what we should be doing regardless of how some people may feel about it. One of our fans Belaal said it best: “simply put, Websters dictionary defines the word hungry as having a desire, craving, or need for food … that being said, HUNGRY muslim should review food, food that is served anywhere and everywhere that is halal (including cafe/resturants that serve hooka) mentioning that they serve hookah isnt a bad idea …”

Thanks again for all the support and feedback.  Salaams,

ShanMasala

Sac’s is a beautiful little place off the Broadway stop in Queens. With windows all around its amazing wood grained tables and waiters of the finest degree, it boasts “world-renowned” pizza and promised incredible pasta and various Italian dishes. The food at this place is great but the pizza is what makes it amazing.

When we got in and grabbed our seats, the waiter greeted us promptly and offered the menu. We ordered a couple of pizzas (traditional grandma & white) pies as well as an appetizer (cheese ravioli & fired dried tomatoes) and a simple garlic & broccoli pasta dish. The food came out rather quickly and the service was great. The ravioli was delicious,  the cheese wasn’t overpowering and the flavors were well balanced.  The pasta could have been better, but the garlic sauce did makeup for it. Lastly, (the reason we came here) the pizzas came out and they were as amazing as can be. The coal oven really makes a difference because it brings out a burned- smokey flavor to the dough, which some people might not like. The cheeses and sauce blended so well that between three guys we finished 2 large pies. So after gaining 7 pounds in one sittings, I can honestly recommend this place for you. Lastly, I want to reiterate that not everyone will like this type of pizza.

Pictures

Recommendations

• White Pizza
• Grandma Slices if you’re not too hungry
• Garlic based pasta dishes
• Seating on the right hand side is so much better!

Rating

• Food: 4.5 – Delicious white pizza, traditional coal style pizza, complimentary delicious bread are all the best the city has to offer!
• Value: 3.5 – Reasonable pricing for the food. Not too good, not too bad! Looking at $10+ for pasta dish.
• Service: 4.0 – Very good waiters; fast & prompt
• Lota-Pani: 4.5 - One of the cleanest tables & bathrooms seen yet!
• Decor: 3.5 – Modestly decorated; Decent layout & setup

Overall

Halal Rating

• Not Halal
• Understand what your ordering!

Location

2541 Broadway Astoria, NY 11106

Contact

Phone: (718) 204-5002

Website: www.sacsplace.com

Behalf of everyone here at Hungry Muslim, we wish our muslim brothers & sisters a blessed joyous Eid!

We are very grateful for your time, so thank you!

On a quick side note, we have a few good experiences we  hope to share very soon.

Until than thank you very much for supporting & checking out hungrymuslim.com

Please give us some feedback & suggestions.

After roaming around the city like I usually do, I happened to run into another place which I heard great things about. This time it’s a place that stays open late and started up about a year ago called “Munchies”. Its located just south of Houston St. on Essex Street near the East Village region in New York City. Munchies provides delicious American style food to the mass and best of all they are open late!

Munchies is more known for their delivery and take out, but since I was in the neighborhood I decided to check out the place and get my “munchies” taken care of.  As you walk in, the place looks like a fun place to grab a bite with friends and be on the way. The place seems clean and it is decently decorated with a sort of 1950′s style meets present day. They have nice tall tables with bar stools which aren’t the best to sit on and munch down your food on. After getting a seat and going over the menu, I couldn’t help check out all the different options they have for finger foods. I was told to get one thing in particular; the Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches. They are small bite sized sandwiches which are battered and fried and I must say taste amazingly delicious. They also have chicken wings that I ordered but they were bland and not special at all. I would rather recommend wings from Gigis if that’s what you’re in the mood for.

All the starters and fillers are great, but I came into Munchies for burgers. So, I ordered their famous “Munchies” burger which is a 1/4 lb. of beef, cheese and toppings (mayo based sauce, lettuce, onion & turkey bacon). The burger came out after some time and I must say it was a very delicious burger. The beef was well cooked and flavorful. The sauce was very good (not better than other places) and the cheese was nicely melted. These items don’t compare to turkey bacon that’s on the burger, which single handedly made this one of the best burgers out there and now I truly understand why everyone loves bacon. Overall, if it just a matter of taste, and Munchies does provide some of the best halal options in the city.

The food was very delicious, however (now to what I call a deal breaker) I was very disappointed on two factors, that really changed my overall opinion of the place. The first issue is the portion sizes. The burgers are claimed to be 1/4 pound meat, but I can’t explain why the burger I ate was finished in 3 small bites. I thought about this and since have gone again to Munchies, and this time on a full stomach I finished the burger in 3 small bites. The burger is just very small and there is no explanation as to why that is. The second issue is the price – now if the portion sizes were bigger I could justify the price, but paying nearly $7 just for a burger (no fries or drink) isn’t acceptable anywhere.

In conclusion, if you want a delicious tasting burger and don’t mind spending a lot, this is the place for you!

Pictures

Recommendations

• Mozzarella Balls
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Munchies’ style
• Mac n  Cheese
• Munchies Burger with Turkey Bacon!

Rating

• Food: 4.0 – Great tasting food, delicious appetizers, creative snacks and fillers. And very tasty  burgers with good flavor (just too small).
• Value: 1.0 – Can’t justify the price for the amount of food; Would you really pay over $6 for a small burger without a side or soda at any other fast food burger joint??
• Service: 4.0 – Great staff, helpful and friendly
• Lota-Pani: 2.0 - clean place & seating; No real bathroom!
• Decor: 3.5 – Classy decoration, great style; However, its still setup as a fast food joint!

Overall

Halal Rating

• Verified Halal Food

Location

179 Essex St (between Stanton & Houston St)  New York, NY 10002

Contact

Phone: (212) 673-6066

Website: www.munchiesny.com

Everyone knows New York Cheesecake is a big deal and the place that gets noted as probably one of the best cheesecakes in the city is Junior’s. Junior’s started up in 1950 as a restaurant founded by Harry Rosen and Master Baker Eigel Peterson, and they created and produced what is now known as the “World’s Most Fabulous Cheesecake”. So enough of the history lesson, let’s get down to the cheesecake!

From the get go, Junior’s already had a lot to live up to with its history and awards.  I decided to be a bit more critical and see what the hype was all about. Passing by the original restaurant in Brooklyn one night, I knew I had to go in. After being seated and ordering an original slice of the cheesecake & a cup of hot black tea  (I prefer PG Tips), I couldn’t help notice how at 1 am this place was still buzzing and busy as ever. After a couple of minutes, the server came back with the drinks and cheesecake. The hot tea water was served in a nice little plastic 80′s style bowl (see pics below) which was a clever way to brew the tea, with the only sad part being that it was Lipton tea. The cheesecake was served in a little saucer and the cake looked delicious. After the first bite, you’ll know what the hype is all about. This was probably one of the best cakes I have ever had. The cake is well balance, not too sweet and not too creamy, but just right. The taste is amazing (especially with the tea) and I didn’t even realize how good it was until I looked down and saw I ate half the cake. Now, don’t get it twisted, is everyone going to love this place? Probably not, but there is definitely something about this cake and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for authentic New York style cheesecake.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Cheesecake (duh!)
• Key Lime Pie
• Strawberry-shortcake Cheesecake

Rating

• Food: 4.5 – Great cheesecake, extensive menu with vast options,
• Value: 3.5 – Not to expensive if you factor in the size and venue
• Service: 3.5 – Good staff, nice people
• Lota-Pani: 3.5 - Nice and clean venue. No complaints!
• Decor: 3.0 – Has the old school 1970′s look to it, could use an update.

Overall

Halal Rating

Non Applicable

Location

386 Flatbush Ave Brooklyn, NY 11201

Contact

Phone: (718) 852-5257

Website: www.juniorscheesecake.com