PALESTINIAN CHICKEN

Among the most memorable episodes of Larry David's CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM is PALESTINIAN CHICKEN.  The focus of the episode resolves around the a new restaurant which serves delicious 'Palestinian-style' chicken.  The conundrum faced by Larry David in frequenting this establishment revolves around the anti-Israel, anti-semitic and Pro-Palestinian views of the restaurant employees and customers.  Only Larry David, a Jew, could find humor in such a premise. This legendary, very funny and highly rated episode from the final season of the show originally aired on HBO on July 24, 2011.  [On June 14, 2016, HBO announced that CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM will return for a ninth season.  That news is pretty, pretty, pretty good!]

This is the logo of the fictional restaurant from that episode:

logo from fictional restaurant in Curb Your Enthusiasm

What I did not realize for a number of years was that this fictional restaurant was likely based on an extremely popular restaurant that really does exist.   THE HALAL GUYS is well-known in New York City and has very loyal enthusiastic customers.  Apparently the news that a franchise was opening in Chicago was BIG NEWS indeed!

logo from The Halal Guys, an extremely popular restaurant

On August 20, THE HALAL GUYS opened their first restaurant in Chicago.  In fact, this was the first of 200 new restaurants planned for the world in an aggressive expansion.  As I am Jewish, a new halal restaurant would not necessarily get on my personal radar.  This particular restaurant has been impossible to ignore.  From  the moment that they open for business each day, a line forms outside.  Apparently, this restaurant has drawn customers from all over the Chicago area. This restaurant is around the corner from our home and we see the line every day. Naturally, we had to sample it to see what the hubbub was all about. And that is what we did yesterday.

After a morning doctor appointment, my wife and I waited on line and ordered combination chicken/gyro plates.  I don't know that it was worth standing on line for 20 minutes - but I will admit that the food was very tasty.

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This restaurant is 'take-out' only.  Here I am holding my 'treasured' meal

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All the 'take-out' food is packed in a tin. The genesis of this 'restaurant' was a  'hot dog' street cart. I guess they are being true to their roots in the way that they continue to present their food.

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 Wednesday MENU

breakfast   two apples                                                                                      160 calories

lunch         HALAL GUYS gyro/chicken platter                                                 950 calories

dinner        baby spinach salad w/asparagus, tomato   CLAM CHOWDER     354 calories

SNACK     ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE BAR, rice cakes multigrain,

                     tamari almonds                                                                             1334 calories

total calories consumed 2798 calories

calories burned

YMCA PRECOR elliptical 4:3 interval: 3 minutes level 20/20, four minutes level 15/15      1729 calories

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED 1729 calories

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Wednesday net calories 1069 calories

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here is some information about The Halal Guys from their website:

From humble beginnings as a New York City hot dog cart to a world-renowned international restaurant chain, The Halal Guys story is the quintessential American Dream. The Halal Guys is defining a new, thriving segment for the restaurant industry: American Halal Food! The Halal Guys legend began in 1990, when the three founding partners opened up a hot dog cart on West 53rd & 6th Avenue in New York City. As business grew, they recognized a huge demand from Muslim cab drivers looking for a halal food meal. That is when the famous platter of chicken and gyro over rice was born. And let’s not forget about the famous white and red sauces! Fast-forward 25 years, five carts, two New York City restaurants, and millions of diverse customers served, The Halal Guys is growing yet again. Fans no longer have to be in NYC to experience The Halal Guys as they look to share American Halal Food all over the country and the world.

What is American Halal Food? 

In one word, delicious! American Halal Food features a flavor profile that can’t be replicated in any other cuisine format. The Halal Guys are the pioneers of American Halal Food. Once you have had a taste, you will understand why New Yorkers and tourists alike have stood in the city’s longest food cart line (sometimes for hours) to get a hot, steaming platter of chicken or gyro over rice, covered in The Halal Guys famous, proprietary White Sauce.

American Halal Food:

• Much like the United States, American Halal Food is a complex melting pot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors that are sure to delight

• Flawlessly cooked, premium quality Halal meats that are seasoned to perfection

• Our American Halal Food and meats are sourced and prepared following strict Islamic dietary guidelines for Halal

• Humane treatment of livestock, high quality ingredients, and ethical choices are bedrocks in imparting a distinctive taste

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if you have seen the episode, Palestinian Chicken, perhaps some of these photos will make you laugh as you remember the premise of the show (especially the scene when Larry and Jeff prevent their good friend Funkhouser from joining them in the anti-semitic restaurant while he was wearing his yarmulke)

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fitbit day 7
just over 20,000 steps