By Luis Landas

Farook is an East Village all-star who’s been serving up meals on 14th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenue for over eleven years.  His dedication and passion for serving the best halal food to his beloved NYU regulars led him to open up his own cart around two years ago just outside U-Hall.  As some of you might already know, he’s an easy-going guy who throws down pita bread slices on top of your combo rice platter free of charge because… why not? 

Popular among the on-campus students living at U-Hall, Palladium and Founders, he’s even started taking orders on his phone so that nobody would have to wait outside in the cold for too long.  And, last night, he unveiled the latest addition to his menu: curry chicken; and, once his other cook comes back from vacation in around a month or so, they’ll introduce chicken briyani. 

You heard it here first.  Another installment of our white/hot sauced miniseries, ‘Who’s That Halal Guy?’  Let’s go. 

NYU Local: What’s your name? 

Farook: My name is Farook.  F-A-R-O-O-K. Farook.  I’m from Bangladesh. 

NYU Local: How long have you lived in the States? 

Farook: Fifteen years.  I’m a Manhattan citizen.  Been working [in the halal cart] for eleven years.  Before, I worked in my friend’s cart.  Now, this is my cart.  Two years. 

At this point, Farook picked up his cellphone to answer a call.  It was an order for pick-up. 

NYU Local: You can order over the phone?! 

Farook: Yes, always!  Sometimes, there’s a lot of cold, windy, rain or snow, and the people are outside waiting.  Crazy! 

NYU Local: So what are you serving here? 

Farook: Halal cart is Muslim.  Everything: the chicken, lamb, goat, cow.  This is Allah’s name.  Together, it’s a cart. 

NYU Local: What’s your favorite kind of food? 

Farook: Beef, chicken, vegetables, fish, meat, everything.  Pizza?  Sometimes…

NYU Local: Tell me about all the NYU students. 

Farook: These NYU students… very nice.  They’re always trying to help, nicely talking to me, nice behavior, good relations. 

NYU Local: What about people that aren’t nice?  Get any of those? 

Farook: Sometimes, but not NYU students.  Rude people are only on Friday nights and Saturday nights.  People get too drunk. 

NYU Local: So, how do you eat your gyros? 

Farook: Hot sauce and sometimes a little bit of white sauce.  No barbecue sauce. 

NYU Local: What is white sauce, by the way? 

Farook: Yogurt… and mayonnaise… and other recipes. 

NYU Local: A… secret recipe? 

Farook: Yeah. 

At this point, Cole and Simone, CAS freshmen living in U-Hall, come down to pick up the food they ordered over the phone. “ He hooks it up,” explained Cole. “ During the storm is when I really started coming to him, because there was no food around.” 

NYU Local: What about the meats? 

Farook: The lamb is very tasty.  People’s tongues are very stupid.  It’s tasty, but there’s too much oil and too much fat.  I recommend they eat lamb but not everyday.  Maybe, monthly, one time or two times.  Chicken everyday is no problem.  No oil, not fat.  It’s a good chicken. 

NYU Local: Talk to me about the competition here amongst the halal carts. 

Farook: Everybody’s friends.  But this country has a big problem.  The people are not thinking.  On one side, there’s one customer; on that side, there’s one customer; and, on my end, no customer.  No thinking, these people… these lines are no good.  I’m always telling my customers, “One day, eat here.  One day, eat there.”  Which guy is better?  My customers tell me they come here always.  That’s it.  If your food is better, okay.  If my food is better, okay! 

NYU Local: Is there anything else you want to do in the future?  Maybe start another business? 

Farook: No, that’s a lot of money.  For rich people, it’s no problem.  I’m happy. 

NYU Local: So, what makes you happy? 

Farook: I’m happy when my food is what the customer eats.  When they’re healthy and good, I’m happy.  My customer, no trouble.  My food that they eat, no trouble.  Then okay, I’m happy.  If my customer is sick, then that’s not good.  When they are healthy, I’m happy. 

NYU Local: What makes you angry? 

Farook: I’m not angry… But sometimes there’s trouble.  Sometimes they kick the water bottle, sometimes they hit my cart.  On Friday and Saturday night, people are drunk, I know.  But they have no sense.  They’re drunk, not nicely talking.  That’s crazy talk.  That’s all! 

NYU Local: What do you do look forward to doing in your free time? 

Farook: My home.  Sometimes, I watch TV with my daughter.  We eat, watch TV, that’s it.  Sometimes cartoons and sometimes Indian movies.  Sometimes, my son is there.  My son’s 23 years old.  My daughter’s 16 years old. 

NYU Local: Where are you guys living? 

Farook: Queens.  40 minutes on subway. 

NYU Local: Any favorite movies? 

Farook: Before, I used to like these movies with Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.  But, right now, no interest.  Everything is like work, work, work.  Work and then sleep. 

NYU Local: How about this: what would you do if you won the lottery? 

Farook: Just one house in New York, anywhere.  Two more carts.  Not a lot of carts.  One in Queens and then one in Manhattan.  Then most of the money to my poor relatives in my country.  They’re poor.  There’s no income. 

NYU Local: When was the last time you went back to Bangladesh? 

Farook: My family went to Bangladesh two times.  Me, no.  I miss it.  I still have family there.  Maybe I’ll try to go in 2014. 

This interview has been condensed. 

Photo by Luis Landas