Madina Zabiha Halal Food

As the only Halal street cart in Sunnyside, Madina Zabiha is in a class of it’s own, competing 24 hours a day against a daytime bagel /​coffee cart and late night neighbor Las Nortenas taco cart (
). Madina Zabiha has the luxury of being stationed in the heart of Sunnyside, right beneath the 46^th Street stop, and facing the Sunnyside arch. Being available all times of the day would normally give it an advantage, in addition to it’s exclusive offering of chicken and rice, but it hasn’t panned out that way.
Most locals will recognize there is hardly ever a line here. Chicken and rice purists will likely balk at the $ 6 – 7 combos, especially when the food is only decent at best. Lamb gyros tend to be the only item I order, while actively avoiding the lamb + chicken + rice combos due to bland rice and subpar chicken. It seems they skimp a bit portion wise but that’s never been the case with their stuffed and hearty gyros. And truth be told, the meat (chicken and lamb) lacks the potent flavor that most have come to love at a Sammy’s (
) or King of Falafel (
), both of which are only a few subway stops away.
In the end, it’s hard to justify going out of one’s way to visit this cart. It’s possible there will be more Halal options in the future, but for nowMadina Zabiha is it. It’s proximity to Taqueria Dalia (
) across the street is almost unfair, since that’s where the late night crowd (and I) will be instead of this lonely Halal cart.