It’s no secret that us girls at The Luxury Spot dig food. What you may not know is our love of falafel. It’s basically the jump off. MMMM falafel, but I digress. In June, Maura and I paid a visit to the new, awesome Cupcake Stop. It’s a genius idea that culminates cupcakes and street food, also the jump off. Hallelujah! This particular day, The Cupcake Stop was located outside of the Flatiron building on 23rd street. After we started talking to the employees, I asked them if they ever had any incidents with the halal truck that was down at the other side of the block. Having worked in that building for 2 years, I remembered that halal truck for being particularly nasty, walking down to 6th avenue just to not deal with them. I wasn’t really expecting a response of food retaliation, but boy did I get one!
Halal Mafia!!!!
What most people may not realize is that any street vendor is not assigned a particular location, just a permit. That being said, the employees began to tell us about how the halal truck at the end of the block literally harassed and did anything they could to push them off of the block. The owner told us how on one particular day, the halal truck had parked directly in front of their cupcake truck, making it impossible for anyone to get to it. The halal cart got theirs though because the people that worked in the Flatiron building called the police, and the halal truck was forced to move. Apparently, for months this so called “Halal Mafia” had been trying to run the cupcake truck out, but they stood their ground.
Photo from the New York Post
Well today, Doug Montero of the New York Post is reporting about this legit “Halal Mafia” that exists in New York City. They are apparently terrorizing and trying to run out all the food carts in Manhattan. Olivia Cardosa, the owner of a Mexican food cart told Montero that “three giant planters had been moved and cemented into the sidewalk,” placed there by the “Halal Mafia.” Whether all the halal trucks in Manhattan are apart of this gestapo like union against all other food carts, I can’t confirm or deny. What I can confirm is that I love falafel, and will probably still eat it anyway.
halaaaaaal!