Inside the Hit San Jose Food Truck and Restaurant That Aims to Be The Halal Version of Taco Bell | Eater SF

"I learned that what began as a food truck launched by Hisham Abdelfattah — who grew up in the South Bay with a Filipino mother and Palestinian father and turned to halal food after embracing Islam in 2014 — grew into a San Jose restaurant in February 2022. Abdelfattah developed the concept during the pandemic, built the truck in spring 2020 (with Newark first approving permits), sold out nightly while promoting the food on Facebook groups and TikTok, and eventually converted the former Main Street Burgers space on Lincoln Avenue into a brick-and-mortar while keeping the truck for catering. The menu aims to be authentic Mexican prepared to halal standards, offering meats like brisket barbacoa, pollo al pastor and carne asada plus a vegan potato and cauliflower option across tacos, burritos, enchiladas, burrito bowls and Nar-chos (fries or chips topped with queso, pico de gallo, beans, crema and “nar sauce”); specials have included elote, tortas and weekly Sunday quesabirria tacos. Abdelfattah is active in the Muslim community, has partnered with charities such as Islamic Relief USA, and runs late-night hours for Ramadan events and HalalFest as he hopes to expand the concept into a chain." - Dianne de Guzman