New York Chicken & Gyro Is LA’s Favorite New York-Style Halal Spot | Eater LA

"Started in June 2017 after Muheb “Moe” Mehirdel moved from Flushing to Los Angeles and teamed up with his father and brothers, this family-run spot was built to bring a taste of Queens to Canoga Park. I see the menu pull directly from the family’s New York recipes: chicken, lamb, and falafel served as platters with basmati rice, salad, and a housemade white sauce, or tucked into a gyro sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and white sauce wrapped in pita; the kitchen also sells hamburgers, fish, crispy hot wings, creamy “drip” wings, and chicken nuggets. Serving certified halal meat was non-negotiable, so the restaurant sources halal products from Wayne Farms and Delta Valley to keep prices affordable. Early days were slow—$137 and $263 on the first two days—but the family built a loyal local following through service, low prices, social media, and attentive Yelp management, and a January 2019 Brennen Taylor video (1.5M+ views) triggered a major surge in orders. That momentum funded expansion: a West LA ghost kitchen in February 2020, a $270,000 storefront expansion in Canoga Park, a third location in Pasadena in 2022, and plans for Venice. The owners stress that the restaurant is meant for everyone—not only those who eat halal—and aim to introduce their style of halal-cart food to broader communities." - Rebecca Roland