New York
New Yorkers are notoriously impatient, so when you see Gothamites calmly lining up and cooling their heels, you know something's up. And when you see them waiting in line to get dinner at a place that doesn't even have walls, you know something is really up. Such is the strange appeal of the 53rd Street Halal Cart. In a city jam-packed with all varieties of street cart, this one is king. Why that is, no one's exactly sure, but what is definite is that, night after night, the line stretches down the block, as dozens of people wait patiently to get a plate of seasoned chicken or lamb served over rice, then doused in a tangy white sauce. At one point, the cart's line got so unmanageable that the owner was forced to bring in bouncers. To feel like a real New Yorker, skip the hot dogs and eat here. Combo platter: $6