We tried the iconic New York chicken-and-rice chain that's expanding across the country - here's what it's like

There are a handful of locations in New York City. We swung by the brick-and-mortar spot on 14th Street.

The inside is a no-frills, cafeteria-style atmosphere. Frankly, having seen a thousand iterations of "fast-casual chic" — raw wood, Edison bulbs, and industrial metal — it's a refreshingly simple vibe. One often forgets what authenticity feels like.

The walls have line drawings of New Yorkers at work and play, and the tables and chairs are unfussy red metal affairs.

The menu is equally simple. For a main meal, you can choose between a pita sandwich or a platter with a salad and rice, with the choice of chicken, beef gyro, falafel, or a combo of chicken and gyro. The platters come in a small for $7.99 and a large size for $8.99; the sandwich goes for $6.49.

The ordering is extremely quick and easy, and the preparation is boiled down to an art form; my combo platter and chicken pita were ready in under a minute.

The sandwich is completely stuffed with chicken, lettuce, tomato, and the chain's famous "white sauce," as well as the hot red sauce.

For just over $6, this is a hugely impressive deal. It's incredibly filling, and the chicken is tender and delicious. This bodes extremely well for the platter.

The platter consists of the meat of your choice — in this case, beef and chicken — with a generous heap of yellow rice, lettuce, tomatoes, some pita slices, and white and red sauce if requested. This is the small size — and it's enormous.

The rice is richly spiced and seasoned — it's yellow rice at its cheapest and finest. The chicken is just as good as the sandwich, and the beef is superb. It's salty and slow-roasted, leaving it tender and with a hint of char.

The diced tomatoes and lettuce are standard fare — nothing fancy or special to them, but they're a necessity to add a bit of brightness to the rich and savory rice and meat.

Plus, when the hot red sauce comes into play ... you could use some cooling tomato. The pita slices also help alleviate the scorching heat, especially when dipped in some of the tzatziki-esque white sauce.

It's pretty clear how one food cart become so popular in Midtown Manhattan. It's a simple, fast, and delicious lunch that's incredibly cheap and consistent.

A small platter costs $7.99, and it's immensely filling. I was barely able to finish it — I can't imagine how much food the large could be.

With over 60 locations nationwide, The Halal Guys have clearly already struck a cord in metropolitan markets. But can it succeed in other places as well?

My gut says yes. The food is simple, flavorful, and cheap, and the chain has an easily approachable, no-frills vibe. There may not be food carts on every street corner of the country, but America has plenty of shopping centers and commercial strips ripe for the chain to settle into.