PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Nick”

If you think eating lunch in Midtown is bad, imagine moving here from the greatest food city in the U.S.A. Whether it’s a Mufuletta from the Central Grocery, Fried Chicken from Dunbars (sadly they haven’t re-opened yet), or a dozen raw oysters and a pound of boiled crawfish (from anywhere!)- imagine how much sadder you’d be if you used to eat lunch every day in New Orleans. In honor of the Saints’ triumphant return to the Superdome last night, we present to you this week’s profile… Midtown Lunch’er: Nick

Name: Nick

Age:
The same age as my twin sister

Occupation:
Radio Imaging Producer

Where in Midtown do you Work?:
Sirius Satellite Radio on 49th & 6th

Favorite Kind of Food:
I was born and raised in New Orleans, so- boiled crawfish, red beans & rice, PoBoys (fried oyster, roast beef, fried shrimp, etc…). You know… New Orleans food!
Least Favorite Kind of Food: Not a fan of Indian food. Some of the dishes smell like stinky armpits so I’m immediately reminded of uncomfortable situations while riding the subway into work.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I usually end up at Lenny’s a couple of times a week. Fresh ingredients, made to order pretty fast, and a wide selection. Plus I have a crush on one of the cashiers.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: See above. I often run into my boss and others at Lenny’s without notice. We all have to run back to work to produce the “Best Radio on Radio” so it seems to be the place to get to easily and get a fresh sandwich that I can eat at my desk or in the studio.

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: The Daisy May’s BBQ Cart (yummy!), the Burger Joint @ Le Parker Meridien (delicious!), and I’m sure as soon as it opens- The Hawaiian Tropic Zone on 49th & 7th. I’m sure it will be a ridiculously over-priced tourist trap, but hey- you’re paying for the scenery.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Um… I think it’s pretty obvious. The radio station I used to work at in New Orleans was blocks away from anything I could ever want- including real Red Beans & Rice. Notice the placement of the red beans, before the rice… the beans are the star people! Don’t understand why restaurants outside of N.O. can’t get that right.

Anything else you’d like to add? Make levees not war! And I’d love to know where to get authentic New Orleans lunch in Midtown, or New Orleans food anytime, anywhere in NYC- that isn’t an overpriced novelty restaurant.

Our half-hearted recommendation to Nick, a New Orleans Food P.S.A., and how to become the next Profiled Midtown Lunch’er- after the jump…

Hey Nick… tomorrow we’ll be reviewing Jacques-Imo’s To Geaux in the Grand Central Terminal Market- but don’t get your hopes up. Not only does it not come close to the original Jacques Imo’s (or even Crabby Jack’s), they don’t even know how to make a shrimp po-boy (and the red beans to rice ratio will probably not be sufficient either). Sorry!

Being very familiar with New Orleans food (my wife went to school there), my best recommendation to New Yorkers for great cajun food, is to go to New Orleans! I don’t want to get too preachy- but don’t let the show on last night’s Monday Night Football fool you. There is so much more to be done in the city, and nothing would help more than traveling to New Orleans and spending some money! So many of the great restaurants are back open, or in the process of re-opening, and even some new ones have sprouted up (we’re most excited about Cochon in the CBD). Went there in May and had great meals at Upperline, Bayona, Cafe du Monde (yes, I consider beignets a meal), Harbor Seafood, Crabby Jack’s & Emeril’s. Please support this great city by going back, and stuffing your face. For more info on New Orleans restaurants, go to http://www.nomenu.com/

If you eat lunch in Midtown, and would like to be profiled next week- just email us at zach@midtownlunch.com

4 Comments

  • I am definitely trying to get a trip together to go to NO, but it’s been hard to get other people to want to go *with* me.

    Aside from that, blasphemy! the greatest food city in the US, possibly the world, is NYC. Not because NYC cuisine reigns supreme but because you can get just about anything you want here. You can get NO food… though I’m quick to add it’s not as good as the originals, of course. I hesitate to recommend any of the places that have been recommended to me, because, despite only having been to NO once, they didn’t come close, but there’s somewhere out there that’s got it.

    PS – lame excuse for a favorite food! I grew up eating Chinese food (the real kind) and rice and all that and it’s not my favorite food :) haha I’m just teasing. Great profile.

  • There are some amazing NO style places in parts of Brooklyn that you wouldn’t want to venture into without a car, GPS and glock.

  • I’m a Tulane Graduate, as well, and I’ve been explaining to friends for a long time that there is no good “Cajun” restaurant outside of Louisiana.

    Even so, I wouldn’t call NOLA the food capital of the US, it could never match the sheer diversity of the New York City food scene, but for a small city it definitely packs a big punch.

    That said, I was in NO the weekend before Katrina, and I haven’t been back since. Your posts make me really want to go back and eat. I need some sno-balls.

  • Try Delta Grill near 9th Ave. & 48th St. Also, there’s Cajun around 8th Ave. and 16th Street for po-boys. I’m from Baton Rouge, La., so you can trust me on this.

Leave a Reply

You must log in or register to post a comment.