Midtown Lunch

A friend of mine suggested that in honor of Yom Kippur, Midtown Lunch should go dark today.  I thought that was a great idea…  mainly because I’m lazy, and I figured it would get me out of posting something.  But then I thought, that’s kind of hypocritical.  Even though I’m Jewish, I don’t go to temple, and I’m certainly not fasting.

For those who don’t know, Yom Kippur is considered the most holy day of the year, in which Jews fast and go to temple to atone for the sins of the previous year.  There are two reasons I’m not fasting on Yom Kippur.  The first is pretty obvious.  Fat man’s gotta eat.  I don’t know if I could make it the whole day without eating.  I’m usually starving by 11am… counting down the minutes to the “acceptable” lunch time of 12pm.  (Those who go to lunch before Noon- I applaud you!  You are true trendsetters.)

But the real reason I don’t celebrate is because my family is in Miami… and religion for me is really just about family.  (Family, and the meals before and after Yom Kippur when you stuff your face- before and after you fast).  It’s sort of funny that Yom Kippur is bookended by the very thing that I need to atone for the most.  Gluttony.  Well, gluttony and my love of pork and shellfish.

So in honor of that, I’d like to apologize for my favorite Midtown Lunches that clearly go against the laws of Judaism.  I couldn’t live without them, and I need to atone…

The list of Midtown Lunch pork and shrimp worth going to hell for… after the jump.

1.  Cuban Roast Pork at Cafe Cello (46th btw. 5+6th).  They even give you a crispy piece of pork skin laid over the top.

2. Shrimp Tempura Omusubi at Oms/b(45th btw. 3rd+Lex). 

3. Chinese Roast pork over rice at Hing Won (48th btw. 5+6th).  Isn’t it ironic that American Jews love Chinese food so much.  It’s all pork and shrimp!

4. Cheeseburger at  the Burger Joint (56th btw. 6+7th).  Milk and meat people.  How can that be wrong???

5. Pork Sausage with Everything at the Hallo Berlin Cart (54th btw. 5+6th).  It’s pork and it’s German.

And that’s just the places for lunch in Midtown.  We didn’t even cover Dim Sum, Raw Oysters, Crawfish, Lobster, or the pork broth with hunks of pork at Momofuku Noodle Bar.  Anyway- I will be at work today, and I will be eating lunch.  But I will feel very guilty about it… and isn’t guilt what being Jewish is all about?