PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Serena”

Every Tuesday I try to keep my opinion to myself (a little gets in at the end), and let a genuine Midtown Lunch’er take over the site to give their opinion about eating in Midtown.  In honor of the Vendy Awards , which are taking place this Sunday night (Midtown Carts were totally snubbed!), I present to you, Serena, the Teriyaki Cart loving Midtown lunch’er…

Name: Serena

Age:
28

Occupation:
Editor

Where in Midtown do you Work?:
49th & 6th Ave.

Favorite Kind of Food:
Japanese (or anything from the Pacific Rim region)

Least Favorite Kind of Food:
Fruit… especially the stuff that is sold on the street.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown:
 My favorite used to be the tofu teriyaki from the Japanese Market on 41st btw. 5th+Madison (just East of Cafe Zaiya)… but now I can’t get enough of the Tofu Teriyaki at the Cart on 50th btw. 6+7th. (NOTE: Serena is actually one of the two people who recommended this cart to Midtown Lunch)
The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often:  Bagel Feller, on 48th btw. 5th and 6th. Partly I just like to say the name, but they also have really good wraps.

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: I actually rediscovered Yips— the Chinese place.  I used to go there when I was an intern like 8 years ago, and it had been completely erased from memory until I saw it here on MidtownLunch.  Ridiculously cheap, and I’ve never gotten sick from eating there.   And again– a great name! How can you not laugh asking someone if they want to go to “Yips” for lunch?

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why?  Washington, DC circa 1999.  There used to be the best sandwich place I’ve ever known in an office building near my high school called Frisco’s.  Every sandwich had a San Fran related name.  The best was the Golden Gate.  Sadly, it has since closed down and I’m not sure it exists anywhere anymore–nor am I sure it ever existed in San Francisco.

Any question you’d like to pose to the Midtown Lunch readers?  Does anyone know where I can find (during the week) that really cheap pad thai that is sold at street fairs on weekends? (I have really unsophisticated taste because I work in publishing and I’m poor.)
Ah yes… the $1 Thai Food stand at Street Fairs.  How can you not love it?  Our recommendation to Serena, plus how you can be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er- after the jump…

My favorite cheap Pad Thai in Midtown is the one from take out joint Yum Thai.  It doesn’t stick together in clumps, and is made fresh (unlike the ones at Street Fairs).  Unfortunately, it may not live down to your “sophistication” level… and it’s definitely not $1- or even $3!  (The hidden secret of $1 Thai food being that only the spring rolls are a buck.  Everything else is more… that’s how they getcha!).

3 of the last 4 Profiles have been of people who work on 6th Ave.  Come on East Side!  Where are you people?  Don’t you have places to recommend?  Interested in being the next Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er-  just email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

3 Comments

  • Awesome. I’ve never had the $1 pad thai…

  • There’s a lunch-er after my own heart.

  • ACK! Serena, I used to work near the van ness/UDC stop in DC, and we used to go to Frisco’s when we really needed a treat! Sooo delicious. Did you ever go to Vace’s (italian deli) in Cleveland Park? That is some kick ass pizza.

Leave a Reply

You must log in or register to post a comment.