Midtown Lunch

Every Tuesday I turn the site over to a Midtown Lunch’er for their recommendations of places to eat Lunch in Midtown.  You might recognize this guy’s name because he has posted 56 pictures to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Group.  His photos are responsible for tipping me off to french fries in the Pick-a-Pita, Mandler’s on 8th Ave., and the new Sophie’s Cuban sign on 40th, just to name a few.  We’re losing him to a job in the Bronx in a few weeks, but before he goes- here are Josh Bousel’s picks for the best Midtown Lunch’ing:

Name: Josh Bousel

Age: 28

Occupation: Web Designer/Developer (and host of the newly launched “Meatwave“)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: netomat, Inc on 38th btw. 8+9th ave.

Favorite Kind of Food: Anything conducive to bringing on a sudden, deadly heart attack, with a particular fondness for bbq, fried chicken, and hamburgers.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Seafood. I used to be a terribly picky eater, and although I’ve overcome most of my food aversions, I can’t get over my distaste for seafood. It should be said that I also hate salt water, but love the beach, go figure.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Neither of these places are technically in the “Midtown Lunch” boundaries, but I love the Kansas City Ribs at Daisy May’s (11th Ave. at 46th St.) and the chicken or beef empanadas at Empanada Mama (on 9th Ave. & 51st). I’ve never actually had a lunch there, but Burger Joint is at the top of my list as well.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often:  I tend to eat alone because I like to get whatever food I’m in the mood for, and I also don’t eat at the same place very often. My co-workers seem to like Guy & Gallard and Metro Cafe (I’m also guilty of going to these places too often when I first started working in Midtown). Chef Yu (36th & 8th Ave.) is another popular one in my office.

Place you discovered thanks to MidtownLunch: The Kati Roll Company (46th btw. 6+7th). My first time there I made the mistake of only getting 1 and had to go back for dinner for another to fulfill the cravings they induce. Also, the new Popeye’s on 40th (btw. 7+8th).  I never found the one on 34th up to par.

Dream job location, purely for lunch purposes?: I just accepted a position at the Bronx Zoo, where I’ll be working close to Arthur Ave and I’m pretty excited about that. Otherwise I’d go somewhere with great BBQ… Memphis, maybe?

I hear ya when it comes to BBQ in Memphis.  My favorite BBQ of all time, plus how you can be next weeks Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er, after the jump… Read more »

Midtown lunch’ing can be a very lonely place. If you are like me, than you must know what I’m talking about. Every day, lunch rolls around and the troops gather- trying to decide where to eat. Well, gather isn’t necessarily the best word for it. Sometimes it’s phone calls or emails… but for me, the questions usually start around 9am, when I get into work. For one guy, it’s the first thing he asks when I walk in the door… “Where are we going to lunch today?”

But here’s the thing… he almost never comes with me. Why? Because when I’ve finally made up my mind, the place is either too far to walk, or he doesn’t like whatever ethnic food I’ve decided to partake in on that day. In other words, I don’t eat at generic delis- the lunch of choice for almost every single person I work with. If I went to Metro every day, I’d have 27 people to eat lunch with. Who says no to Metro? There’s something for everyone! And that’s why those places exist on every corner of Midtown. Quick, easy and there’s something for everyone.

Not me though. Generic delis don’t do it for me. I like to venture. 15 minute walk in the rain for sausage and cheese filled corn fritters? Sure. 10 minute walk to wait in line for take out cuban food, when there are 2 other perfectly good places within a block of my office. Why not? And Chinese food- there is no distance I won’t travel for cheap Chinese food.

The people I work with… not so much. Read more »

On rainy days like this, it’s great to be working in the Rock Center complex. There’s a lot of options in the concourse- and when you’re sick of those (which happens pretty quick), it’s a quick subway ride away to more options. Where I took the Subway, and ate without ever being outside- coming on Wednesday…

• The people behind Hearth in the East Village are opening a Midtown restaurant [Eater]
• Midtown getting a mechanical bull [Eater]
• Chikubu, home of the Friday Ramen special, is closed [Eater]
• Port Authority Eats you should already know about… [NYMag via Eater]

A new sign goes up on 40th btw. 7+8th (next to Popeyes)
Photo posted to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Group by joshbousel

MIDTOWN LINKS

• Found out about this place a week too late (Matzoh brie, and the best Matzoh ball soup in Midtown…) [Eating in Translation]
• $6 Indian Buffet!  Why couldn’t this place be 10 blocks farther north [VV]
• Burger Joint conundrum.  To fry or not to fry.  [Chowhound]
• Best soups in Midtown… [Chowhound]
• Interested in Izakayas?  There’s four in Midtown… [NYDN]

Next week, I’ll examine a choice that every one of us (who are willing to venture far for good eats) has had to make… deciding between a crappy lunch with your co-workers, or eating at a far off good place alone.  Have a good weekend!

You might be surprised to realize that I have never actually given Sophie’s a proper +/- on MidtownLunch.  There was a mention of the Lexington location months and months ago, the reporting about the new 56th St. location, and then the live-blogging of the Grand Opening, but never a proper page that people could refer to for locations and a real +/-.  So… here it is-  in pictures (the best way to enjoy a place like Sophie’s).

An inside shot of the Lexington location. You have two dining options at Sophie’s.  You can sit at a table and order from a waitress (on the left), or get in the cafeteria style line and order directly from the steam tables.  If you get in the line, you have to take your food to go.  This is especially confusing at the 56th St. location, where the tables are in the very back of the restaurant.  If you want to sit and eat, you must bypass the crowds at the steamtable, and head directly to the back to order from the waitresses.  The menu and prices are the same when you sit and order (but you do have to tip, making it a little more expensive.)

The back of the 56th St. location.

Two plates of food fixing to go out, at the 56th St. location.

More food porn, after the jump… Read more »

Passover is officially over, so everyone who closed for the holiday is back open… including Moshe’s Falafel Cart (which apparently now has fries), Taam Tov, Diamond Dairy, and Pick-a-Pita to name just a few. Whatever you do, don’t go for bagels. It might be super crowded…

After my Monday post on the Naples 45 2pm Pizza deal, I got a lot of questions about other late lunch specials in Midtown.  If you can wait until after 2pm, there are countless deals to be had by restaurants looking to pick up their afternoon business, or unload their lunch stuff before the deadness of Midtown dinner.  Like I said before, I’m pretty ill-equiped to answer this one.  It’s a miracle if I even make it to 12:30pm before eating lunch (nevermind getting to 2pm or later).  So I’m going to need your help…  If you know of a late lunch special, post it as a comment below. 

Nevertheless, here are the few that I have written about:

• Ho Yip (45th btw. 5+6th) – After 2:15pm, the price of the by the lb. buffet at this Chinese place drops to $3.75.
• Naples 45 (45th btw. Lex+Vanderbilt) – After 2pm, the price of all pizza drops to $1.25 a slice.
• Cucina & Co. (Multiple Locations) – It’s different for every location, but Cucina drops the prices of a lot of their items at different times.  I posted a list in August, but I’m not sure if it’s valid anymore. I guess it’s not surprising, but these places are owned by the same company that owns Naples 45.

There also was a late sushi special at Pranza, but apparently that doesn’t exist anymore.

I think early bird specials are more my thing.  If getting somewhere before Noon got you a deal, I would be all over it!  The only one of those I know about is Men Kui Tei (on 56th btw. 5+6th) which has a special set menu or Gyoza for super cheap before 12:15pm.

Do you know of a late lunch special in Midtown Manhattan?  (Or an early special for that matter…)  Post it as a comment below.

Every Tuesday I turn the site over to a Midtown Lunch’er for their recommendations of places to eat Lunch in Midtown.  Ideally I like to post a picture of the person in their Midtown working environment, to give you a real sense of their Midtown Lunch experience.  Surprisingly, the picture of Grace (this week’s Lunch’er), is of her at “work”.

Name: Grace

Age: N.O.Y.B.

Occupation: Senior Test Kitchen Associate (and a cookbook author)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Food & Wine Magazine, 6th Ave & 43rd St.

Favorite Kind of Food: I love Korean food (as well as most Asian cuisines) and my favorite all time Korean dish is kimchi jigae, a super spicy stew of pork, kimchi and rice cakes; Italian (especially Neopolitan pizza, fresh pasta and any kind of cheese); and in the winter, Matzoh Ball soup.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Peruvian Potato dishes (they tend to be kind of bland with lots of sweet mayo), headcheese, and anything Icelandic (bland boiled meats), dried airpuffed cod bits, and fish spread in a tube. (That list is strangely specific. -zach)

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: My new favorite Korean place is Kunjip (9 w. 32nd st). I was intrigued by this dish, Kam Ja Tang (pork bone and potato stew) that listed pork bones as its first ingredient. It was delicious, and true to its name, had loads of pork bones (the trimmings from the back bone where you really have to dig in the get at the meat), topped with this very light, not-sweet-at-all sauce.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Dae Dong–Korean, of course on 32nd st., and Grand Sichuan on 9th Ave (now closed by the board of health, wahhhh). The shrimp dumplings in chile sauce and dan dan noodles are the best. They also have really great sour string beans that are dangerously addictive. (Actually, I think Grand Sichuan is closed for good. I passed by it on Sunday, and it was totally stripped empty inside. -zach)

Place you discovered thanks to MidtownLunch: The Kati Roll Company on 46th (the review of the food was so tantalizing–it made the recipe for kati roll that I tested look like child’s play). The paneer (Indian-style ricotta) is my favorite–spicy, sweet, milky, and creamy (mmmm) followed closely by the potato and egg. I found them all (i did actually try everything on the menu) to be delicious, fresh and extremely well balanced–but maybe I was the first customer of the day? That will definitely become my go-to place for food to-go.

Dream job location, purely for lunch purposes?: Aside from my test kitchen at Food & Wine (the food is almost always excellent and free–and I know with certainty that the cooks wash their hands)… Chinatown, Jackson Heights or Redhook Brooklyn (but only during soccer season)- all for their ethnic diversity and superb cheap street food.

Is there any sweeter job than working in the kitchen of a food magazine?  Holy mackerel am I jealous.  The pie picture above, is a picture of Grace *at work*!  That’s craziness.  Where’s the cubicle?  The annoying co-workers?  The computer screen to stare at hour after hour as your brain and eyes fight over which one is going to degenerate faster?  And you get to go to fancy parties with free food and booze!  Not jealous yet?  A picture of Grace at last years James Beard awards, after the jump… Read more »

As you can tell, lunch time is very sacred for me.  I am definitely not one of those “whenever I have time to go” kind of lunch people.  With me, it’s more of an “Only 17 minutes left until the socially acceptable lunchtime of Noon” kind of thing.  I still don’t understand how people can forget to eat lunch.  I don’t care how busy I am, I could never forget lunchtime.  In fact, if I haven’t eaten by 1pm, there’s a decent chance I’ll just pass out.  I’ve never tested this theory, but I’m pretty sure that’s what would happen.

Of course, there are occasions when I do go for a “late lunch”.  Usually these days coincide with times when there is some sort of free food in the kitchen to serve as a mid-morning snack, or I’ve eaten a late or extra large breakfast.  On these days, I get to take advantage of all the late lunch specials that midtown has to offer.  If you can wait to eat, there are some great deals to be had in Midtown and hands down, my favorite is Ho Yip.  I have a soft spot for cheap chinese food, and I love by the lb. buffets- but the price always kills me.  Ho Yip solves this by lowering their price after 2:15pm.  A great deal, and my favorite place to eat a late lunch.  I’ve also heard that alot of chain delis charge less for pre-packaged sandwiches at a certain time.   

A few months ago, a reader tipped me off to another one of these late lunch specials.  Naples 45, a nice sit down pizza place in Midtown, lowers their take out slices to $1.25 after 2pm.  For months I have been waiting for an opportunity to take advantage of this deal… and finally last week I was looking for something to eat around 2pm- so I headed over to Naples 45 to check it out.

What I found, pizza porn and the +/- after the jump… Read more »