Midtown Lunch

Due to its non-Midtown location, I haven’t been able to use this blog as an excuse to sample the much written about Dessert Truck. (In case you thought this site was started to help you people find lunch, its true purpose was to allow me to eat gross and fattening lunches, and be able to say “It’s for work!”). Well, that is about to change this summer. Right now, the Dessert Truck spends Tuesday-Sunday nights on University Place & 8th St., but once the weather gets warmer, Co-owner Chris Chen told me they are hoping to park the truck during the day in… wait for it… wait for it… Midtown!

They haven’t decided on a location yet (and from the struggle the Treats Truck had, I’m guessing it won’t be easy), but I assured them that no matter where the truck was parked, they would be welcomed with open mouths by the Midtown Lunch’ing faithful. I also used this bit of news as an excuse to sample four of their creations (Gianduja Pot de Creme, Vanilla Creme Brulee, Chocolate Bread Pudding, and the Milk Chocolate w/ Peanut Butter). All were outstanding, and for just $5 a pop, a pretty amazing bargain for desserts that would normally cost $10 in a restaurant. For a really great round-up of the truck’s offerings, check out this post by Robyn Lee on Ed Levine Eats.

The sad thing is, I didn’t have to wait this long for the Midtown Lunch-Dessert Truck connection. The truck rents kitchen space right above Daisy May’s BBQ on 11th Ave. & 46th St., home base of the Daisy May’s BBQ Cart on 50th btw. 6+7th- a bonafied Midtown Lunch!

For those of you keeping score at home:

• Treats Truck – Midtown Lunch’ing favorite! Here at least 3 days a week
• Waffles Truck – Coming soon!
• Dessert Truck – Coming soon as well!

Stay tuned for more details… and if you have any news to report, email it to zach@midtownlunch.com

For those of you who are planning to forgo the $5 One Year Anniversary Go Go Curry deal going on today in favor of a lunch that celebrates Mexico’s defeat of the French at Puebla, I decided to put together a list of places to get tamales in Midtown. I know that tamales are not exclusively Mexican (especially alot of the ones you get in Midtown), but it’s Cinco de Mayo, and since this is a blog, I’m contractually obligated to do stupid theme posts on all holidays! (Don’t you know how it works?) Luckily tamales seem to popping up alot these days… plus, who doesn’t love tamales? There shouldn’t be alot of complaints about this one…

The list, and Midtown Tamale Map, after the jump… Read more »

Stuck working in the office today? Put $2 on the Kentucky Derby at the
OTB on 48th btw 5+6th (right next to the still shuttered Hing Won which
put a sign up over their DOH sticker saying “Open on Monday). Go Z
Humor!!! (30-1, but how could I not?)

“The Worst Table in Midtown?” Posted to Flickr by NYCBlondieandBrownie
I wonder if you can eat your Utsav takeout there? That would make it the best table in Midtown!

• If you want your choice at (the out of bounds) Piece of Chicken, you have to show up at Noon [Eating In Translation]
• The out of bounds and formerly known as Tony Luke’s- Shorty’s makes the best cheesesteak in “Midtown” [NYC Food Guy]
• For all you N’awlins-o-philes, the out of bounds “Bourbon St.” on Restaurant row has opened [Eater]
• Meet the rare, only as a special, “mint chocolate trucker” [Blondie & Brownie]
• It’s waaaaay out of bounds, but my friends at the Brooklyn Kitchen are doing another butchering demo on Tuesday. This time it’s a whole sheep. (Who doesn’t like mutton!?!) [Brooklyn Kitchen Blog]

On Monday, Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th) will remind us that it’s less about fried cutlets smothered in Japanese kare, and more about weird number superstitions (and an unhealthy obsession with Hideki Matsui).  Go means 5 (a very lucky number), they opened one year ago Monday (5/5), and to celebrate they’ll be selling their Small to Large sizes for $5 all day Monday (5/5).  Normally a large order is $8.50, so it’s a pretty good deal- and just so you know, ordering anything but the large, for the same price, would be an embarrassment. 

The only way they could make a better Cinco de Mayo lunch is by offering their Grand Slam for $5.  Now that would be truly spectacular.  (Maybe it’ll happen on May 5, 5555).  It’s also worth mentioning, now that baseball season has started up, they give out free toppings any day after Hideki Matsui (Yankees number 55), hits a homerun.  Go team!

Thanks to commenter AL@1PP for the news. Got a tip or recommendation to share? Email it to zach@midtownlunch.com  

I don’t want you to take all that pent up anger into the weekend, so every week I provide a space for people to complain about stuff.  (Eater Complaints Dept., your royalty check is in the mail).  Again this week, the complaint revolves around something that was supposed to be free.  Isn’t it funny how so many of these are about free food?  In some ways it doesn’t make any sense. I mean it’s free… what’s there to complain about?  But on the other hand, nobody likes being screwed out of what has rightfully been promised to them by well paid public relations companies.  A lot of free ice cream was given out this week.  And yet one company, may have done more harm then good…

I’m a regular reader of Midtown Lunch and I wanted to let you know that Carvel’s promotion today for free arctic and coffee blenders was a complete scam. I went to the only 2 Carvel stores in Midtown and was told at both locations that they were not giving away anything today. Actually, the douchebag working in Times Square didn’t even have the decency to say anything to me. When I asked him about the promotion he wagged his finger at me and then moved on to the next customer with no further acknowledgment or apology. The two bumbling idiots working in Penn Station claimed that they were not giving away any of the frozen drinks because they didn’t have any of the ingredients for them. I don’t know what’s going over there at Carvel but they better get their act straight or they’ll be a relic of the good ol’ days in the not too distant future. Ben & Jerry’s and Baskin Robbins pulled off their promotions without a hitch and probably won a lot of customers in the process. Carvel’s antics will only drive more customers to their clearly more competent (and honest) competitors. Sorry for the rant. I just wanted to let you know so that perhaps you could inform our fellow Midtown Lunchers of Carvel’s deceitful sales tactics.

You would think that a company that could figure out how to mold ice cream into the shape of a killer whale would be able to handle a free milkshake promotion.  Got your own grievance to air?  Email it to zach@midtownlunch.com

I hadn’t seen this one before… the recently shuttered Hing Won on 48th btw. 5+6th pulled their gate down just far enough to “coincidentally” obscure the bright yellow DOH sticker (you can see the top sticking out a little bit).  This guy wasn’t fooled though!  You can’t see it in this photo, but the hordes of confused slack jawed yokels hovering around, asking “are they closed?” to no one in particular totally reminded me of the scene on the very same street almost 2 years ago when Variety Cafe was DOH’d.  That post spawned the creation of the “Closed by the DOH” category, and these clairvoyant words:

“EDITOR NOTE: We have created a new “Closed for Health Reasons” Category, which given our content, and location will probably have to be used more often then any of us would like. Hing Won, you’ve been warned.”

Still no word on exaclty why they were DOH’d, but it’s not hard to imagine.  They were in the process of “cleaning” up the place, and said if the re-inspection in the morning goes well, they’ll be back open tomorrow.

Also closed (but not by the Department of Health, and seemingly for good) is Le Croissant Shop on 6th Ave. btw. 38+39th.  Popular for their croissants (naturally) and Mexican food (huh?), they will certainly be missed on Cinco de Mayo (and Bastille Day?).

It’s not all bad news though… Read more »

It turns out the new cart that popped up Monday on 46th btw. 6+7th is from the owners of Caribbean Spice, the now shuttered Hell’s Kitchen restaurant that used to be on 44th btw. 9+10th Ave.  Their hand written signs may be scrawled on posterboard, but the menu is pretty straight forward.  Jerk chicken, stewed chicken, curry chicken or goat, and oxtails, served over rice and peas.  Sound familiar?  You can’t help but think these ladies must have been influenced in some way by the success of the Jamaican Dutchy on 51st & 7th.  Only a 6 or 7 minute walk away, you’ve got to admire the boldness of setting up shop so close to what I consider one of the best carts in Midtown. 

 

It’s not really fair to judge the food on day 4, but I just can’t resist the exitement of a new cart. Check out the plate of food I got yesterday, after the jump… Read more »