Midtown Lunch

When I lived in L.A. I used to love getting the Gordon Biersch garlic fries at Dodger games, so I’m kind of interested in the answer to this questions was well.  From Lunch’er Charlie: “Do you have any idea as to where one can get San Francisco style garlic fries, with freshly diced garlic and freshly grated Parmesan, in NYC?”  Yes please. Anybody?

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Fashion Soup, a really good take out place on 41st btw. 6th & Broadway featuring tasty soups homemade by its Eastern European owner (who also works in the store during the day.) Seeing as it’s Fashion Week, I thought I’d drop by and see what was going on. In addition to being curious about changes, I was also secretly interested in seeing if business changed considering the influx of fashionable peoples under tents, half an avenue away in Bryant Park.

What I found was a big surprise…  Read more »

Eater has posted a photo showing that progress is finally being made at Obika, the mozzarella bar set to open in the atrium on 56th & Madison. No word on if they’re still sticking to their September 20th opening date, but I’ll keep an eye out.

I am embarrassed to admit it, but I wasted my time watching that Inside Edition “expose” on NYC Street Vendors last night. Was it gross? Yes. Did they catch 3 or 4 vendors picking their noses, and then handling food without gloves. Of course. Thankfully though none of the vendors covered were popular Midtown Lunch carts (although one I recognized as being on 48th St. & 7th Ave.) They were all non-descript hot dog and kebab vendors mostly frequented by tourists. And you know what I say? Screw the tourists. Maybe these dirty carts will thin their ranks out a bit- get them out of the way so I can walk home in peace after work.

In all seriousness though (I do hate tourists, but don’t wish dysentery on them), amazingly, after watching the 3 minute and 30 second report I felt more sorry for the vendors than anything. So what. 4 street vendors are kind of dirty. So is restaurant food. So is the subway. These guys aren’t criminals. And reports like this tend to do more harm than good. The majority of vendors work hard, follow the rules, keep clean carts, and don’t pick their feet while on the job. They shouldn’t be vilified because there are 3 that don’t. Hell, I’m picking my nose as I write this. And I might go eat something when I’m done (but not boogers. That’s gross.)

If you must watch the video, it’s after the jump…  Read more »

I hate generic Midtown delis. Anybody who reads this site with any regularity knows this. In fact, that stupid deli at the bottom of your building, with its make your own salad bar, prepackaged sushi, and terrible sandwich counter is the reason I started this blog in the first place. Those choices exist solely because your co-workers are lazy losers; unwilling to walk an extra block or two to eat a worthwhile lunch.

Of course every once in awhile a Midtown deli innovation occurs, pushing the boundaries of gastronomic advancement; begging to be noticed, unwilling to following the standard formula. By the lb. buffets were one of the early innovations. The good ones are tough to resist (despite being a curse to us fatties.) Korean deli owners selling Korean food is a more recent example. The stations set up at Cafe Duke and Ambrosia elevate those delis to worthwhile status. Now, we have reached a new plateau… brought to my attention in this email:

Anyone tipped you off to this yet at the Old Bridge Deli? For about $6.50, you can get a fresh baked (i.e. made, then baked on the spot while you wait)… what is essentially an elongated calzone with a thinner crust with custom ingredients of your choosing (they call it a rolly wrap).

The fresh baked part is killer. So is the fresh chopping the guy does if you order chicken, or any cheese other than mozz. I’m a sucker for a little fresh cutting and baking on my lunch order, especially when it’s a FULL lunch and costs $6-7. Just wait in line, pile on pretty much as many ingredients as you like, and wait while it bakes. He’ll even give you a sour cream or hot sauce on the side if you ask nicely.

I usually roll with a choice of cheddar and/or mozz (sometimes rotate in the jalapeno jack too) the breaded chicken (grilled if I’m going “healthy”), some pepperoni or bacon, rotate the vegetable (onion, mushroom, broccoli, red peppers), then top it off with salsa and either sour cream or guac. Delicious.

Fresh baked? As many ingredients as you like? In a generic Midtown deli? Wait- ignore that last part and this kind of sounds amazing…  Read more »

Frank Bruni “awards” Midtown power lunch spot Michael’s zero stars in today’s New York Times. A $35 burger for lunch!  Frank- if you needed a suggestion for places to eat lunch near your office you should have just asked…

This has nothing to do with food, but everything to do with being a cheap bastard.  I love Target, so I was pretty excited to see that one of the four temporary “Bullseye Bodegas” they’re opening in NYC is in Midtown. I know it’s lame but there is something about living and working in Manhattan (and not owning a car) that makes me crave crap like strip malls and Target.  The pop up store is taking over the space that used to be inhabited by the Delta Pop Up Cafe on 57th & 6th Ave. The store will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Monday. If you’re into using your lunch break to do a little shopping, you can get more info here, here, and here.

Photos of the inside are after the jump…  Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Jeremy, who you my remember as the author of the Midtown Lunch guide to turning free samples into a lunchtime tasting menu.  I guess they’re paying him more at work because his profile is filled with stuff that actually requires money.

Name: Jeremy

Age: 24

Occupation: Publicist/Private Chef

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 44th Street bet. 5+6th Avenues

Favorite Kind of Food: Recently it’s barbequed cuttlefish and Malaysian food, both introduced to me by my friend Mark who makes some of the craziest pizzas in New York. But I love all kinds of pork, hanger steak, and oysters! In college I set up a raw bar outside of the library during finals. Nobody got sick but I cut my hand pretty badly with a Swiss Army knife.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Chicken feet are disgusting. I’ve never had memorable Indian food. If you can convince me otherwise, lunch is on me.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Soon Doo Boo Jjigae (Tofu Seafood Stew) at Ambrosia (45th btw. 5+6th), Mountain Vegetable Udon at Yagura (41st btw. Mad+5th). And I’m still eating my supervisor’s hard-boiled eggs.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Dishes (45th btw. Mad+5th), which I don’t understand, because everything there is wet. I probably eat at FreeFoods (45th btw. 5+6th) way too often because it’s right outside the door and I dig the lobster soup.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? Zaiya and its neighbors were an epiphany for me, but I can only eat sushi alone at my desk for so long. Can Midtown Lunch provide friends to eat with? Just kidding.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Cote de Beaune (Burgundy), France. I know it’s a little pretentious, but if it means snails and pinot noir for lunch, so be it.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? I guess I have a few questions. Let’s start with this: That Indian place on 45th between 5th and 6th. I go in about once a week looking for soup and they always tell me there’s no soup. Unbelievable. Why? Can you eat a 1kg burger? I think I can but nobody will take me up on the challenge. And finally, has anybody ever eaten at the Indian place on 44th bet. 5th and 6th? I think it’s called Jewel of India and it recently got shut down by the health department for being “uninspired.”

I’m guessing that the place on 45th you’re talking about is Sukhadia? For a guy who claims to not like Indian food, you kind of seem obsessed with the two places near your office. If you want the best Indian food in Manhattan, try the Khodiar Food Services steam table in the former newsstand on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th. It’s vegetarian, but it’s the best I’ve had. And I have to say, I wish there were some good chicken feet in Midtown. As for the burger, how big is one kg? The largest burger I’ve eaten in Midtown is after the jump…  Read more »