Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er “Adam”

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 Adam- an engineer who loves chaat and was willing to fill out the profile, even though he doesn’t have a blog to promote. Now that’s balls!

Name: Adam

Age: 24

Occupation: Engineer. I don’t have a blog.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 37th & 5th

Favorite Kind of Food: I love campfire food. And breakfast for dinner. And Turkish cuisine. And a good Paraguayan asado. And DiFara’s square pizza. And Vietnamese. So hard to choose!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I can’t do the by the pound midtown deli buffets anymore, after an unfortunate encounter with some funky sesame chicken which left me with food poisoning throwing up all afternoon. I also detest the average heated up when you order after sitting for a while slice of pizza which is all too prevalent in Midtown.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I eat falafel in Bryant Park from my homeboys at NE corner 40th and Broadway at least 2 or 3 times a week. Combining the frugality of a $4.00 lunch and the pleasure of a lunch out of the office in the park with a good book is my personal favorite. My other regulars include the JT Lunchenette (on B’way and 35th) for good and hearty spanish food or a cheap pepper steak sandwich. I used to go to Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th) for chaat, but that has been replaced by Taj Delhi chaat (on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th) due to proximity to the office.  Sometimes Toyama (on 36th St. btw. 5+6th) for sushi, and when it’s really cold the Au Bon Pain 20 feet from the door of my building for soup in a breadbowl. I’ll go to Gaam (on 30th and 5th) for Indian when I feel like going out of midtown lunch price range by a dollar or two. And finally, the cheesesteaks at the truck at the SE corner of 40th and Broadway may not quite live up to my south Philly Tony Luke’s standards, but they do still hit the spot when I crave grease and cholesterol.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? I have turned a couple of co-workers on to Taj Delhi chaat and we’ll go to Gaam for a nice long lunch once in a while but normally I eat by my lonesome. Catered lunch & learns aren’t uncommon here which can turn us all into a pack of tuna salad sandwich crazed vultures.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? I must thank ML for my chaat obsession and for the after 2pm pizza at Naples 45 (on 45th btw. Park+Madison). Also, the former Spanish food serving Blimpie that was on 38th and 6th. I’ve been meaning to check out Biryani cart but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? I ate really really well and really really cheaply for the couple of months I lived in Turkey. If I could somehow commute from Brooklyn to Amasra, Turkey I would be in heaven. Montevideo was also amazing dining wise. Sticking to the 5 boroughs though, I’d have to go with either the East Village for Snack Dragon tacos or Yoghurt Soup from Kebab Garden or cubanos from the 4th St. Deli or cheap wings and cute bartenders from Croxley Ale. Chinatown a close second because I could fill myself up with noodles and dumplings for $2. I wouldn’t mind working in Midwood, Brooklyn so I could eat a square slice from DiFara’s 5 days a week.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Where can I find good, hopefully cheap, Turkish style Yoghurt Soup in Midtown? Also, where can I find a cheap pounder of PBR and a decent jukebox for classy happy hours? Any bars that have a good lunch special so I can have a pint and a sandwich for less than 10$?

Turkish style yoghurt soup is a new one for me… as for good happy hours, we have a new Friday column just for you!  And the only $10 beer and lunch special I know of is the one at House of Brews.  Anybody got any better answers than mine?  (Shouldn’t be tough this week)  Feel free to post them as comments.

And as always, if you want to be the next Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er, or you’d like to nominate somebody in your office email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

26 Comments

  • I second Grace’s recs of Taksim and Sip Sak — I used to live right near both and I believe the chef/owner of Sip Sak started w/Taksim, then sold it and opened Sip Sak. Akdeniz is one of my favorites on Seamless Web but I usually get the chicken shish kabob. Now I will have to try this Sultan’s Delight! Thanks, all.

  • Sorry rudy, been out sick. If I can manage a cruel thought today or any thought, I’ll let you know…. someone pass the Kleenex…

  • aww, mamacita, hot toddies and spicy soup to you!

  • M, I’ll be right over with some irish coffee and my footrub cream

    Make room under the covers

  • They had no yoghurt soup at Dervish today. dang.

  • How does a Turkish kebab restaurant not have cacik?

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