PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Richard”

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 Richard a Marketing dude who boldly admits that he doesn’t like potatoes that have been cubed and deep fried.

Name: Richard

Age: 25

Occupation: Marketing Analyst for SeamlessWeb (and amateur food critic for EatRichly.com)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 37th and Madison

Favorite Kind of Food: Soba noodles, soft tacos (I only say “soft” because I used to think that hard tacos with ground beef were the only type of Mexican food), pappardelle with any meat ragout, anything over rice

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Home fries (how are these served with every omelette?)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: One paneer and one meat (chicken/beef) roll at Kati Roll Company (on 39th btw. 5+6th); Norvegian or Siciliano sandwich with one macaron of the day at Macaron Cafe (36th btw. B’way+7th); Chilorio, Pescado, and Alambre tacos with the warm, salty chips from Pampano Taqueria (3rd Ave. btw. 49+50th); Set A with Lobster Salad and a rotating cast of characters at OMS/b.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Lucky Deli Asian Kobe (on 37th btw. Mad+5th): This spot serves mediocre, yet expensive, wraps, sandwiches, and salads. And no one has ever dared to try anything “Asian” there. But it is directly across the street from the office. Mondello (on 37th btw. Mad+5th): They actually have a pretty good New York slice (and apparently a decent chicken parm?), but it’s really only a spot to go when feeling lazy, cheap, or pressed for time. Au Bon Pain: This place nearly ruined my college experience and now it forces me to uncomfortably refuse lunch outings twice a week.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? Macaron Cafe: I never would have walked by this place, so I am eternally grateful. OMS/b: Who doesn’t love rice and mayonnaise? Yagura (on 41st btw. Mad+5th): It’s cheap AND it offers a full service Japanese supermarket!

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? East Village. New York has the best diversity of cuisine in the world and the East Village has an absurd number of cheap spots like Caracas Arepa Bar or Royale, along with mid-range noodle places like SobaKoh, Ippudo, and Ramen Setagaya. And that’s not to mention the Momofuku Empire. Finally, if you get bored you can walk to Chinatown or the West Village.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Is there anywhere close to my office with very good zaru soba? I love Soba Nippon on 52nd street, but that’s too far to go regularly.

Got a soba recommendation for Richard? Feel free to put it in the 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

36 Comments

  • I hear you on the home fries. Would it really kill people to make hashbrowns instead?

  • My dearest Wined and Dined:

    Many photos of my wife and me are featured on my page.

    I will be the first one to admit that we are a bit plumper than we were 20 years ago. That’s what 20 years of exemplary dining will do to a body. And gladly so. I make no bones about it.

    MLuncher “Richard’s” cherubic demeanor and fanciful manner of dress enchant me, much like it did many, many years ago when I acquired my young wife.

    Like I said before, I wish that young man all the best.

  • If I might make an on-topic comment, I find it a slight stretch to consider that one might “walk to Chinatown or the West Village” from the East Village for lunch. Not that it’s impossible, but it seems like a bit of a hike to either destination (say, from St. Marks and 1st Ave) and back in a normal lunch session.

  • Rudy,
    Angie never showed up for the hearing so the court threw her charges out. And last time I saw Danny Meyer we had a hearty laugh and he said something about ‘water under the bridge.’ Its okay. you can come back.

  • Wined & Dined, don’t you get it? Rudy McBagle is a wealthy, good looking Londoner who really does have better things to do than post on a NY food blog but he graces us with his charming British wit in order to promote international relations.

  • In actuality, McBeagle lives outside of Pittsburgh and works for Dial-A-Mattress.

  • Please take a look at my profile. The wife and I often travel and tour Waffle Houses from coast to coast. Fine dining for us is the Waffle House, the world’s leading server of waffles. I often order the Pecan waffle and the wife orders the Chocolate Chip. While we eat we hum our favorite tune from Bloodhound Gang. I want you smothered, want you covered
    Like my Waffle House hashbrowns, you and me baby we ain’t nothing but mammals so let’s so it like we do it on the discovery channel.
    I love hash browns.

    Cheers,
    Chuck, PhD

  • Thanks for the support Marina and Wined & Dined. I think it’s pretty funny that the photo has gotten almost all the attention. I actually considered a couple of different options, but it looks like I picked a winner.

    PS No answers on soba?

    PPS DocChuck, not sure if I should be flattered by all the comparisons to your wife, but I think I’ll get by either way.

  • Thanks for being a good sport Rich. And yeah, what about the Soba??

  • I’m beginning to think that there is no soba in midtown. What’s there another lunch’er recently who also wanted some soba? Oh, and you must never have had good home fries.

  • You’re welcome Rich. Unfortunately I don’t like Soba (or udon) and can’t help you out. Maybe go to H Mart on 32nd & buy yourself some Soba noodles & make it at home and bring it to work for lunch. I am wicked jealous of the people working close to OMS/b. I am too far to go there for lunch.

  • Oh crap, I think I’m in agreement with the good doctor on this one. Waffle House is pretty amazing. If you can find a better, cheaper, hangover breakfast anywhere, please let me know.

    I too love hash browns (but not home fries).

  • Soba Totto, 43rd st, between 2nd and 3rd
    Out of midtown price range, but you gotta pay for quality

    http://events.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/dining/reviews/06under.html

  • Good point Za Jiang. That place is great! However, sadly I don’t think that it is open for lunch.

  • green tea soba noodles / 10

    KYOTOFU
    705 Ninth Avenue (between 48th and 49th)
    New York, NY 10019
    Tel: 212-974-6012

  • I had the soba noodles at Kyotofu recently and they were great (as were the cupcakes)! Unfortunately it’s a little far for me to visit on a regular basis. Thanks for the rec though.

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