PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Andrew” (aka the Guy Who Ate the Walgreens Sandwich)

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 Andy the blogger behind Wined and Dined, and the first person to show me up by eating the Walgreens Sandwich. Judging by his comments below, I feel like I made the right decision. I figured you’d want to know more about this ML hero (or suicidal maniac, depending on how you look at it I suppose…)

Name: Andy

Age: 33

Occupation: Attorney/Food Blogger/Food Daredevil

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 55th between Park & Mad (home of the 100% Halal & Healthy Food, aka Cart with the Greek Salad, Papa Perrone’s Pizza Truck and the best hot dog stand in Midtown)

Favorite Kind of Food: Steak, shaved truffles (could have used some to mask the taste of that freakish bulkie burger), burgers, bbq, french fries of all varieties, spicy thai, smoked salmon, bacon and corned beef, fried zucchini sticks, plus I’ve been eating these low-fat donuts lately called ‘holey donuts.’

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Olives, tofu, anything at overpriced diners like Burger Heaven, pre-packaged sandwiches, anything bland, sardines, anchovies, anything with the name Beantown on it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pasta bar at Fresco on the Go (on 52nd btw. Mad+Park), greek salad with spicy grilled chicken from my man at the cart on 55th and Park, the $8.50 sesame chicken lunch special at Fusia (56th and Lex… not to be confused with Fusha or the other Fusia on 2nd Ave), mexican falafel from Crisp (on 3rd Ave. & 43rd), grilled chicken salad at Houston’s (or is it Hillstone?) and the off-the-menu chicken fingers there- which are insanely good, a Carnegie Deli corned beef sandwich split 3 ways with co-workers (like Serious Eats: New York did with the Carnegie pastrami), alambre and carne asada tacos from Pampano Taqueria (3rd Ave. btw. 49+50th), and the southwestern chicken wrap at Pig n’ Whistle on 3rd (btw. 55+56th).

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Chop’t which I’m thoroughly sick of, City Market Cafe on 55th, Pret, Stale and Farty Soups, Pig n’ Whistle on 3rd, Europa Cafe and my co-workers continue to eat at the Cosi on 56th despite the fruit flies and the horrendous service (I haven’t been since ’06.)

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? El Rey del Sabor Cart on 60th & 3rd (me and everybody else), Crisp, Biryani Cart (on 46th & 6th), Jamaican Dutchy Cart (on 51st and 7th), Olympic Pita (on 38th btw. 5+6th) and Walgreens (yeah, thanks alot)

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? San Sebastian (Spain). Because, in the words of travel and food writer John Carlin, it’s “where every local bar is a culinary heaven and Michelin stars grow on trees.” Because of the Pintxos (Basque equivalent of Tapas). Because of the Wine. And because la comida (the name for the midday meal) lasts between 3-4 hours.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? I love spicy food. What is the best and spiciest Midtown Lunch dish you’ve had? Phaal curry anyone? Oh yeah, and why is the Midtown version of a restaurant never as good as the original location, i.e. Peking Duck House, Brick Lane Curry, Nobu 57, etc.

Ma "Paul" Tofu @ Szechuan Gourmet, Midtown

The ma po tofu at Szechuan Gourmet (on 39th btw. 5+6th) is easily the spiciest thing I’ve had for lunch in Midtown. Lake….of….fire. Although I haven’t take the phaal curry challenge at Brick Lane Curry Too. Has anybody else? El Rey De Sabor’s habanero steak is pretty spicy too, if you let the guy go all out.

Got a spicy recommendation for Andy? 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

72 Comments

  • Steve,

    My mom always say: If you don’t have anything nice to say, then it’s better not to say anything at all because nobody will call you a mute.

    You seem to forget a thing or two about socializing. The best times are with those who are interesting and likable. If Mamacita extends an invitation, it means Andy here is an interesting individual and is likable. Unfortunately, these are neither traits you seem to possess nor display.

    Please be courteous. There’s no need for harsh words like that.

  • Steve…..A Bostonian choir boy…blew his settlement from the Vatican investing in Zen Burger.

    Wanker.

  • DocChuckles,

    I should think so! Especially with the paltry pay a registered nurse makes in Maryland penitentiaries these days.

  • Thanks for your assesment and advice Rudy and Casadelun. Ill start with you Rudy….ummm, hmmm, lets see….uhhh….get a fucking life and stop spending your life on ML and maybe, just maybe, with little luck you will become one of those interesting people too. You seem to have way too much time on your hands. You must be an awesome date or conversationalit. Do you know anything outside of ML???
    As for you, mr/ms casadelun….i dont really know ya so i cant comment much…..so just bite me

  • Alright… enough. Please.

  • Yes, I agree,Zach.

    He is a wanker though.

  • sorry Zach…no disrespect. I wont use that language here anymore.

  • Zach, do you want anyone’s nuts bitten off? I will be happy to do so

  • The City Market Cafe on 55th is absolutely dreadful. I ate there once. I got a bad burger with stale fries. Considering the options in that neighborhood, there’s no reason to ever enter that shithole.

  • @ Mamcita – i keep a bottle of siracha on-hand. we love hitting up happy hours. we can make it a double date. i hear holland bar’s re-opening. or maybe rudy’s where i hear there giving away happy hour hot dogs.

    @ Tom – that Kaeng Tai Pla sounds offal…keep hearing that Pam Real is best Thai in midtown (and maybe in manhattan)

    @ Oh-Yeah – sounds like i may have to get some of that green hot sauce from Kwik Meal. thanks.

    @ Dylan – did i steal your thunder again on the hot dogs…i already got you on the greek salad w/ grilled chicken. we def have one of the best blocks in midtown. haven’t tried that f. chicken cart, but noticed it last week. as far as slice, my co-workers like a place on lex b/t 54 and 55 (next to Dunkin D’s) and bagels i have to get brought in from either ess-a or some place on 2nd b/t 56 and 57 that i can’t think of the name.

    @ ben and Ignorant but Happy – also will check out the famous 53rd/6th guys hot sauce. thanks.

    @ Steve – i got some valium if you want one man.

    @ DocChuck – not even sure what the undwerwood logo is. you my friend are an interesting character.

  • Oh my! This guy is HOT! Love it. Thank you!

  • Oh, San Sebastian, have you been? It’s on my top 5 of “places to dream about going to.” When are we all going out to happy hour because seriously there are few things better in the world than happy hour? Can we go to Judge Roy Bean so I can check on Derek?

  • Minar makes a really nice Sambhar, aka indian sweet and sour soup. It used to be really spicy, but when I had it a couple of weeks ago it tasted like they’d made it a little milder. Still very good though, and spicy enough for most people.

  • Hey W&D. This is my go to hot green sauce:
    Green Chile Habanero Sauce by El Yucateco, you can get it at more markets.
    http://www.mexgrocer.com/3107.html

  • Took on the phaal challenge at the original Brick Lane Curry House location last summer. Haven’t tried the MD version. I’ll stick the original location.

  • oh geez, just when i thought it was a truce, now this yuppie metrosexual is offering me valium.

  • Me too, Mamacita. I also like Cholula.

  • Steve,

    You’ve made 7 comments to the same message board in 3 hours. Grab a shower, settle down and lay off the yak.

  • this is the one good part about tuesday that i can always count on. haha

  • @ Mamcita – thanks for green sauce link…wonder if it’s like that hot green sauce at blockhead’s. in addition to siracha, we have a bottle of sam’s famous hot sauce from waterfront ale house that is fire.

    @ eater – did you finish the phaal? is your pic on brick lane website.

    my friend adam in atlanta forwarded this link to me earlier…i’m hoping NYC street meat is higher quality than london street meat….which leads me to thinking there should be an international vendy awards:

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090127/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_kebabs;_ylt=Apj5VXaAwsDHOC7ocuhzvEHtiBIF

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