Midtown Lunch

I walked by Oms/b (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd), the small Japanese rice ball specialist, the other day and noticed this sign. I have partaken in their delicious omusubi on many occasions, but never noticed that they had Udon (oden, yes, but not Udon). I’m guessing this isn’t new (because it’s on their printed menus), and I really like how you can get a special combo with Udon and 2 rice balls. Has anybody tried it?

Their sushi, on the other hand is definitely new (or, at least, no more than a few months old), and I’m sure it’s perfectly fine… but why would you opt for sushi, when you can have oh-so-delicious rice balls!

Photo courtesy of nycblondieandbrownie

Macaron fans, prepare to get really excited… Blondie and Brownie are reporting that macarons from Itzy Bitzy patisserie are now available at Tafu, the Japanese tea house and bakery on 51st btw. Lex+3rd. Previously these macarons, which Serious Eats called the best macarons outside of Paris, were only available through mail order, or at the Brooklyn Flea. This is great news for those of you on the East side who don’t want to trek to Bouchon Bakery (Columbus Circle) or the Macaron Cafe (36th btw. B’way+7th) for your french cookie fix.

Tafu, 569 Lexington Ave. (entrance on 51st btw. Lex+3rd),   212-980-1310

I try my best not to be too negative on this site, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to vent. Every once in awhile I’ll share some of the more angry useful emails I get in a post called “Airing of Grievances”. (If the Eater Complaints Dept. would like royalties, I’ll be happy to pay up…) Midtown Lunch operates under the assumption that most salads are a joke, so it’s hard for me to feel too bad when you get burned. That being said, these photos are kind of pathetic:

“Me and my co-workers are avid Midtownlunchers and we feel the need to vent about “Flavors”, the new spot in the Fox building on 6th between 47th and 48th. My co-worker just returned with a salad that is complete joke. The salad included 4 ingredients and cost $8, but that’s not the point. Check out the pics attached, they gave no lettuce whatsoever, its basically a half salad for $8!!! Being that we work in mid-town and are all New Yorkers, we understand what to expect when we go to lunch around here when it comes to prices, but to get half a salad and still charge full price is robbery, no wonder Flavors and Café Metro are run by the same joke company. We don’t need our names attached to anything but we wanted to vent. Thanks man and keep it up!!! PS- and the bread is stale.”

I am shocked… Flavors is owned by Cafe Metro? Hopefully this is lesson learned for everyone.

Got your own grievance you’d like to air? Feel free to email it zach@midtownlunch.com

Let me just admit something off the bat… unlike like many bloggers who consider their opinion worthwhile because they have access to software that transmits their words onto the interwebs, I will admit that there are some things I don’t have a ton of experience with (so maybe my opinion should come with a grain of salt).  And one of those things is Japanese udon soup.  Even though there are many cheap versions all over Midtown (a lot of delis now carry it), it has never really made it into my repertoire of lunches. (Sauteed udon is a different story!)  If I want soup, I usually go with ramen… and when it comes to ramen, two of my three favorite places (Menchanko Tei & Men Kui Tei) were kind of bashed by Rameniac.  So either he’s wrong, or I don’t know shit about ramen either.

So, with that in mind- I headed over to Udon West, the third outpost of the East Village chain which replaced Teriyaki Boy on 46th btw. Lex+3rd a month ago.

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The Dessert Truck’s Throwdown w/ Bobby Flay finally aired last night on the Food Network, and in what shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone, the Dessert Truck’s chocolate bread pudding with bacon creme anglaise was the winner!  The big surprise was actually when Bobby Flay claimed that the Throwdown wasn’t actually going to happen until it was posted on Midtown Lunch!  An amusing plot point for the episode, but fairly unlikely (as Life Vicarious proved that it was likely a Throwdown from the beginning.)  Whatever… I’ll take the publicity!  As for the Dessert Truck, which has been on hiatus since the end of last year, they are shooting for a January 26th return to their daytime spot on Park Ave. and 52nd.

Were there any Midtown Lunchers down in Union Square? Did you see yourself on TV?  Eat Me Daily has the video–>

When I walked by Danku, the Dutch/Indonesian chain on 57th btw. 5+6th earlier today, there was a guy outside handing out free samples of hot chocolate. He told me he’s out there all day, and also hands out bites of their krokets- so if you’ve been interested, and work in the area it may be worth swinging by. The early reviews of this place have ranged from “excellent” (I only saw that once, and based on my experience is highly suspect) to “just ok” to “bland” to “gross”. I did, however, notice one change from my first visit on the day they opened… the noodles they are serving are completely different from the (terrible) ones I tried, and they now come topped with what looks like fried garlic (an authentic Indonesian touch.) All the combos also now come with shrimp crackers, another welcomed improvement. You have to hand it to them… at least they’re trying. I think I’ve given them enough time to sort things out, so a full +/- might be coming soon.

Is it possible to love something so much, you end up kind of hating it? That might be the way I feel about Cafe Zaiya. Yes, I’m talking about that Cafe Zaiya (on 41st. btw. Mad+5th), the Japanese fast food place that specializes in bento boxes and rice balls and amazing Japanese baked goods. The place that won best Japanese Fast Food in the Midtown Lunch Readers’ poll. That Cafe Zaiya. The simple fact is, I will step foot in that place and not be able to decide what to get. Everything just looks so damn good. In fact, there have been times where I have spent 15 minutes looking, browsing, picking something up, putting it down, picking another thing up, waiting in line for a baked good, get out of line, contemplate the sushi, put the thing I picked up down… and so forth… until I become so crazed, I just leave and eat somewhere else. I have no excuses. Love will sometimes do crazy things to a man.

What I’m saying is, I could never compile a post like this. It would require too many visits… choosing too many things… making too many decisions. I just don’t have that willpower. I would probably just end up buying one of those little fried chicken sandwiches and a rice ball every single time. Damn you Zaiya! Luckily, Kathy YL Chan, author of the blog A Passion for Food, and our resident Hawaiian food expert, doesn’t have my issues. And she was happy enough to put together this massive look at some of the best things Cafe Zaiya has to offer. Sure it’s nothing groundbreakingly new here on Midtown Lunch… but who would complain about looking at a ton of amazing food porn from one of the best lunch places in Midtown.

Of all the places to eat lunch in Midtown, Café Zaiya is my safe haven. Reliable, cheap, and most importantly, very tasty. Most days I veer straight towards the bakery counter and select two baked goods. That fills you up just about right for less than $5. You’d be hard pressed to find a better deal.

The café is divided into five major sections. The bakery area on the left side of the shop, bento and sandwiches in the middle, a hot food station in the back, a cold food area to the right (sushi, salads, and cold sandwiches) and Bead Papa’s upfront. I find the hot food at Zaiya to be simply passable and nothing more. Same goes for the sushi. Divert your attention to the bakery.

Here you’ll find wonders (most priced under $2) of the sweet and savory sort, either baked, steamed, or deep fried. Below are a few of my favorites.

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