PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Rebecca”
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, meet Rebecca- an executive receptionist who loves chili fries, and needs help tracking down a Mongolian BBQ place.
Name: Rebecca
Age: 30
Occupation: Executive Receptionist
Where in Midtown do you Work?: Private equity firm in midtown; 56th and 5th avenue
Favorite Kind of Food: Indian, Thai, French fries, BBQ, Cheese, Steak, Cheesesteaks! Don’t forget Chili Cheese fries…so gross, so GOOD…. ANYTHING with bacon.
Least Favorite Kind of Food: Italian and Sushi (i know, i know!) These are good foods in my book, but if I had to prioritize, they would be my LEAST favorite.
Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I love the Asia Grill (on 65th & 2nd) for their marinated beef cubes and Bun Xao with beef, Tina’s Cuban (on 56th btw. 5+6th) for their pork and plantains sandwich, the Tofu BLT from Uncle Marky’s Organics (on 53rd btw. 2+3rd) and I’m not nuts for tofu, Pita Grill’s Fish tacos (on 2nd Ave. btw. 50+51st), Kati Rolls, Scallion pancakes from Joe’s Shanghai (on 56th btw. 5+6th), Bibimbap from Korean Pro (on 56th btw. 5+6th), the Mexican and Jalapeno hummus from Crisp (on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th), the Woody Allen from the Carnegie Deli (on 7th Ave. and 55th), big noodle bowls from Lili’s 57 (on 57th & 7th).
“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Printon 56 (on 56th btw. 5+6th), Mangia, Cafe Classico, and Hale and Hearty. I don’t mind Printon too much but Mangia’s prices keep going up and their portion sizes keep going down! Hale and Hearty takes an hour to deliver and they are literally across the street…what’s up with that?
Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? The Midtown Lunch Sandwich Challenge changed my life! It gives me something to look forward to while I’m staring at my computer all day. You have no idea how many hours have been wasted staring at the menus on Seamlessweb with NO clue what I feel like eating. I had never tried FreeFoods and now I love the Duck pastrami. Now, Tina’s/Sophie’s and the amazing Mexican from Crisp. (plus Cammarerri’s proscuitto roll from the cart as soon as I get there)
If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Barcelona…the combo of many different types of tapas, the wine and siestas, along with the fact I’ve never been there, make it the obvious choice.
Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Why is there no Mongolian BBQ here? I’m from Vancouver and they are EVERYWHERE. Also, I fell in love with an El Salvadorean place in Brooklyn called Bahia and I NEED a closer locale to eat PAPUSAS!!!! (And don’t tell me Red Hook.)
Yeah, I think you are SOL on the pupusa front… but there is tons of mongolian bbq in Midtown! None of the places are all you can eat (you have to pay by the pound) but they do exist. I wrote about the one at Food World (on 46th btw. Mad+5th) awhile back, but that may be a bit too far for you. Anybody else have any Mongolian BBQ recommendations for Rebecca?
And as always if you want to be next weeks’ Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nomninate), email me at zach@midtownlunch.com.
Posted: 11:45 am, March 31st, 2009 under PROFILE: Midtown Lunch'er.
42 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
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42 Comments
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There’s a mongolian bbq place on 49th between Madison & Park as well. I forget the name tho…
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If she is 30…I’m a millionaire.
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I am, she aint.
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I am pretty sure sausage is one of her favorites…
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Man I went to Food World last week, didn’t put any carbs in my plate and still ended up paying 15.00 lol… it was good though.
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Azure on 51st and 3rd has a good mongo BBQ
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I love Bahia! Delivery takes a while but those sandwiches are awesome. Check out Acapulco in Greenpoint. It’s way up there by the pulaski bridge at clay st. but they make a killer torta. B43 stops there.
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those comments about her age are mean…….im sure she was 30…(12-15 years ago) lol
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you guys are vicious dude – but i guess that’s what you sign up for when you volunteer for a profile
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You guys are bastards…first off, who cares how old she is? And if you ask me, if she’s 35, that’s even hotter!
Becca, big props for your anti-NYC female like diet. BBQ, cheesesteaks, fries? You’re everyman’s dream!
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Damn this whole post just reminds me I’ll be 25 again in 2 weeks. :-(
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FREAK OF THE WEEK
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theres a mongolian grill at pranzo across from barclehs on 50th b/w 6th and 7th…thats the only reason to go there. oh, that and they have mangos and blackberries at their by the lb buffet.
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I’ve got one month Mamacita, but I know the feeling.
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Cheeeesesteaks! Good Call! Wish they knew how to make ‘em in NYC! Sometimes, when you wanna do something right, you gotta do it yourself! And Becca is hot, though I am confused why she looks tomato red—is it my monitor, or is it an hour too long in the tanning bed? Not trying to be insulting here, I’m totally serious….my monitor’s color has been doing wacky things today!
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I was going to complain about all the comments pertaining to her looks, but then I remember how much fun everyone made of some guys who had the bad luck to wear funny clothes in their profile picture. There’s equal opportunity meanness on this site. I just credit that to everyone being hungry and cranky.
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Rebecca – try Despana down on Broome St for a perfect Barcelona-style lunch. Take-out place with a few seats, a bit pricey but the food is superb. Many different types of jamon and chorizo. I for one can never get umm.. I mean give enough sausage. Yeah, give, that’s what I meant.
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korovka, the sole other reason to ever go to Pranzo is for half price deli sushi after 4. Yes, it’s deli sushi, but a cheap cali roll can make for a nice afternoon snack (and reason to leave the office).
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@Goats – maybe its the asian glow (yes, some non-asians have it too)
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She’s reading your a-hole comments, and is sobbing right now, you a-holes.
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Wayne is obviously from Vienna. :)
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Tanman: Th eplace is Bistro 49, north side of 49th ST between Park and Madison. Very good Mongolian BBQ. Their salads are great too (and I’m not a salad guy)–$7 for a salad bowl with *unlimited* add-ins, including several meats (breaded *and* grilled chicken) and several cheeses (mozz balls, feta cubes…). Note that Bistro 49 dies out by around 1:30, and they close by 2 pm. (At least they used to–I haven’t been in a while but I used to work right by there.)
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My very dearest “Rebecca,”
Your eyes!! Wide with wonder. Or something else, possably surgical in nature.
They haunt me, while at the same time they enchant, perplex and yes, even titillate me! You recall my wife’s cherished collection of Margaret Keane’s art work.
I am heartened that Midtown Lunch has changed your life. It has certainly made mine richer. Please be forewarned, however, that Mongolian BBQ may not be the safest dining choice.
I do hope that you get to Barcelona someday. It is a warm and wonderful place, especially if you are a man or escorted by same. Perhaps we could coordinate our schedules?
Fondly,
Chuck, PhD
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Vancouver is my favorite North American city. I dont know why our hotdog guys dont grill theirs. You’ll have to get to brooklyn for Papusa’s.
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Hey guys! It’s Rebecca here. My Canadian upbringing demands I remain polite to all you guys so here goes…. :P
Thanks for all the nice comments…. I’m crushed you think i’m older than 30! I swear I am, but I guess thats what I get for taking my photo with my camera phone. (I didn’t have any pictures of myself so had to make due….) It’s also why i look a bit red. (call it a GIRLISH blush!!)Thanks for the Mongolian BBQ recommendations. I’ll try them out for sure. I’ve passed Azure plenty of times, but never tried it.
Also, I forgot to mention in my profile, does anyone know where to get Roasted Green Chile here? It’s huge in New Mexico and it’s great smothered over burritos…. yum.. it’s made from Hatch green chiles that are roasted…NOT tomatillos.
Thanks you guys. I’m off for my first round of plastic surgery since I look so old!
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See a gal with spunk!
Dubbin, please don’t.
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My wife (laser hair removal salons) could probably help you without the bother and expense of surgery ….
I suggest you make your own roast chile sauce. You have the appearance of a woman who knows her way around a kitchen, for sure.
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The Red Hook pupusa vendors are at the DUMBO Flea every Saturday and the Ft Greene Flea every Sunday – way more convenient than an actual trip to Red Hook! Also in close proximity to Almondine and Jacques Torres, so it’s a win-win-win all around.
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Rebecca, dont listen to a word these fools say. I for one think you look great, and more importantly seem super cool. Perhaps we can grab some mogolian. See we have many options to choose from now ;)
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Well I still maintain Rebecca is hot, even with the red tint of the cell phone–I was just curious if I need to beg for a new monitor! See, Goats is not a hater! Usually.
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Rebecca is beautiful. I also love chili fries! However, you shouldn’t lie on the ‘internets’ you are not 30 my love. It’s Ok, we get better with age :-)
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Grand Central Cafe (41st just west of Park) has a Mongolian BBQ that’s pretty decent. I wouldn’t travel large distances for it, but if you work nearby it’s a good option.
Which reminds me…I was in Hong Kong for several months and there was a western style grocery store (360 for those of you that have been there) that was right across the hall from the office, so was the go-to place with a food court, even though it wasn’t all that great. Pretty amazing how they got the generic mid-town deli formula down, even for overpriced generic version of non-western dishes like Cantonese and other Asian food.
Anyway, one of the better offering was a Mongolian BBQ, and had a ton of meat options. Now…the Mongolian BBQ places I’ve been to usually comes in two price formats (1) by the pound or (2) one price for all you can eat (typically at sit down places). But this one was one price for one plate for about US$11. So people would pile on as much as they could. Sometimes 4 people (who would share it) around one plate, with a mound of meat, shrimp, pork, chicken, squid, etc and then a load of veggies, all piled over a foot off the plate. I apologize for not getting a picture of these nutcases (I’m all for saving money…but come on), since the description doesn’t do it justice. But I’ll see if I can get someone out there to snap a shot of it.
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Damn I was really hoping someone was going to make my day and bust out with some secret pupusa info like “oh in front of the salvadorean embassy there’s some lady who sells them out of a bucket.” but… no… its a sad day for us, Rebecca.
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Rebecca,
Tell me – do you like smooth jazz?
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There’s a decent Mongolian BBQ at Pergola on 39th and 6th
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It’s Patsy’ daughter from Absolutley Fabulous.
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hahahahaha look at stupid “DOC CHUCK”
what an idiot!..he spelled possibly wrong…and i love how he keeps mentioning he’s a doctor..
what a douche..he’s probs got a phd in communications
so rebecca…you wanna smash sometime? i think you’re hott
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She looks much more like Bubble, McBeagle
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“Make do” is the phrase she meant to type in her response, but we still love her, and remind people that one picture isn’t enough visual evidence by which to judge anyone’s appearance.
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What are you talking about, this chick is smokin! Not a day over 29 if you ask me. And how could anyone take issue with that diet… she obviously rocks. Get over yourselves. Your just jealous she can eat like that and still look that good. Careful she may just post a better picture and then all you losers on here with no social skills will wish you could get with that.
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As a certified, non-medical, non-surgical plastic surgeon, I can tell you this person would not even be eligible for plastic surgery. I should know, I am a doctor (sort of).
I cannot believe no one had anything to say about her and Cammarerri’s proscuitto roll. That punch line practically writes itself.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I really hate the Food World Mongolian BBQ. For my money, the one at Cafe Variety (48th between 5th and 6th) is MUCH better. Still by the pound though…