Midtown Lunch

From the ML Inbox: “Just got back from my first ever Church’s fried chicken experience. That’s right, the food court on 8th ave. at 44th is back open and appears to be fully operational! By the way, that Mama’s Food thing appears to be pizza. Also, Church’s is advertising new spicy chicken, although I’m not sure if that was there when they closed up or not. Frankly, Popeye’s better watch their back.”

Speaking of Popeye’s, the branch on 40th btw. 7+8th has also reopened, since being closed last month for tax issues.

Related:
8th Ave. is the Fried Chicken Corridor of New York City

Papa Perrone’s, the pizza truck that popped up on 55th btw. Mad+Park last year as an alternative to Jiannetto’s, is starting to pick up a little steam.  They distinguished themselves nicely with their delicious artichoke pie, and now in addition to grandma slices, Sicilian rice balls, and their eggplant/meatball/chicken parm subs, they are offering prosciutto rolls from Cammareri Bros– the famous Brooklyn bread bakery (that was in the movie Moonstruck.)

Check it out after the jump…

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If you follow the street food scene outside of NYC you have undoubtedly heard about Kogi, the Korean BBQ taco truck in Los Angeles. (That’s right… Korean BBQ, in taco form.)  I tried (unsuccessfully) to check it out last Monday when I was in L.A. (they were closed because of rain.) I was pretty bummed. Well, great news today in the WSJ’s article about the truck: “Chef Roy Choi says he hopes Kogi will be in New York by 2010.” We already have a bulgogi cart in Midtown (on 49th btw. 6+7th), but it’s just average… and this truck looks like they’re taking deliciousness to a whole ‘nother level.

Photo courtesy of kogibbq.com

VendrTV, the new video podcast dedicated to uncovering the best street food in the world, has devoted their third episode to the famous chicken and lamb over rice guys on 53rd St. and 6th Ave. in Midtown. The episode is hosted by Daniel Delaney (with a little help from yours truly) and he visits the famous nighttime cart on the SW corner, their daytime sister cart which parks on the SE corner, and the imposter cart that parks on the SW corner during the day. The episode brings to life a series of posts from Midtown Lunch, and is vaguely reminiscent of that “report” on WCBS TV last November– except that it’s good.

I hesitate to post the video, which exposes me in all my dorkiness and perhaps shows me looking not quite as fat as you may think I am.  Just know this for the purposes of scale… I only look that way because the host of the show is 7’1″ and weighs 530 pounds. (Lord help me, I’m just not that attractive…)

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You could probably say this about anything (movies, music, art), but I think half of whether or not you love or hate food comes from expectations. Nostalgia can cause you to enjoy a meal more than a person who is trying it for the first time (or have the opposite effect, if it isn’t as good as you remember); an incredibly positive review can cause you to judge a restaurant more harshly than if you had stumbled upon the place accidentally; and, finally, “authenticity” can be the killer of an otherwise enjoyable meal- if it doesn’t conform to exactly what you thought you were getting when you ordered it.  A perfect example of that is Baoguette (which was the catalyst for Ed Levine’s review of Ba Xueyen on Serious Eats: NY this morning.) As mere sandwiches, you could argue that Baoguette is making some of the best food in New York City.  As “banh mi” you could complain about ingredients, lack of ingredients, bread, authenticity, whether or not a banh mi should have catfish, and of course price (“banh mi should always be under $4!”)

The same kind of thing could be said of Certe’s new entry into the Midtown Lunch Sandwich Challenge.  Called “The Bayou”, this sandwich evokes many expectations (New Orleans, Po-Boys, what blackened catfish should or shouldn’t taste like), and if you fall prey to these thoughts, you may be disappointed.  Go in looking for nothing more than a satisfying fish sandwich, and you will be rewarded.

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Great news on the Tehuitzingo front, which was closed by the DOH for an expired permit over the weekend.  The out of bounds Mexican bodega, on 10th btw. 47+48th, reopened yesterday- and I confirmed with the owner’s son that the landlord issue has been resolved. They came to an agreement over the rent and signed a 6 year lease… so Tehuizingo isn’t going anywhere for awhile.

If you’ve ever wondered what the breakfast porridge at the Jamaican Dutchy is like, here’s a look at their hominy corn porridge over on Serious Eats: New York. Only $4 for an “enormous” cup, “it was creamy and sweet, with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg and vanilla, cradling large, squishy hunks of hominy. Tasty and hearty, it was the kind of morning meal that leaves you warmed from within and ready for the day.”

See all Jamaican Dutchy posts on Midtown Lunch