Midtown Lunch

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’s midtown lunch’er is Dana, who actually sent this profile in a month ago- so she is now a full fledged law student.  But we couldn’t let her leave Midtown without her moment in the sun!  (Plus she sent in two photos, which you know we love. The “risque” one, which she was afraid made her look naked, is after the jump natch.)

Name: Dana

Age: 29

Occupation: Nonprofiteer (for two more weeks)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 48th & 5th

Favorite Kind of Food: Ramen. Lobster rolls. Japanese pickled things. Dosa. Bacon. Dan dan noodles. Beets. Cured meats in general. Pizza (I’m currently eating my way through the New York Magazine top 20 pizza list). Dumplings (especially soup dumplings). Burgers. Side bar: I was raised as a vegetarian, and then I ate a burger 6 years ago and it was all over. Since then it has been my personal mission to eat as many burgers as possible. Five Guys is my reining Midtown favorite, although I still need to try the black label burger at City Burger (ed note: sorry Dana.  City Burger closed!) Mmmm…burgers.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m not sure I understand the question.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pampano Taqueria (on 3rd btw. 49+50th) for the pescado and carne asada tacos (with the combo). Menchanko Tei (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd) for shoyu ramen. Katsuhama for chicken meatball udon soup. Spicy miso soup from Chiyoda Sushi (on 41st btw. Mad+5th) …that soup has changed my life. The prepackaged meats from Murray’s Salami (I love the Magical Animal). Chicken katsu with sauce at Café Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th). Everything at Bombay Bistro’s all-you-can-eat buffet (on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd). And I love the bacon / white bean soup from ‘wichcraft.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? I personally end up going to Pret too often when I am feeling uncreative. We order in lunch boxes from Amma way too often (although they are cheap and delicious, so I am ok with that). And I tend to take advantage of the post-3PM “take-your-life-into-your-own-hands” half-price sushi discount at Cavonberry’s more often than is advisable.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? So many places…Café Zaiya – after reading about CZ on Midtown Lunch, my officemate and I made a pact to eat there every Friday and never get the same thing twice so that we would try everything (it was incredibly challenging to refrain from repeatedly ordering the bacon / edamame roll after the first time I had it). Sophie’s / Tina’s for the pork and plantain sandwich. Pocha 32 and the shoju-filled watermelon. Crisp! Kefta kebabs at the meat cart on 53rd & 6th. Oh and Hing Won’s pig over rice (on 48th btw. 5+6th.) I owe a lifetime of gratitude for that. Honestly, pretty much everywhere I eat in Midtown is thanks to ML.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Koreatown. I’d eat spicy pork and tofu soup from BCD Tofu House Every. Single. Day. Oh or pretty much anywhere in Queens in reasonable proximity to Flushing or SriPraPhai. Or possibly Downtown so that I could take advantage of Chinatown more often. I may be the only person who actually looks forward to getting called for jury duty…Or anywhere in San Francisco that would allow me to get lunch in the Mission (I stand by my conviction that you can’t get good burritos in New York [sorry Zach]).

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Yes! After six great years in Midtown (I say that without irony) I am leaving to head to law school in two weeks. What can I not leave Midtown without having eaten? And more importantly: where in Midtown should I have my going away party (bonus points for free food and cheap drinks, double bonus for anywhere that serves Bakon vodka)?

Dana’s already gone but feel free to make recommendations anyway.  I’m sure somebody will find them useful…  oh and as promised, here’s that second photo.

Good luck in law school!  And as always if anybody would like to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate), email me at zach@midtownlunch.com.