Midtown Lunch

Fresh off the reports of their new happy hour all you can eat deal, Lunch’er David sends this great news about the International Food House on 35th btw. 7+8th: “According to a sign inside and confirmed by asking staff, the lunchtime all you can eat has been re instituted @$10.95.”  As you may or may not know, this is a reversal of their decision to convert the all you can eat Latin food buffet, into a pay by the pound situation. The new price is one dollar over the ML price cap (and $2 more than the original price), but you know I’m always up for bending the rules when all you can eat buffets are involved. Now if only we could get the rest of the pay by the pound buffets to follow suit (Sun Yip/Ho Yip I’m looking at you…)

Related:
Economy Claims Another All You Can Eat Buffet
All You Can Eat Meat at the International Food House Restaurant & Buffet

The 6th Ave. (former) Newsstand (on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th) that sells Indian food, chaat, Latin food, and pizza reopened on Monday after being closed by the Department of Health last week.  The DOH website doesn’t say exactly why it was closed, but they got a 58 (anything higher than 28 is a fail) on 9/11.  To reopen they would have had to address the issues that got them a failing score, so whatever… I’ll still eat there.

Related:
A Guide to the Best Indian Street Food in Midtown: Translating the Menu at Taj Delhi Chat
The Best Indian Food in Midtown Might Be Sold Out of the Back of a Newsstand

Earlier today, around 1pm, the first Midtown location of the falafel chain Maoz finally opened on 40th Street and 7th Ave.  (where Sahara Grill used to be.) The joint is tiny, so if you want to check it out without waiting in line you’ll probably want to go 30 minutes ago (because I’m guessing that’s the last time you’ll see it half empty!)

For those who have never been to Maoz (there’s one in Union Square), you order your falafel (in whole or half size) and then add the toppings yourself from their nice looking salad bar.  They also have Belgian fries and sweet potato fries, and to give you an idea of price- a combo with Maoz sandwich, Belgian fries, and a drink for $8.75. (The sandwich alone is just $5.)

Maoz Vegetarian, 200 W. 40th Street (on 7th Ave.), 212-777-0820

Every year the Vendy Awards (which are this Saturday!) auction off all sorts of goodies to benefit the Street Vendor Project.  This year they’ve put a few up early on Ebay so you don’t actually have to attend the event to bid (although I still can’t understand why anybody wouldn’t want to attend the biggest street food event of the year… and I’m not just saying that because I’m a judge this year.)  Available now to bid on Ebay… Lunch for Six with Calvin Trillin, Cooking Class for 6 with the Editors of Saveur Magazine, Tickets to “A Razor, A Shiny Knife” Dinner at the New York Wine and Food Festival, a Serious Eats Walking Tour w/ Ed Levine, and a Midtown Lunch Street Eating Tour with Zach Brooks (wait, that’s me!) Apologies to all my cheapos and freeloaders for the high starting bid, but divided among four people it’s not too terrible, it’s tax deductible, and the money goes to a really great cause.

Photo Courtesy of “Masto” on Flickr

Thanks to Lunch’er “Masto” for sending along this photo of the new Schnitzel Burger introduced today by the Schnitzel & Things Truck…

I work on 48th, but a bunch of us couldn’t resist and headed down to get the schnitz burger. Just in time, apparently.. shortly after we ordered, there was a huge line. Then the guy came out from the truck and took the burger sign down (around 12:30). That was fast.

He declared it awesome, and sent along another photo of the innards. Check it out after the jump…

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As if you couldn’t tell from this, this, or this, I’m a terrible Jew.  But on Friday, with Rosh Hashanah looming, something deep inside my subconscious lured me into Pick a Pita (on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th).  It’s been awhile since I’ve stepped into this Kosher falafel and shawarma joint, but it’s been fairly well covered on Midtown Lunch. From my first french fry stuffed visit in 2007, to its move from 38th Street to 8th Ave. last year.  In fact, the new Pick a Pita reopened one year ago this week- if you go by the Jewish calendar.  Their reopening was the day before Yom Kippur (which is this coming Monday.)

I don’t know if it was divine intervention, or what, but on Friday I stopped in for a little Pick-a-Pita redux.

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Hot of their mention in the $25 and under column in the NYT, the Schnitzel & Things Truck will introduce their new “Schnitzel Burger” today, and it sounds completely out of control: “A half pound of good quality beef dipped in panko and fried. $7 burger comes with cheese, cukes and scallion relish, mmmm. Or you can always do burger deluxe for $9, and that includes 2 sides. Wowsers.” Wowsers indeed. They were supposed to be interviewed by CBS yesterday (presumably for the Vendy Award thing happening on Friday morning) but that was postponed until today, which is a good thing because according to this blog they got into a fight with Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop over their Flatiron parking space yesterday. Today they’ll be parked on Park Ave. btw. 26+27th.

The New York Times “$25 and Under” column takes a look at a host of new food trucks this morning, giving the thumbs up to the pork and cod on the Schnitzel & Things truck, the lamb sausage from the Bistro Truck (which never did come to Midtown!), the desserts from Picnick Smoked downtown, and the fried chicken from the NYC Cravings Truck. The La Cense Burger truck didn’t fare as well… “the cheese was unmelted, and the beef as dry and tepid as the bun. “