Midtown Lunch

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so I thought maybe it was time to introduce a happy hour column to the site. Every week, our Happy Hour Correspondent “Mamacita” will post about a different bar in Midtown that fits the Midtown Lunch mentality: unhealthy food, not lame (unless it’s lame in a cool way), and most importantly… cheap.

I love Greek food and I especially crave lamb, unfortunately most Greek restaurants in Manhattan are much too expensive to include in your regular lunch or dinner rotation (I’m looking at you Anthos!) There are the Halal-style ground lamb gyros, but that’s a far cry from Greek food- plus white sauce is not a substitute for delicious, tangy tzatziki! Last week I happened upon a sign outside Uncle Nick’s Ouzaria advertising a lamb, pork, veggie, or chicken sandwich with a draft beer for $7. I was incredulous. Really? A lamb pita with a full pint of beer for only $7 –and for dinner!? There has to be a catch right? Ouzaria’s sandwiches are usually $9 with fries, but I’ll gladly pay $2 less and trade out the spuds for some suds. Needless to say I made my way there yesterday.

Uncle Nick’s Ouzaria should not be confused with Uncle Nick’s, the spot Zach wrote about last year.  They’re owned by the same people, but the Ouzaria is an intimate bar and eatery with delicate lighting and small tables perfect for taking a date or close friends. A couple of murals decorate the walls and one in particular struck me as odd and hilarious. The mural seemed to depict a bum sleeping on the street getting peed on by a stray dog. Opa! NYC and Athens are not so different after all eh?

Ouzaria is only open after 4pm and does not deliver. I arrived a little before 6pm just in time to beat the dinner rush. At the bar I ordered a Brooklyn Lager on draft and choose the lamb pita. As I’d hoped the kitchen dished out a pillowy pita stuffed with grilled lamb, tomato, red onion, lettuce and a bright and fresh cucumber tzatziki to meld all the flavors together.

The lamb was flavorful and didn’t have that gamey aftertaste that can be a plus or minus depending on your taste. It was a bit chewy but not enough so that I didn’t finish the whole thing and wonder if I should split a second one. The red onion, tzatziki and lamb juices made the last few bites a messy treat.

This sandwich special is not advertised on their website, so take advantage of it before they think twice about having such a sweet deal. If you try the chicken or pork report back with your thoughts!

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Wow, real lamb pita with a pint for only $7, usually a pint alone is $6 bucks!
• Full bar to indulge in cocktails with your meal
• Nice ambient lighting and small tables make for a good date spot
• Real lamb, real tzatziki, no shawarma in white sauce here

THE – (What somebody who didn’t like this place would say)

• Pleeeeeeze Lisa… I thought you loved me, looooooved meeee!
• The lamb could be more tender
• Main entrees are in the $15-20 dollar range

Uncle Nick’s Ouzaria, 749 9th Ave. (btw. 50+51st)

Got any happy hour tips for Mamacita to check out, leave them in the comments or email her at mamacita@midtownlunch.com