Midtown Lunch

Photo courtesy of Always Hungry

• The Napalm Burger from the just out of bounds Sandwich Planet looks like-a-one-a-spicy-a-meatball! [Always Hungry]
• If you’re going to hit up the new Macaron Cafe on Monday, the Norwegian looks like a good option [SENY]
• I guess not everybody thinks the burger at Schnipper’s is mediocre [Burger Conquest]
• On July 1st the Southwest Porch in Bryant Park will have a free BBQ [Eater]

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so every Friday afternoon 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.

The Midtown Happy Hour front is providing some good and some bad news this week. Let’s get the bad out of the way. Bull Moose Saloon (on 44th btw. 8+9th) is currently closed, so their crispy hot wings and cheap burgers are off the happy hour menu until later next week. I spoke with one of the staff and they are in the midst of ‘renovations,’ not sure if this is DOH related but lets hope that when they come back the moose and Cigar Indian are still around.

In other sad news, Katsuhama’s (45 West 55th St.) special on unlimited drinks that “hightemp” posted to the forums has been pulled. I also talked with one the staff and she nonchalantly stated that they ran it for a few months and just decided it wasn’t worth it anymore. However, to ease the pain, they are now offering an order of edamame for only $1.99 with every draft Japanese beer . Still need your unlimited drinks? 3rd Floor Café is a sure bet.

Now on to the good news for beer drinkers. Peter Dillon’s (on 40th btw. Lex+Park) caught my eye this month and I stopped by to grab a quick one. A full +/- is to come in the future, but seeing happy hours have been a bit West Side heavy I wanted to give you a quick heads up on this beer deal for the East Siders.

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One of my favorite “Zach Missions” was his quest to find the best chicken parmigiana sandwich in Midtown. In fact, the chicken parm search is so ingrained in the Midtown Lunch life, that it was a question in the 2008 Readers’ Poll (you guys chose Labeleca/La Bellezza). Of course, don’t for a second think that is the final word… this search will continue until all options have been reviewed, and what do you know, I’ve been craving chicken parm lately! When I first visited 57 Napoli Pizza e Vino (57th btw Park+Lex) for the $6 pizza special, I eyed the chicken parm on the menu, and this week I had my chance to finally return.

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Now that Downtown has its very own section of the site, what are we going to post on Fridays at 10am? Answer… how about a new column devoted to those lunches just south of the ML boundaries. Every week we’ll post about a lunch in Murray Hill south, Gramercy, Flatiron, and everything in between… or as we’ll call it from now on: Flatiron Lunch.

Desi Truck is a brand new Indian food truck that opened up on 27th Street at 5th Avenue just this week. It’s still a bit early and they are planning some changes at least in the look of the truck over the next week, but after a couple visits, I can say the kati rolls alone are worth going for.

Check them out after the jump…
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When Eater reported that Yakitori Torys (on 52nd btw. 2+3rd) was closed, and being converted into a ramen joint, we immediately assumed it was going to become an east side branch of Totto Ramen– the new soup spot from Torys owner Yakitori Totto.  We assumed wrong. Yesterday Grub Street reported that Torys is becoming Hide-Chan Ramen, and its focus is going to be tonkotsu (pig bone broth). The most exciting part of the news is that unlike its predecessor (and sister restaurant Totto Ramen) it will be open for lunch, starting on July 1st.  (The restaurant opens for dinner starting tonight.)

• You will not be disappointed by Culture Espresso Bar’s “Figgy” [Midtown Eating]
• Did you know some street carts offer 1/2 size portions? [Midtown Eating]
• Who’s going to the NYC Food Film Fest this weekend? [Midtown Connections]
• You can get mostarda at the 32nd St. Jack’s 99cent Store!? [Midtown Eating]