Midtown Lunch

It’s like cupcake day on Midtown Lunch! (Between this and the comment section of today’s Profiled Luncher, we sincerely apologize to all the haters.)  Last week we got a tip from Lunch’er “Michael” that some generic breakfast cart on 53rd and 6th had started selling cupcakes- and seeing as I work in the area and have a certain weakness for cupcakes*, I couldn’t help but go check it out.
Yesterday I discovered the cart parked just west of the “Imposter Halal Cart” (on the SW Corner of 53rd and 6th). When I first arrived to get some snaps there were a few ladies in line ordering. I went off in search of real lunch (even this blogger cannot subsist on cupcakes alone!) and returned to find the cupcake cart seemingly deserted. Turns out the proprietor was manning the generic street food cart sandwiched between the cupcake cart and the fake Famous Guys. When he saw me waiting he headed right over.

When it came time to order, there was a bit of a challenge in communication. I kept asking what flavors they had since the cupcakes in the case didn’t seem to match the ones on the picture menu. After a confusing back and forth (I think the guy thought that I wanted to taste them….still not really sure) I finally ended up picking the yellow one and the light brown frosted one that looked like it could be chocolate peanut butter.

The yellow cupcake turned out to be lemon. The cake was moist and lightly lemon flavored with a sugary light lemon frosting.

The light brown frosted cupcake turned out to be a coffee flavored icing on a chocolate cupcake. Kind of unexpected, since I didn’t see any mocha cupcakes on the menu, but tasty nonetheless. Neither of the cupcakes would pass for “artisanal” and they were a little squished, but if you enjoy a moist, sugary, vaguely mass produced tasting cupcake (nothing wrong with that!), this makes for a pleasant treat.

The regular sized cupcakes were $2 and the big cupcakes were $3 (although today they have a new sign up that says small is $1.50, medium is $2.50 and large is $3.50?) From what I can gather, and again there was a bit of a communication issue, I think that they still serve coffee and breakfast starting at 5am and then cupcakes starting at noon until they run out? Not sure exactly who bakes the cupcakes, but they come from “a factory in Astoria.”  To be honest, I admire the business savvy of this vendor. Cupcakes are “in” and so are food carts. And you don’t need to be a hipster with a law degree to see a business opportunity. Good on them! I enjoyed what I got and I’d give them another try.

Breakfast Tent/Cupcake Cart, 53rd and 6th Ave

*I can no longer think of cupcakes without thinking “girlie food.” We miss you Mr. McBagel!