Flatiron Lunch: NYC Mobile Eatery Makes An Argentinan Chivito!
Every Friday our man UltraClay goes south of the ML boundaries in search of a delicious lunch. Sometimes it’s Murray Hill south or the Flatiron District, sometimes Gramercy and everything in between- but we just like to call it Flatiron Lunch.
I’m very late in trying out the generically named Argentinian food truck NYC Mobile Eatery. Back in the fall, luncher “El Dubya El” posted about it in the forums. It’s been on my radar ever since, but I only seemed to find it after I’d already eaten. This week, I finally tracked it down on 26th Street and 6th Avenue and was shocked to find a sandwich I haven’t had since I visited Buenos Aires years ago.
Based on my observations while in Buenos Aires, the main diet in Argentina is made up of steak and wine along with various other grilled meats in the place of vegetables. If you want something lighter, you order a sandwich. On the truck, they just call it an Argentinian Sandwich ($7), but I was introduced to it as a Chivito. It’s a beautiful and dangerous thing.
They take a steak sandwich, slather the bread in mustard and mayo, then top it with ham… and a fried egg. I told you it was dangerous. Don’t worry, there was also some lettuce and tomato slices, to make it a little healthy.
The bread is flat and wide (seen here with a metrocard for comparison), which keeps the whole thing together much better than you’d ever expect. In fact, by the time it would have started to come apart, I was too stuffed to eat another bite.
I rarely throw in the towel with a meal, but if you can chomp down this whole sandwich you are (probably literally) a bigger man than me.
After nearly injuring myself, I didn’t manage to make another visit to the truck to try anything else, but there are definitely some less deadly dishes on the menu I would like to try.
The steak ($7) and the chicken ($6) seem like a good place to start, but I might wait until it’s warm enough to walk a block and eat in the park.
The empanadas on the other hand are only $2 and might make a good post-lunch snack on the way back to work from my next Flatiron Lunch excursion.
NYC Mobile Eatery, 26th Street and 6th Avenue
Posted by ultraclay at 9:30 am, February 11th, 2011 under Flatiron Lunch.
11 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
11 Comments
-
-
The Chivito looks amazing. and I bet I could totally finish that mother.
But, I have to say, as a notorious germophobe, I can’t believe you put your metrocard on that sandwich. -
That looks worth a 2 block walk! Thanks Ultraclay—maybe we’re not so different after all!
-
Nearly injuring yourself? What happened, Clay?
-
Chivitos are Uruguayan! Otherwise, they’re known as Lomitos in Argentina (just as it says on the truck).
-
Ultraclay, I was wondering when you would get to this awesome truck! I put this place on a once a week rotation, it’s well worth the walk from my lower midtown office. Like Jae_em said I thought they were called lomitos also. One of the best sandwiches ever, like a gourmet-fat sandwich from an RU grease truck. You may have missed it but a sign on the truck’s front windshield offers a 3 empanadas for $5 deal. I only get the beef and chicken but they are some of the best I’ve ever had in city. Full of chicken or beef with little flecks of onion and tasty seasoning!
I also ordered the Argentian fries which were disappointing. Cold fries, with if I remember, mayo, ketchup and bits of deep fried hot dogs. If they had chorizo or a sausage, this might have been a better dish.
Last week there was giant barrier of ice/snow you had to climb to reach the truck’s order window, was that what you almost injured youself on?
-
That looks awesome and worth a quick hop on the F train.
-
This place is DEFINITELY a once a week spot. The empananadas are awesome. The truck is called El Paraiso de las Empanadas (Empanadas Paradise). The sandwich pictured a above is really filling, I usually order fries and stuff it in like the RU Hungry grease truck.
My usual? $6 Chicken Platter (2 large pieces baked/grilled?), with rice/beans/fries/salad and small home made hot sauce to dip it in. Best bang for the buck.
Haven’t tried the ribs or steak yet. Waiting for the summer weather. I just started going there in Sept then they dissapeared for a month or two.
They aren’t always there so call ahead (I’ve walked blocks in the 10 deg weather to find they aren’t there). Call ahead: 347-245-6301
-
I just tried it–and am posting on both this and axtico board…f’ing awesome! TOTALLY worth $7! Empanadas were also really good, and from the few I’ve tried ever, these seem quite authentic!
-
This has become a must have at least once or twice a week. I’ve practically eaten my way through the whole menu, sans a few misecellaneous items. Lomito is amazing. Empanadas, all homemade, and according to my friend who lives part time in argentina, completely authentic, and in fact, BETTER than what you get down there as far as the quality of the chicken. Chicken/Steak platter, HUGE! Tons of food. Only thing I didn’t love was the cheese empanada, only b/c I found it sweet, like blintz cheese, which I was totally unprepared for.
-
Has anyone been able to find this truck? I’ve been lookikng on and off for nearly a year and it hasn’t been in its old spot….
eh, i wouldnt say that one meal is fair to make an assessment on the place as a whole… but it seems like the only dish that they do special is that sandwich so i will assume all other menu items just taste standard