Midtown Lunch

Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Sean, the “Mayor” of Midtown West?

Name: Sean (but my colleagues call me “The Mayor”)

Age: 28

Occupation: Vice President at 21C Media Group, a public relations, marketing and consulting firm specializing in classical music and the performing arts.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Midtown West (56th Street and Seventh Avenue)

Favorite Kind of Food: Anything and everything. I’m an equal opportunity eater.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: There are only two things I don’t really like: capers and sardines. Although I still eat and like them on occasion.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Tuna nicoise sandwich at Bouchon Bakery, braised fish filets with chili miso at Szechuan Gourmet, any of the sandwiches at Blue Dog Café (on 56th btw. 6+7th), Certé or D & S Market Place (a.k.a. “The Man Deli” on 56th btw. 5+6th), avocado, parmesan and pine nut salad at Cognac Bakery (on B’way and 55th), fish special or salmon at Between the Bread (on 55th btw. 6+7th), midtown lunch at Ma Peche, “build your own salad” specials at Bagel & Bean (on B’way btw. 54+55th) and the Great American Health Bar (on 57th btw. 5+6th), pizza at Angelo’s (on 57th btw. 6+7th), burgers at the Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien, ramen at Totto Ramen (but not so much in the summer), tilapia or salmon at Kwik Meal cart in the West 40s (thanks for the tip, Patrick Tierney), and if feel like making the trek up to the West 60s, anything from ‘wichcraft and Epicerie Boulud (on B’way btw. 63+64th). Also, as a dedicated coffee drinker, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Zibetto, which I feel has some of the best espresso in the neighborhood (and also some great panini).

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? We try to switch it up as much as possible, but if there are two places I go more often than others, they are Blue Dog Café and Cognac Bakery. My colleagues Max Lefer and Laura Malick, the latter of whom was profiled as a Midtown Lunch’er of the Week a couple of months ago, are my main lunch mates, and we are constantly trying to expand our reach. We even keep a collaborative Google doc of new places to try.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? Several of the above I’ve discovered on the Midtown Lunch blog and by following Midtown Lunch on Twitter. Lately, I’ve been trying to catch the Luke’s Lobster truck, which I discovered through Midtown Lunch, but thus far it hasn’t worked out with my schedule.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some pretty tasty places in the U.S. and abroad through my work, and while I would be happy to reside in Rome for the trattorias or live in Lyon for the bouchons, I don’t think any place beats New York in terms of the quality and diversity of the lunch choices. However, I wouldn’t mind it if we at 21C Media Group opened up a satellite office south of 14th Street, as I feel the lunch options are slightly better down there.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? For the past seven years I’ve worked in the West 50s (three different companies, but all within a single block radius). And while I sometimes venture up into the West 60s (not a ton of options there, but more by the day) or south into the West 40s, I hardly ever cross over to the East Side of midtown. Any recommendations for places in the 50s east of Fifth that are worth the walk? Also, I tend to Tweet about my new lunch discoveries, so you can follow me here.

Got an answer for Sean? Put it in the comments. And, as always, if you want to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate) email editor@midtownlunch.com.