PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Caryn”

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 Caryn, a 30 Rock coordinator in charge of ordering catering for her office. Can you help her out with some suggestion?

Name: Caryn

Age: 23

Occupation: Program Coordinator

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 30 Rockefeller Plaza

Favorite Kind of Food: Really good hot, melty gourmet sandwiches with high quality cheese.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Sushi. It’s embarrassing for a foodie, but I just can’t get into it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Since my lunch break is limited, I typically don’t stray far from the concourse of 30 Rock. But the billion options keep things interesting. For example: ‘Wichcraft‘s Pressed Zucchini, Roasted Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Parmesan Panini deliciously tricks me into believing it’s a healthy option with all the veggies. When I’ve sat at my desk too long and it’s suddenly 3pm and I need to eat something monstrous, Potbelly‘s Meatball Sub is my drug of choice. My co-worker is also addicted to their fresh baked chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. If I’m feeling Mexican, Tri Tip Grill‘s burrito is really fresh and the chicken is juicy. For a lighter day, Hale and Hearty’s Sengalese Chicken with Peanuts soup with a half of Balsamic Chicken is satisfying. The limited-time Holiday Toastie from Pret a Manger (Roasted Turkey, Brie, Cranberry Sauce, Veggie Stuffing) is a festive addition to the lunch rotation. When I’m pretending to diet, I order Just Salad from their online system and pick it up 15 minutes later, which allows me to skip the massive line and avoid making excessive compulsive topping decisions.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Bill’s Bar and Burger. They’re always good for an (alcoholic) milkshake and some juicy sliders. We had a work lunch party there a few months ago where tater tots, buffalo wings, fries, sliders, mini milkshakes, and red velvet cheesecakes were passed around. It was by far the greatest day of my life this year. Also, Magnolia Cupcakes are an ever-present force in my office. Birthday? Magnolia. Coworker leaving? Magnolia. Crappy Tuesday? Magnolia.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? Food trucks! The twitter tracker has been an incredibly valuable resource for finding roaming treats. Gorilla Cheese and Coolhaus are some of my favs. Also that Mastercard promotion with the free lunches was the bomb dot com.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Paris. When I went for a weekend in 2009, I made an itinerary strictly based on eating, with some museums and cultural attractions sprinkled in. French onion soup from Au Pied de Cochon, Ice cream at Berthillon, macarons from Pierre Hermes, fondue at Le Refuge des Fondus. Paris is a food heaven.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Yes, Midtown Lunchers I need your help!!! I’m responsible for ordering catering for 50+ people every week. As an avid Midtown Lunch reader and a self-proclaimed foodie, I’ve tried to keep our dining choices interesting. However, there are only so many reasonably priced catering options that I know of and I’m going to have to start repeating meals. Do you have any suggestions for cheaper but delicious catering options? Thanks so much and happy eating!

Go an answer for Caryn? 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.

16 Comments

Leave a Reply

You must log in or register to post a comment.