Midtown Lunch

Since we announced that a new truck serving kebabs, gyros, and hummus set up on 39th Street a few weeks back, the reports have come in and they have been consistently positive. I finally had an opportunity to test out the truck myself and I have to say the food is fresh, flavorful, and cheap.

The two guys working on the Mediterranean Grill truck were very friendly and pleasant. A number of our trusty lunchers had positive things to say about the gyro sandwich and the chicken over rice. So I figured in the interest of journalism, I should try something different. The Adana Kebab was on display in the window and since this is a Turkish truck, I decided to give these a try. I ordered the small plate for $6, but a larger one is available for $8. My one big complaint was that there wasn’t enough meat. Perhaps I should have just coughed up the extra 2 bucks so I wouldn’t have to find something else to eat later. The dish came with lots of carbs (rice and pita), but I was hoping for some more protein.

The meat itself was sliced very thin, which was part of the problem. But the lamb was seasoned well, tender, and had a nice gaminess. It lay on a bed of rice which was firm and buttery. Lots of flavor. The salad was fresh (aside from some mealy tomatoes) and I appreciated the addition of peeled cucumbers. As for the sauces, they were served on the side. I sort of like it when they add the hot and white sauce (I’m a lazy bastard!), but here I had to do it myself. The hot sauce had a bit of smokiness to it that reminded me of chipotle. The heat was in the world of medium for me. The white sauce was phenomenal – a tangy herbed yogurt sauce that was similar in flavor but much more refined than Ranch dressing.

Based on this experience, I’m eager to try some of their other offerings. They’ve been parking on 39th and 6th Avenue for the last few weeks. They don’t seem to have a Twitter account or website at this point which means they’re still flying under the radar, but they’re a welcome addition the street meat scene.

Mediterranean Grill Truck, Northeast corner of 39th Street and 6th Avenue