Midtown Lunch

Next Monday June 11 marks the return of Taste of Times Square, the annual food festival that sets up on W. 46th between Broadway and 9th Ave. The event runs from 5pm to 9pm and features offerings from dozens of restaurants in the area like Toloache, Carmines, Juniors, Schnipper’s and more. Most dishes are $2-$6 (which you pay for with food tickets that you buy when you get there), and while it’s bound to get pretty crowded, it could be a tasty and fun after-work excursion. If you’ve been in the past, let us know how it is in the comments. More info here >>

Summer is not when I crave ramen, but we are about to blessed with some serious noodle additions to Midtown. Grub Street announced yesterday that the second locations of both Totto Ramen (on 51st and 10th), which we mentioned a few months back and Tabata Noodle (39th bw 8th and 9th) will be opening very soon. Both are just slightly out of bounds, but if the food remains as good and the locations are indeed larger, it will certainly be worth the walk. Back in Midtown proper, but a bona fide splurge, comes the exciting discovery that Ma Peche now seems to be offering both beef and duck ramen on their delivery menu.

• Has anybody tried the Cambodian truck in the Flatiron? [Midtown Eating]
• Bubble Tea is back at Shanghai Mong [Midtown Eating]
• We need to get this Peruvian cart to come to Midtown!  [Downtown Eating]
• Service at the 38th Street Bon Chon is terrible [Midtown Eating]

You know that I had to stop working on the book and trek across town to try out the new bakery Schmackary’s (45th btw 8th+9th) after reading Rachel’s report. Even if it is slightly out of bounds–it is in an area that doesn’t have many bakery options and I was hearing very good things. I stopped by for my lunch, picking up two treats ($5) and a latte ($3.35). Since I judge bakeries on their classic chocolate chip cookie, I picked up theirs along with their peanut butter cup. It was a home run on both accounts.

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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 David, a production editor who is addicted to noodles and looking for the perfect dosa.

Name: David

Age: 35-ish

Occupation: Production Editor

Where in Midtown do you work? Grand Central-ish

Favorite Kind of Food: Any vehicle for capsicum, like Pad Ki Mao, Ma Po Tofu, Extra red at a falafel cart

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Not a dessert fan. Unless you count Ice Cream as dessert, which I do not.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Margon (on 46th btw. 6+7th) for beans/rice; Wu Liang Ye on 48th btw. 5+6th) for their veg dumplings; Joy Tandoor (on 46th btw Lex+3rd) for 2 veggies, depends on day, always great.

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Sweetery will basically be giving out free cookies all week long. Today they will be in 3 different locations giving out special Maker’s Mark cookies. They’ll be at Conde Nast (4 Times Square) from 10am-12pm, then at 8th Avenue (bw 56th and 57th) from 12:30-2:30pm, and finally at 50th (bw 6th and 7th) from 3-5pm. And then on Wed, Thurs, & Fri they’ll be giving out free horse cookies (I’m assuming that refers to the shape) with America’s Best Racing. Specific locations for those days are still to be announced so check the Twitter Tracker to see when they’ll be in Midtown.