Midtown Lunch

Unfortunately, @Schmackarys is closed for the day. There was a fire in the wall btwn us and 5Napkin Burger. We should be back up tomorrow.

— Schmackary’s Cookies (@Schmackarys) July 15, 2012

Yikes. Schmackary’s tweeted yesterday (although, oddly, the tweet seems to have been deleted) that they were closed after a fire broke out in the wall between their storefront and 5 Napkin burger. Cookie lovers, don’t worry — they’re back in business now (on what happens to be their two month anniversary!)

Rachel has been loving the empanadas from the Nuchas kiosk in Times Square for the last few months. And with the news that their food truck is now roaming the streets, it was only a matter of time before I devoured a few of these hot pockets.

I spotted the monster truck (it’s one of the biggest I’ve seen in NYC) on 40th and 6th after work on Friday. They said they were closing down around 5:00. I don’t know if this will be their permanent hours, but I was excited to get a snack later in the day. Aside from the halal carts and a handful of dessert trucks, most mobile food vendors are out of the neighborhood by 3. This was a rare treat.

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Grilled Chicken House, the tiny Vietnamese spot on 36th btw. 7+8th formerly known as Chicken Househas (literally) struck their pho offerings from their menu. I ducked inside and asked what was up, and they told me it wasn’t selling enough to merit continuing. With the tiny size of the place I don’t blame them for not wanting to occupy a burner or two with a stockpot full of pho broth if it went nowhere each day. Zach wasn’t too crazy about the pho a few years back so it seems that there’s no loss here other than having the alternative to Boi Noodles (on 40th and 8th). To be honest, you’re still better off going to Boi for your pho phix.

A Munchie Mobile burger. Photo courtesy of Robyn Lee

• Munchie Mobile makes some crazy burgers [AHT]
• If you’re not afraid to trek past 9th Ave. Ponche Taqueria is great [Food in Mouth]
• Plaza Food Hall has some great sliders [Lunch Studio]
• Another thumbs up for Hing Won’s banh mi [SENY]
• Macaron Cafe makes the worst macarons ever [Chubby Chinese Girl]
• Is this a serious review of Panera’s bread!? [SENY]
• NEWS FLASH: Brick and Mortars are easier to run then food trucks [Grub Street]

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so I thought maybe it was time to introduce a happy hour column to the site. Every week, our Happy Hour Correspondent posts about a different bar in Midtown that fits the Midtown Lunch mentality: unhealthy food, not lame (unless it’s lame in a cool way), and most importantly… cheap.

If you’re the type that gravitates toward dive bars, a place that advertises itself as a wine bar might not seem like a joint you’d want to hit. But contrary to the image, many wine bars are more causal than pretentious — the ones I like are certainly not dives, but they don’t have a white tablecloth vibe either. They usually serve cocktails and beer along with their wine, and they often have a great selection of yummy food to accompany their libations. La Barrique Bistro and Wine Bar (39th btw. 5th + 6th) is the type of place that breaks down those assumptions that you need to sniff and swirl expensive wine while discussing grape varietals. Although it tilts slightly to the expensive side, it has an inclusive, free-spirited atmosphere where both suits and shorts are welcome. And if you know what to get, you can actually find a pretty good deal during happy hour here, including not only wine but beer!

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A new crepe shop has appeared next to Schnitzel Express on 39th street. I-Crepe looks more like an internet cafe than an eating establishment, with iPads set up on desks in rows in the interior. Apparently you can use those iPads to order, or go up to the counter. I passed by on my way to work, and they didn’t appear open yet, but based on the posters in the window, I’m intrigued by the bizarre range of options.
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During the summer, I often make a futile attempt at eating light so I can look good in the bikini that sits in my dresser drawer for the vacation I never end up going on. My latest attempt at healthy eating went comically poorly, and for some reason I feel compelled to share my embarrassment with you nice folks. My hypothesis going in: You can totally eat a light meal at a burger joint. Right? I tried it out at The Counter in Times Square. My hypothesis was dead wrong (but I still had a tasty meal!).

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Every Friday we go 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.

As Midtown Lunchers, we are always looking for hidden gems. And this past week I found one! Of course, our type of gem isn’t the shiny kind you put in jewelry, but the kind that fills your stomach and makes you start telling your friends. H.I.T. Korean Food and Deli (but you can mostly ignore the Deli part) is one of those places. Did I mention that H.I.T. is located through the lobby of an office building, which is the next best thing to serving food on a loading dock.  Start telling your friends.

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• Looking for a cheap deli sandwich near 52nd & Park [Midtown Eating]
• Little Morocco is definitely not good anymore [Midtown Eating]
• What’s everybody think of the crepe truck on 50th?  [Midtown Eating]
• If you had looked at the forums yesterday, you may have gotten a free popsicle [Midtown Eating]