PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Brad”

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 Brad, a stats guy who has spent the past two years waiting for his “freak of the week” moment…

Name: Brad

Age: 30

Occupation: Statistics Assistant

Where in Midtown do you work? The place with 193 flags on its front lawn. Also check out my food blog! Just kidding, I’m not cool enough to have one.

Favorite Kind of Food: I was raised by an Asian mother, so I love any type of cuisine that combines meat and rice. My guilty pleasure is a greasy burger and a beer, though I have to try to limit the indulgences given that blood pressure and cholesterol weren’t things that I worried about in my 20s.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Salads. Avocados, in particular, make me nauseous.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Khao Soi from Talent Thai (on 34th btw. 2+3rd), Combo over Rice from Gussy’s, Kuro Ramen from Hide-chan (on 52nd btw. 2+3rd), Doubles from Trini-Paki Boys (on 43rd btw. 5+6th), Katsu Curry from Yagura (though I guess I have to go to Sunrise Mart now sadface).

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? I find myself going to Shih Lee a lot on 43rd between 1st and 2nd when I’m too lazy to walk somewhere far for lunch, but a ton of my coworkers regularly go to the Amish Market also on 43rd.

Places you have discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? Num Pang, Naya Express, Grand Sichuan, El Rey Del Sabor, Korilla, Margon, Food Gallery 32, Bon Chon, Trini-Paki Boys and Hide-chan. Shoutouts to Los Barros Lucos and Yagura RIP.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Bangkok or Singapore for the street food.

Anything you’d like to ask the midtown lunch readers? My go-to spot for a burger in midtown is Five Guys. I know there are better places, but I respect the ML lunch limit of $10. That and I’m cheap. I’ve been meaning to try BV’s Burger since it was posted about here last year. Does anyone else have any burger recommendations that come in under $10 in Midtown East?

Got an answer for Brad? Put it in the comments. Want to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate)? Email editor@midtownlunch.com.

13 Comments

  • FREAK THE WEEK

    The “about time Zach made it a subtitle (kinda) for the weekly profiled luncher piece! yeah baby!” edition

  • For the distance you’re willing to walk from the UN, I’d expect you’ve tried out Black Shack on Lexington and 38th-ish. Not the behemoth that is Five Guys, but a good burger.

    Otherwise, the Pig & Whistle (50th/2nd) pub burger would satisfy the “+ beer” preference, too.

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    Blarney Stone. Comes with onion rings or fries for $7. Get the onion rings. On 3rd between 44th and 45th.

  • I second the Blarney Stone. If you’re willing to walk to the Pig & Wistle, just go one further to PJ Clarkes. Although I can’t remember if the burger falls under $10.
    Black Shack isn’t bad either. But if given a choice I’d go to 5Guys 9 out of 10 times.

    • Five Guys doesn’t have RC Cola.

      Yeah, I know. Though a (double) burger and fries runs $12 at Five Guys, it’s a lot more food than a burger and fries at Black Shack. And Pig & Whistle just seems… more pleasant than Blarney Stone. And I know that the Blarney Stones aren’t alcoholics-waiting-to-die establishments any more.

      • Haha very true and good point about the RC Cola. Don’t they have a watermelon beer too?
        And yes, another fair point abou the P&W crowd. But Blarney Stone makes a better burger, in my opinion.

      • No doubt it’s a decent burger, I just feel like I’m not ready to go into a Blarney Stone yet.

        21st Amendment (out of San Francisco) makes a beer called Hell or High Watermelon. It’s seasonal, and it’s available in cans (those are brewed and packaged somewhere in Minnesota). Personally, I think it’s terrible, but I’m pissy about fruit beers that seem designed to hide the fact the base beer is crap. Oh well, the kids dig it.

      • When I hit up Five Guys, I usually get the single burger with a small fries and it comes in at exactly $10 with tax. A major selling point for me and Five Guys is they use fresh jalapenos instead of pickled which is super plus in my book.

        I’ve been to Blarney several times, and pretty much stopped going once the Five Guys opened on 3rd. It’s definitely a cheaper deal, but the burger doesn’t taste as good.

        Never been to Black Shack or Pig & Whistle. Pig&Whistle’s beer menu seems pretty ordinary, but I can get behind some of Black Shack’s offerings. My office’s go to spot down in that area is Bare Burger, so maybe next time I can convince them to try somewhere different.

        Thanks for the suggestions.

      • I’m a fan of 5 Guys also but I think they’re in a different class than the burgers at P&W and the various Blarneys (chain burger vs pub/hole in the wall?).

        Seems like it’s been a long time since there’s been a burger comparison on ML, maybe we can talk someone for an updated comparison?

  • Hey, speaking of freak of the week, here’s an article from today about Crazy Legs, who was featured here a while back http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2012/10/crazy-legs-conti-competitive-eater-eats-at-guy-fieri-restaurant.html?mid=grubstreet–20121016

  • Guy doesn’t like avocados? I can’t imagine a milder-tasting, more inoffensive food. What does he put on his greasy burgers?

    • Lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, jalapenos, pickles and ketchup. I eat a lot of spicy foods.

      With avocados it’s the texture that turns my stomach for some reason, not the taste.

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