Midtown Lunch

One of the really good places to get doner kebab/gyros in Southwest Midtown has been closed! Lezzette, which did a bunch of different salads along with awesome doner, has been ordered closed all of a sudden. The big yellow sign of DoH shame is present, its closure dating 6/10, which corresponds to a very abysmal inspection grade of 93 points on that same date. Mostly thermal problems show up on the inspector’s report, but it apparently had some inappropriate temperatures to some food. Hopefully they fare a little better than repeat-closure offenders in the area and bounce back soon – I lost an opportunity to assuage my doner craving!

There’s no denying that we’re big fans of doughnuts here at Midtown Lunch, including the vegan delights served up at Cinnamon Snail. Last month, the Snail rolled out a bunch of new flavors and I stopped by to try some out. Warning: I have repeatedly missed picking up a Coffee Ice Cream Sunday Donut because people keep causing them to sell out!

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It looks like some action is taking place on the corner of 8th and 38th, even with its new addition still waiting to open. Wok to Walk, which looks like its concept is Chipotle/Baja Fresh’s assemble-to-order writ pseudo-pan-Asian, is opening its first US branch at 570 8th Ave soon. No word on opening date, but the global chain has its menu out there. Given that my wife can’t eat garlic I gotta hit them up solely because of fried garlic as a topping, but we’ll have to wait to see if what looks like a massive fried rice chain is worth it. I know I love me some pak choi. We’ll keep you posted!

Its legal woes apparently mostly taken care of, it looks like Ranchito del Agave (on 9th btw. 36+37th) has opened back up. Passing by one fine afternoon, the shutters were gone but the place was darn near empty. Maybe they’ve trained their servers a little better to check IDs, but this change in pace might just merit a proper ML visit in the future. Do we have anyone in the ML crew that looks like they could pass for under 21? I’d love to see if they’ve figured things out in terms of food as well as service!

Photo courtesy of Serious Eats: New York

• The cold noodles at Cafe China are some of NYC’s best [SENY]
• The El Rey del Sabor cart is still awesome [Food in Mouth]
• Onion rings might be the best thing at the new Fatburger [Lunch Studio]
• Andrew Zimmern had a terrible sushi lunch in Midtown East [Eater]
• Immaculate Infatuation’s guide to summer is here! [II]

Father’s Day is this weekend, and so, I decided to bond with my old man by taking him to the most mascualine restaurant I could think of – Hallo Berlin. With sausages everywhere and lots of beer, Dad and I attempt to strengthen our father-son relationship. There are just some things he does that get under my skin. With Clay to help document the food, we found some pretty stellar German fare. Check out the video after the jump…

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Luncher Brad checked in recently with this tip about a new Indian cart in Midtown East that looks like it’s related to Mysttik Masala in Astoria…

I work on East 44th and we noticed that a new indian cart popped up by the Hallmark on the corner of 44th and 2nd. I know ML likes carts and cheap indian food, so I figured I’d pass this along. My coworker went today and got Chicken Vindaloo and said it was pretty good. It came with rice and lentils. My coworker is Indian, so I trust his opinion. I’m also attaching the menu. It looks like they only do 2 dishes a day: 1 veg and 1 non-veg. He also got a complimentary masala chai with his meal.

Check out the menu after the jump…

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In November, jenjfen posted news that the beloved Vic’s Bagel Bar (3rd between 36th and 37th) had closed. As reported by a Midtown Luncher, the black trash bags that used to cover the windows have been replaced by paper from Bagel Boss Cafe. Bagel Boss Cafe has another location on 1st ave, down by Stuyvesant Town, that tends to get pretty packed in the mornings. They may not have the fancy mix-ins or smoked meat that Vic’s was known for, but I’m happy to see that there will be no shortage of bagels in the neighborhood. Vic’s is a tough act to follow, but Bagel Boss has been around a while and I imagine they know what they’re doing.

The other day, Del’s Frozen Lemonade made its first appearance in Midtown in their newly refurbished adorable blue-green 1949 Chevorlet van, parked on the Southwest Corner of 52nd and Park. Del’s is a Rhode Island staple that Rhode Islanders keep very dear to their hearts, but Del’s history actually originated in Naples in 1840, when the family patriarch, Great Grandfather DeLucia, made frozen lemonade by first storing the winter’s snow in caves and insulating it with straw, and then mixing the snow with lemon juice and just the right amount of sugar when the lemons were in season in the summertime. Generations of DeLucias have continued the tradition in America, and according to Gothamist, the NYC Truck just got up and running this past May by native Rhode Islander, Cam Crockford. Prices range from $3.50 for a small to $5 for a large. Maybe today is not the best day for it, but once the sun comes back this should make for a great summer treat?

Del’s Frozen Lemonade Truck, 52nd and Park (check Twitter for location)