Midtown Lunch

Talk about a punch in the gut, but for the right reasons – stopping by the recently-closed Kati House, the landlord was checking the locks. I took the opportunity to ask a few questions, and a litany of complaints, problems, and gross stuff came out of the chat. Bottom line: Midtown is now back to Kati Roll Company for its kati roll fix. Unfortunately, these were nothing new to the location. More info under the jump.
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After frequenting the food truck haven at 47th Street and Vanderbilt, I’ve noticed that the lineup of trucks and carts varies from day to day. It’s become a popular spot for new vendors to set up shop, including the likes of Rhong Tiam, Bread and Olives, and the not-yet-reviewed Monkey Brothers Lab. Yesterday, I noticed ANOTHER new cart on the block, Green Express. They’ve got a limited menu of vegetarian Middle Eastern food, like falafel, hummus, and sabish (toasted or fried eggplant). The cart prides itself on offering mostly organic, mostly vegan food in environmental friendly, biodegradable containers. I can see where the “green” in their name comes from…

I haven’t been able to find a web presence, so hopefully they stay put on 47th for now. Has anyone been able to try out the cart yet?

I’ve eaten a lot of burgers in my day and I’ve seen ‘em come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. I like the thin, round burgers (like Steak and Shake) and the slightly thicker, crumblier ones (think Five Guys and Shake Shack), but oftentimes I feel the most satisfying burgers are just the big, fat ones. I’m talking about the kind of burger that you wouldn’t dare order as a double. Ladies and gentlemen, Island Burgers and Shakes happens to make big, fat burgers and they happen to be delicious.

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Good news, lunchers. Mayhem & Stout, a staple of outdoor markets like Columbus Circle and Madison Square Eats for the past couple years, is opening its first brick & mortar location on 2nd Ave. (btw 38th+39th). The 2012 Vendy Awards finalist artisan sandwich company features a rotating menu of braised meats and seasonally inspired condiments. ML has been a fan for a while now, so we’ve got high hopes for this one. The shop opens this Friday, August 16th. We’ll have a review up next week, but early adopters let us know what you think.

Mayhem & Stout, 711 2nd Ave. (btw 38+39th), (212) 986-1600

If you’ve been craving an alternative to your regular coffee cart cup of joe but don’t want to resort to Starbucks, an espresso from Fiend is just what you might be looking for. Fiend is, according to its owners, the only cart of its kind in the city with an espresso maker. Situated on the northwest corner of 44th and 6th from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, Fiend grinds Counter Culture beans fresh on the cart and makes a mean latte.

And, good news for Midtown Lunch readers, this week only — from August 12th to 16th — you can take advantage of a 2-for-1 promotion if you mention this article!
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When Peter’s Since 1969’s East Side location shuttered a couple months ago for “rebranding,” I mourned the loss of one of my favorite comfort foods in Midtown: their homemade meatloaf. However, in its place, Little Collins, a new joint venture between Peter’s owners and Melbourne-native, Leon Unglik, seems to be the kind of friendly neighborhood coffee joint and cafe that Midtown East has been needing for quite some time.

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