Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er “Adam”

Every Tuesday I 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 Adam- an engineer who loves chaat and was willing to fill out the profile, even though he doesn’t have a blog to promote. Now that’s balls!

Name: Adam

Age: 24

Occupation: Engineer. I don’t have a blog.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 37th & 5th

Favorite Kind of Food: I love campfire food. And breakfast for dinner. And Turkish cuisine. And a good Paraguayan asado. And DiFara’s square pizza. And Vietnamese. So hard to choose!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I can’t do the by the pound midtown deli buffets anymore, after an unfortunate encounter with some funky sesame chicken which left me with food poisoning throwing up all afternoon. I also detest the average heated up when you order after sitting for a while slice of pizza which is all too prevalent in Midtown.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I eat falafel in Bryant Park from my homeboys at NE corner 40th and Broadway at least 2 or 3 times a week. Combining the frugality of a $4.00 lunch and the pleasure of a lunch out of the office in the park with a good book is my personal favorite. My other regulars include the JT Lunchenette (on B’way and 35th) for good and hearty spanish food or a cheap pepper steak sandwich. I used to go to Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th) for chaat, but that has been replaced by Taj Delhi chaat (on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th) due to proximity to the office.  Sometimes Toyama (on 36th St. btw. 5+6th) for sushi, and when it’s really cold the Au Bon Pain 20 feet from the door of my building for soup in a breadbowl. I’ll go to Gaam (on 30th and 5th) for Indian when I feel like going out of midtown lunch price range by a dollar or two. And finally, the cheesesteaks at the truck at the SE corner of 40th and Broadway may not quite live up to my south Philly Tony Luke’s standards, but they do still hit the spot when I crave grease and cholesterol.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? I have turned a couple of co-workers on to Taj Delhi chaat and we’ll go to Gaam for a nice long lunch once in a while but normally I eat by my lonesome. Catered lunch & learns aren’t uncommon here which can turn us all into a pack of tuna salad sandwich crazed vultures.

Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? I must thank ML for my chaat obsession and for the after 2pm pizza at Naples 45 (on 45th btw. Park+Madison). Also, the former Spanish food serving Blimpie that was on 38th and 6th. I’ve been meaning to check out Biryani cart but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? I ate really really well and really really cheaply for the couple of months I lived in Turkey. If I could somehow commute from Brooklyn to Amasra, Turkey I would be in heaven. Montevideo was also amazing dining wise. Sticking to the 5 boroughs though, I’d have to go with either the East Village for Snack Dragon tacos or Yoghurt Soup from Kebab Garden or cubanos from the 4th St. Deli or cheap wings and cute bartenders from Croxley Ale. Chinatown a close second because I could fill myself up with noodles and dumplings for $2. I wouldn’t mind working in Midwood, Brooklyn so I could eat a square slice from DiFara’s 5 days a week.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Where can I find good, hopefully cheap, Turkish style Yoghurt Soup in Midtown? Also, where can I find a cheap pounder of PBR and a decent jukebox for classy happy hours? Any bars that have a good lunch special so I can have a pint and a sandwich for less than 10$?

Turkish style yoghurt soup is a new one for me… as for good happy hours, we have a new Friday column just for you!  And the only $10 beer and lunch special I know of is the one at House of Brews.  Anybody got any better answers than mine?  (Shouldn’t be tough this week)  Feel free to post them as comments.

And as always, if you want to be the next Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er, or you’d like to nominate somebody in your office email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

26 Comments

  • The Turkish place next door to me has take-out yoghurt soup for $4, otherwise their lunch special is $18 for an appetizer and entree. My coworkers went a few weeks ago and said it was pretty tasty.

    Dervish Restaurant on 47th between 6th and 7th.

  • Adam,

    The last time my wife (a beautiful and vivacious young woman) and I visted the Hofbrauhaus we were accosted by a busload of drunken Japanese tourists wearing lederhosen and little green Bavarian hats. Their behavior toward Elke the barmaid was inexcusable.

    Naturally, we have avoided that tourist trap ever since.

    Take my advice, young man, and choose the road less traveled. Stay away from the Hofbrauhauses and the Cheers Bars of the world.

    Men of true sophistication and pedigree might have a Willy’s Wine Bar poster in their den (or man cave) but would rather be caught dead than display ein Mass vom Brauhaus in their curio cabinet, much less actually drink from it.

  • DocChuck was very excited to see the edge of your undies in the picture above. He’d like to know next if you’d pose for him in nothing but a soiled diaper and a much chewed-upon rattle?

  • Why hello, young man! You happen to work very close to me… why, yes, I’d love one of your beers..

  • Excellent taste in beer with that Radeberger, Adam – might I suggest you replace the Hofbrau with a Jever? Finest pilsener money can buy. And all go well with the food you like.

    Ignore Cockchug – he hasn’t been the same since he was violated with an Alpenhorn by an angry mob in Munchen. As a result he avoids fine german ale and only drinks Billy Beer in the basement of his trailer with his obese housefrau of a “wife”

  • You gotta try the Square from L & B. I’d trek down to Gravesend anytime for it!

  • Sorry to bogart this thread but for those of you who remember Peter A. Lusk (I’m looking at you, Rudolph McBagel) – I stumbled across this court decision (decided today) when I was doing some legal research. Looks like Lusk owes his ex-wife over $650,000.
    http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2008/2008_07969.htm
    That’s a whole lotta Zen burgers!

  • #1-thanks, I shall try tomorrow!
    sarah-if you see me walking down 5th with a liter of beer in hand, do identify yourself.
    wayne-Jever is great stuff. Those 2 liters were followed by a Jever.
    Theresa-Spumoni’s tomato pie is good, but doesn’t hit the spot like DiFara’s does. Grimaldi’s is local to me and also high on my pizza list.

  • DDR, I wonder if he left her for Angela the Vegan Fundamentalist.

    I must say the recent tuesday freaks have been too nice.

    Can we get back to opionated veggies with penis envy next week?

    Thank you.

  • perhaps, young Adam developed a taste for Radeberger at one of the many Rooftop Films afterparties this summer, constantly sponsored by Radeberger… Actually, this isn’t usually my style, but if you’re interested in free Radeberger (I’m looking at you, cute boy, and you too, wayne) and free movies check this out next week, I’ll be there volunteering:

    http://newyork.going.com/event-441471;Rooftop_Films_Presents_Indie_Horror_Night

  • I whole-heartedly agree with DocChuck. The mid-town fake brewhouses and irish pubs are the worst of the worst.

  • Why thank you, dougiec.

    I see that we have a good many things in common.

    Like good taste. Oh, and refinement, too.

    Have you seen my My Space page?

  • I also love Turkish style yogurt soup (and just about any soup, in fact). I’m not sure if this one’s the same as the one you are thinking of, but Taksim on 2nd ave between 55th and 56th has a “Yayla soup” which is a creamy yogurt soup with mint and rice, served hot but also good once it’s cold.

    Sip Sak on 2nd ave between between 49th & 50th St also has a hot yogurt soup–I haven’t tried it yet, but the rest of the food is pretty tasty, so I imagine that the soup would be at least on par.

    If you love Turkish, have you tried Akdeniz? The Sultan’s Delight (Chicken or Lamb over smokey eggplant puree) is ridiculous!

  • Yeah, I second the Sultan’s Delight at Akdeniz. Can’t vouch for its authenticity, but the eggplant’s smokiness is amazing. I believe it’s also a bit over the $10 Midtown Lunch limit. As for diFara’s, it’s always a toss up for me: square or regular slice? I usually go with a couple of each. The sauce for the square is freaking insane! Yay, Dom!

  • sarah-free beer and scary movies is my cup of tea. i may come in costume as david bowie or randy savage.
    grace-gracias for the suggestion. i’m gonna give it a try sometime this week

  • “have you tried Akdeniz? The Sultan’s Delight (Chicken or Lamb over smokey eggplant puree) is ridiculous!”

    Very true! That dish from there is the wonderful love child of eastern comfort food and ottoman excess. Get the lamb.

  • If the soup you’re discussing is Ash Reshteh, a restaurant called Ravagh has a good one.

  • Back in May, I sent Zach an e-mail informing him that Nation Lounge on 45th between 6th and 7th has an everyday lunch special: A turkey burger or hamburger and a free beer for $8.75. I haven’t been back since then, so I don’t know if it has increased in price or been done away with entirely.

  • Adam, if you are suggesting a pizza tour, I’m totally game!

  • Adam,

    It’s between 6th and 5th and it varies between $8.50 and $9.50 during the week. Still, midtown lunch under $10 for a burger and a beer at lunch. Can’t sneak a beer at my job right now, but maybe next summer.

Leave a Reply

You must log in or register to post a comment.