Midtown Lunch

A few weeks ago we put out a call for new contributors… well today, we’d like to introduce you to one of our newest members of the team.  Give a warm welcome to Karen L! 

It’s been awhile since we’ve covered Aries Cafe (on 37th and 8th), but the stalwart Dominican/Puerto Rican joint keeps going strong… with a brand new name. Not sure when this happened, but there it was just outside the building’s service entrance, on a sandwich board sign with a photo of shrimp over rice:  Acuario Cafe. The promising scent of stewed meats is still there but a quick google translate says acquario = acquarium. Does that mean more seafood fare than before? Hard to know when there’s no menu posted!

Sure, Spanish speakers have no problem, but my Spanish vocabulary is near non-existent. I can’t really listen in on other people ordering, only crane my neck to see the choices. Fried pork chop and stews made from goat, oxtail, chicken are still there. The only non-legged option I hear is bacalao, cod stew. No shrimp in sight, except on the sign outside.

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Whether or not you think the Garment District is an amazing area for lunch or not can probably be determined by a single factor:  whether or not you love “strange” Chinese food.  And by strange, of course I mean real Chinese food- made for actual Chinese people who work in high 30s on the West side of Midtown.  At these places the General Tso’s, Beef and Broccoli, and egg rolls have been replaced by fried pork chops, various types of offal, salt and pepper shrimp with their heads still on, and at least 3 or 4 vegetable options (no American broccoli though.)  My favorite of these places is Ying Du (on 37th btw. 7+8th), but there is also Fuji Bakery (on 35th btw. 7+8th), and the Lunch Box Buffet (on 34th btw. 7+8th) which is the least strange of the three and features the most excellent Fay Da Bakery.

On Friday, I noticed a sign in the window of Sushi Osaka (on 8th Ave. btw. 36+37th) touting a new “Lunch Special” featuring 3 Chinese items over rice for $5.  Apparently another one of these “strange” Chinese spots has now opened in the back of this sushi restaurant.

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