Midtown Lunch

One Thing I Am Incredibly Thankful For: They were already sold out by the time I got there today (Weds) at 2:30, but I was told by the ladies behind the counter that the roasted meats have returned to Ying Du (on 38th btw. 7+8th).  Hallelujah... praise the lard... thank you baby jeebus... and a Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Free Coffee Alert: If you are unlucky enough to have to work on the day after Thanksgiving (Friday), Mario Batali will be giving away free cups of Starbucks in Times Square starting at 10 a.m. I'm not going to pretend like this is some great thing, but maybe it will make you feel like your life doesn't completely suck. (But really, it does.)

Pop Quiz: Who Was This Email Intended For?: You know I love it when stupid people send me emails thinking they are emailing a restaurant I have written about.  Got another one a few days ago... "I used to eat here (when you were located at 53rd between 5th and Madison) before 1989.  I am so very glad you are still around.  Someone here is eating lunch and it smells of your Benito (sp.???) chicken. I will be in soon." Great!  Can't wait to see you too! Any ideas what place she is talking about?

No Pork on a Halal Cart, Even if You Work for the Food Network: I don't know much about Dinner:Impossible, but apparently a recent episode of the show featured Iron Chef Michael Symon cooking on three carts parked in Times Square: Wafels & Dinges, 2008 Vendy Award Winner Calexico and a random Halal Cart.  You can see clips of the show here, including one where Symon is told he can't cook pork on the halal cart.  Awesome.

Who Doesn’t Love a Good Seamen Fair: If you don't mind walking a little out of bounds for good Scandinavian food, Eating in Translation brings word that yesterday was the start of the Norwegian Seaman's Church Annual Christmas Fair (on 52nd btw. 1+2nd). You can see his coverage from last year, where they had sandwiches and sweets (and everything was under $7.)

Yushi Owner is Fat Like Me: As he promised in the comments awhile back, the owner of Yushi (on 47th btw. Park+Lex) shot us an email update today: "I just wanted to let you know that we have just launched 2 new hot boxes: teriyaki salmon ($10.95) and satay chicken ($8.50). Both have been created as perfect winter comfort food and come with steaming jasmine rice and edamame. Like you, I am a bigger guy and I know you’ll find these a hearty winter treat." We'll see. I'm priced out of the salmon box, but I'll try the satay and see how it compares to Kushi Q, just one avenue away.

Danku Update: "Are you guys opening today?" "No, sorry.  You call every morning don't you!" "Yes, yes I do. Do you know when you're opening?" "Sorry, we were supposed to find out yesterday- but we didn't. They said maybe we would find out today." "Sounds good.  Talk to you tomorrow morning." Me... want... kroket.

Wednesday is Truck Day: The Midtown Lunch twitter account has had an active morning, with all three trucks who twitter parking in Midtown today: Treats Truck is on 45th & 6th, Waffles and Dinges is on 51st btw. Park+Lex (password for free topping is 'incognito') and the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck is on 58th and 8th near Columbus Circle.

Calexico/Treats Truck Will Come to Your Holiday Party: The "best of the Vendys" catering alliance between the Treats Truck and the Calexico Cart that was briefly mentioned in the New York Daily News after the Vendy Awards has been finalized, according to a press release sent out today.  Why does this matter to Midtown Lunch'ers?  Because they'll be available for office parties!  (So if you don't want Cafe Metro again this year, you may want to forward this to your HR person...)

Newsstand Indian Gets the DOH!: And the bad news just keep coming... this time in the comments: The former newsstand on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th that now houses Khodiar Lunch Gujarati food, Taj Delhi Chat, and the latin food that used to be in the Blimpie, has been closed by the DOH.  This comes less than a week after Taj Delhi Chat was featured in the Village Voice.  I think I speak for everyone when I say "nooooooooooooooooooooooo!"