Midtown Lunch

While I was away in Chile, I turned the site over to you for the first ever Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll.  All of the nominees had to have lunch for under $10 (except the buffet category, where a $1 exception was made), and they all had to be within the Midtown boundaries (32nd St. to the South, Central Park to the North, 3rd Ave on the East, and 8th Ave. to the West).  Thanks to everyone who participated.  Thousands of votes were cast, and here are the results:

Best Fast Food Indian: Kati Roll

Despite changing locations this year (Kati Roll is now on 39th btw. 5+6th), Indian burritos just barely beat out old steam table standby (and former neighbor) Minar, on 46th btw. 6+7th.  35% to 32%  Editor’s Pick: Man do I miss being 2 blocks away from Kati Roll.  It’s the unanimous winner.

Best Cheap Chinese Food: Hing Won

“Cheap” is code for fast food, take out Chinese, and while Szechuan Gourmet (on 39th btw. 5+6th) may possibly be the best Chinese food in Midtown- Hing Won/Hop Won wins the battle of the steam tables, easily beating out the competition.  Editor’s Pick:  No secret here.  Hing Won was my first Midtown Lunch post, and still remains my favorite Chinese food take out in Midtown.

Best burger, best street carts and a best pizza shocker, after the jump… Read more »

If you have ever been on a NYC food message board, then you know that nothing gets the troops riled up more then a post about “The Best” Hamburger in New York City.  One thread, started two months ago, just got its 100th reply.  People really are crazy…  I’m not really a hamburger connoisseur- but I do enjoy a burger now and again.  I haven’t eaten at a McDonalds, Burger King, or Wendy’s in years- but living in L.A. for two years, I couldn’t stay away from In ‘n Out… so I’m not anti-burger or anything, I just think the whole NYC “best burger” argument seems pretty silly.

First off, what kind of burger are you talking about?  Thick or thin? Cheap or Expensive?  If you ask me what my favorite burger place is, I would probably say In ‘n Out?  But it’s only the best when you compare it to other thin burgers… which are mostly found at fast food places.  Most people probably like thick burgers better then the thin patties… but there aren’t too many cheap, fast food places that serve the thick restaurant style burgers.  Then you have the expensive burgers… which are in a class unto themselves.  You know the ones… served at fancy restaurants, made with Kobe beef and stuffed with foie gras that cost a hundred billion dollars.  That doesn’t really appeal to me.  It’s a hamburger.  If I go to a fancy restaurant, I want a real meal.  Not a burger.  I don’t care what animal’s liver you’ve stuffed it with, and how much you massaged the cow before you ground it up… I’m not paying over $20 for a hamburger and fries.  Why stop at foie gras and truffles?  You start stuffing burgers with fried chicken or Chinese food, then you give me a call…

So in my opinion to talk about “the best” or compare burger places across genres is really useless.  If two places are right across the street from each other, and serve the same kind of burger at the same price- compare away.  In ‘n Out is better then McDonald’s.  But to compare Blue 9 Burger in the East Village to the burger at Spotted Pig is futile.  (BTW, if you are a fan of In n Out, and are ever in the East Village check out Blue 9.  It’s the closest thing to a good double double you’ll find in NYC.)

Lucky for us, when it comes to eating a hamburger, for lunch in Midtown, it doesn’t matter what you like- the choice for best burger is pretty clear and easy.  The Burger Joint at the Parker Meridien Hotel.  While I’m sure the name conjures images of some fancy burger served at an overpriced hotel restaurant with white tablecloths- here’s the best part.  It’s a dive, and it’s hidden smack dab in the middle of one of the nicest hotel lobbies in Midtown.

Pictures, the +/- and more after the jump… Read more »