Midtown Lunch

Let’s face it. Buffalo chicken wraps are great. Back in college, my friends and I would visit the local dive bar for wings at least two nights a week, and ever since, I’ve had a deep appreciation for this thing we call “buffalo chicken.” Created upstate in Buffalo, Wikipedia describes the sauce as cayenne pepper hot sauce plus melted butter or margarine. When mixed with fried, breaded chicken and sharp, blue cheese, deliciousness is bound to ensue! Although not traditional, wraps are a convenient means of buffalo chicken consumption (it’s nice that the whole experience can be folded into a neat, handheld bundle) and they tend to be less messy than their sandwich counterparts. Over the course of the past week, I took it upon myself to try out several different buffalo chicken wraps around Midtown. I was actually a little surprised at how difficult it was to find these things for under $10, but in the end I managed to uncover four decent options.

Read my findings after the jump…

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I have to admit, when the Chicken Bar on 45th and 8th boarded up for renovations in February, I thought that was the end for the fast food joint. But, now it seems the former Ranch 1 is undergoing another re-branding. Carve Cafe signs are up in addition to, not instead of, the Chicken Bar signs (so far). The name sounds schmancy for fast food chicken, so I’ll keep my eye on the progress…

Chicken Bar, 717 8th Avenue (at 45th street)

The Chicken Bar on 45th street and 8th avenue is all boarded up, with renovation signs adorning the plywood. I haven’t been to this location since Ranch 1 re-branded themselves as Chicken Bar several years ago, but Zach was a fan of the brand back in the day. We all know how “renovations” can go, and what’s particularly disturbing is that their website is not available either. I guess it could always be another re-branding … suspicious, indeed.

Chicken Bar, 717 8th Avenue (at 45th street)

Things are not looking so good for Chicken Bar, the Ranch 1 “rebranding” project that launched a few years ago. The location on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd has closed, leaving the location on 8th Ave. btw. 45+46th as the only one left in Midtown. (Though there are still Ranch 1 franchises inside 3 different generic Midtown delis.) As fast food chains go, I’m actually a fan of Ranch 1/Chicken Bar. If I’m in the mood for a grilled chicken sandwich they’re my go to spot, and the fries are surprisingly good. I hope this isn’t the beginning of the end…

Related:
Ranch 1 Grilled Chicken (…it’s better than you think)
Chicken Bar vs. Ranch1 (The Epic Battle!!!)