Midtown Lunch

The Roast Pork from Cafe Cello (on 45th btw. 5+6th)

I was pretty sure that you could only get swine flu from hanging out with live pigs, or going to school in Queens- but now the internets have me worried that you can get it from eating pork! Thinking that maybe this is why Cafe Cello was closed last week (they serve my favorite pork in Midtown), I hopped onto the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website and discovered that they are all about the swine flu. Everything you could ever want to know is on that site… and it says nothing about not eating pork (phew!) So eat your favorite pork with reckless abandon people- unless it is being served by a coughing teenager from St. Francis Prep.

Incidentally, Cafe Cello’s last inspection was a whopping 65 (aka not good.) It’s the usual “evidence of roaches”, “not vermin proof”, blah blah blah. No mention of swine flu though. They have yet to reopen. As of Friday they were still closed, but we’re hearing they may have reopened today. Anybody have any intel?

Related:
Original Cafe Cello post (7/10/2006)

My heart almost exploded on Friday afternoon as I walked towards a shuttered Cafe Cello (on 46th btw. 5+6th.)  It might be the first time in Midtown Lunch history where I was actually *hoping* to see a DOH sticker.  Dealing with the alternative scenario (the place shutting down entirely) would have been too much for me to handle.  After all, it’s the roast pork from Cafe Cello that I’ve been using for two years as the iconic image of ML.  The lunch of all midtown lunches.  Thankfully as I got closer, I saw the gate was only half closed- which usually means one thing…

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I got this terrifying email re: Tehuitzingo, the Mexican bodega on 10th Ave. btw. 47+48th with the little taco window in the back:

“My husband went into Tehuitzingo Deli last week and spoke with the owner. The landlord has doubled his rent! He’s trying to hold on but I’m afraid the place may have to close soon.”

I went over the weekend to investigate for myself and found that it had been closed by the DOH over permit issues (white notice, not yellow.) This is a huge blow to New York City’s already fragile Mexican food situation, and while it is outside of the technical ML boundaries, traveling the extra distance had become customary for many of us who felt they made the best tacos in Manhattan. Tulcingo del Valle, one block south, is a good alternative (especially if you are looking for enchiladas, burritos, mole, and other dishes more commonly found at sit down Mexican restaurants.) But for tacos, nothing can replace the amazing little window in the back of Tehuitzingo.

Most places bounce back pretty quickly from these kind of DOH notices, but if the email above turns out to be true it will be a pretty sad day for all of us.

Close up is after the jump.

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It’s been a bad few weeks for Midtown burgers. First Five Guys gets closed down for a month by a fire, and now this. The Goodburger on 45th btw. 5+6th has been closed by the Department of Health due to a “clerical error on their permit”. (This is probably true, because it is a white DOH sticker, not a yellow DOH sticker.) They hope to reopen today, but you might want to call before heading over. 23 W 45th Street (btw. 5+6th), 212-354-0900

There was kind of a coincidental convergence of Thai food news yesterday, much of it centered around Topaz on 56th btw. 6+7th.   It started with this comment, copied from the Department of Health Website:

TOPAZ THAI RESTAURANT
Violation points: 101
Inspection Date: 12/22/2008

Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

Sanitary Violations

1.) Other general violation.
2.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.
3.) Lighting inadequate. Bulb not shielded or shatterproof.
4.) Food contact surface not properly maintained.

But wait there is more…   Read more »

I lived in L.A. for two years before moving to New York, and while I was there I loved the fact that every restaurant had a health inspection letter grade posted in the window.  This way you could see exactly how clean or dirty a restaurant was before eating in it.  Seeing an “A” was always reassuring, but a “B” would only keep me out of places I knew nothing about. For example, seeing the “B” didn’t discourage me from eating at Mario’s Peruvian or the Baja Fresh across from my office. Although when the Baja Fresh got upgraded to an “A” I suppose it made me feel a little better about things. (I think since I moved away Mario’s was upgraded as well.)  I don’t think I ever ate a restaurant with a “C”. (In fact I probably only saw one or two in all the time I lived out there.)

But now that it is being reported that New York City plans on adopting the same style of inspections, I’m a little apprehensive.  I don’t think I want to see a letter grade hung outside Hing Won or Ying Du.  I prefer to keep eating at my favorite dirty Midtown Lunch places in blissful ignorance. I guess if it gives restaurants the incentive to improve their cleanliness, that is a good thing- but clean doesn’t always equal better food.  Ying Du was forced to get rid of their old (and no doubt disgustingly dirty) meat roaster… and now some have complained that their roast pork doesn’t taste as good.  Thanks a lot Department of Health. I’ll take dirty and tasty food over antiseptic boring food any day.

Photo courtesy of Spare Change

Kashmir, the Indian place on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th was closed by the DOH, and their creativity had me almost believing they actually were just “Closed For Renovations.”  The first tactic they used is nothing new… they pulled the gate down half way, covering up the DOH sticker that was put on their take out by the lb buffet shop that is above ground.  But their cover up on the actual downstairs restaurant, was something I’d never seen before.  Check it out after the jump…

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Got some great photos from Lunch’er Bossman today.  The first is from Madrit’s Pronto Pizza on 55th btw. 5+6th.  You may remember Pronto as the pizza parlor who recently added sushi, and was giving out free samples on the sidewalk.  As far as I can tell, the only reason to eat there over Tuscany Catering (also on 55th btw. 5+6th) is the backyard seating area- but now that it’s getting cold, you can scratch that idea.  Oh, and also, Pronto just go closed by the Department of Health. (Kind of a deterrent to eating there.)

Bossman was also kind enough to send photos of Obika, the Mozzarella bar that should probably be open by now.  They’ve finally taken the plywood down… check it out after the jump.

Still no word on when it’s opening, but we’ve gotta be getting closer- right?