Midtown Lunch

It is with a heavy heart that I report that the endearingly eccentric Times Restaurant has finally shuttered, for what  appears to be for good. Walking by, I noticed a court order signed on 6/2/2011 commanding that the space be shutdown, with an ominous warning, “The department of buildings has determined that conditions in this premises are imminently perilous to life. Violators of this commissioner’s vacate order are subject to arrest.”

I’ll dearly miss this place, not that I’ve ever had the courage to actually eat there, but because they’ve always been a source of fun, slapstick content whenever we noticed another misguided effort to stay in business or another DOH smackdown. As we say farewell to the Times Restaurant, we’ve assembled a timeline of our favorite memories of the life and times of this restaurant after the jump.
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Two Midtown Lunch spots within a block of each other on Lexington Avenue have closed. Luncher joer noticed last week that kosher standby Kolette’s Kitchen on Lexington between 55th and 56th shuttered after the Passover holiday.  The sign is still up, but the windows have been covered with pink paper. At least it matches the awning.

But wait… there’s more.

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Cupcake Stop Truck, the 2 year old food truck turned brick and mortar success story famously started by a law school grad who couldn’t get a law firm job during the recession, sent out this message via Facebook and Twitter late last night.  No other explanation has been given, and there has been radio silence from Lev (the owner).  Their website has diappeared, and the phone number at their new Greenwich Street location has been disconnected, but according to Grub Street their location in The Limelight is still open (although their phone # is disconnected as well.)

With no explanation, the theories are flowing… a bunch of Facebook commenters think it could be a hack job, but if that were true you’d think that at this point they would have issued a statement letting people know.  Another tipster thought maybe they got their money pulled out from under them?  Maybe Lev finally got that lawyer job?  Regardless of what the reason is, if it turns out to be a money issue we can only hope that will end the seemingly nonstop parade of puff pieces encouraging people to spend their life savings on opening a food truck.  (We’re looking at you Fox & Friends.)

As soon as we hear anything, we’ll let you know.

Yesterday, Luncher “Matt” emailed in with this report:

Washoku Cafe (aka Negi-Ya) may have closed! A coworker tells me the gate’s down, there’s no sign, and they stopped taking credit cards yesterday. It is the first of the month …

Calls to the Japanese cafe and noodle shop just get voicemail. Personally, I’m going to be very disappointed if the only source of decent tonkotsu this side of 40th Street has gone under. The weather might be warm today, but I know I’m going to need more soup before the summer comes.

Related:
Soup’s on at Negi-Ya (aka Washoku Cafe)

When it rains it pours, eh?! Sad news from the forums courtesy of Lunch’er whiskeyfrisky: “Teriyaki Boy on 7th bet 48th and 49th is closing its doors for good due to high rent. I’m sure going to miss their chicken curry soba.” And I will miss their $3.99 lunch special. Big loss for Lunchers in the notoriously overpriced greater Times Square area. Most importantly what is Stanley T. going to do? The closest other Teriyaki Boy is their just out of bounds location on 9th btw 57th and 58th.

Well, it looks like our days of defending Manganaro’s, and the two crazy sisters who run the place, are numbered.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the building that houses the 100+ year old Italian grocery store and restaurant is being sold, and once the deal goes through Manganaro’s will be no more.  We can take a little solace in knowing that Manganaro’s Hero Boy isn’t going anywhere, but anybody who has been to both knows there is little consolation in that.  Say what you want about the sisters, Manganaro’s is irreplaceable and will be missed. [via Eater]

I’m pretty devastated to discover that Salt & Pepper (on 33rd btw. 6+7th), one of my favorite lunch spots in Midtown, has closed. This was the place where you could get a large platter of rice, beans and stewed chicken or rice, lentils and stewed tripe or awesome Indian food for just $7. When I walked by there was no note, but I took a peek inside and the place looked totally gutted except for the counter where they used to have all their deliciousness laid out. *Sigh” I really hope they’re just doing some major renovations. Does anyone know what happened?

Salt & Pepper, 139 W 33rd St (btw. 6+7th)

Sad news from Grub Street on Friday… Barros Luco, the great Chilean sandwich and hot dog shop on 52nd and 2nd, has closed.  That makes three places in three years for that seemingly cursed location (99 Miles to Philly and Zip Burger closed in 2008 and 2009 respectively)  but this is definitely the saddest.  Where are we going to go now for our chacareros and completos?

Sad sad news in the forums this week… Sukhadia’s Gokul, the vegetarian Indian buffet that has been on 45th btw 5th+6th for years, has closed up shop and moved to Iselin, NJ. No word on why they’ve chosen to move their restaurant across the Hudson, but one can assume it’s financially prudent for them. I suppose our loss is Jersey’s gain: no more vegetarian Indian buffet, no more Indian sweets, no more odd Italian pizza place man out front. We’ll miss you S.G.