Midtown Lunch » Fashion Week

You Decide: The Mexican Food at Fashion Soup

Zach Brooks — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:10:09 +0000

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Fashion Soup, a really good take out place on 41st btw. 6th & Broadway featuring tasty soups homemade by its Eastern European owner (who also works in the store during the day.) Seeing as it’s Fashion Week, I thought I’d drop by and see what was going on. In addition to being curious about changes, I was also secretly interested in seeing if business changed considering the influx of fashionable peoples under tents, half an avenue away in Bryant Park.

What I found was a big surprise…

Mexican food! Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, tortas, pork chops (?), and more. I’m down with that. They always had decent quesadillas, although considering they are usually stuffed with fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato, “Mexican” is not exactly the word I’d use to describe their quesadillas. Everything on the new menu is sold in plate form (so you can’t just order an individual taco) and ranges in price from $7 to $10. A little pricey, but I will admit to being cautiously curious. With incredibly low expectations I ordered the roast pork burrito, praying that I had just found the answer to our burrito woes…

One look at my order, and all those prayers were dashed. Burritos are not meant to be eaten with a fork and a knife. It’s shameful. For $10 it’s a hefty lunch, but I say keep your salad with avocado, and charge me $7. No salsa in the burrito (sad) and the meat was slices of chewy pork- rather than a much more preferable pulled roast pork situation. The meat issue could have been overlooked with some good flavoring, but that was missing as well. Don’t even get me started on the watery green excuse for guacamole poured over the top of this thing. “Wait Zach, are you sure that wasn’t just some sort of salsa verde?” Uh… if it was salsa verde, why was it made from avocados? And why did it have no flavor? No spiciness. Nothing. I let the tears I was crying fall onto my plate in the hopes it would improve the sauce.

There are two reasons I’m not ready to give up. #1. I like Fashion Soup. It’s a great small business that makes excellent homemade soups. Do you want Hale and Hearty to take over the city? If the answer is no, than start going to places like Fashion Soup. #2. There are a lot of things on the menu, and maybe there is something good. Pork chops? Tacos? Has anybody else been? Is there something worthwhile, or should they just stick to the soups?

If you do go to try the Mexican food, be prepared to wait. They make everything practically to order, one dish at a time, and each order takes about 3-5 minutes. So if anybody ahead of you is waiting for Mexican food, you’ll have to wait for them to get their order before you get yours. There were 4 guys ahead of me, and I waited 20 minutes. It sucked. (And was made even worse by having to listen to annoying Fashion Week attendees blab on about nothing, and being in line with a guy whose shoes probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. I’m guessing these people will be gone next week.) Ordering ahead is probably the best plan…

The last You Decide didn’t work out so well… and then the place closed. Hopefully that won’t happen this time!

Fashion Soup, 124 W. 41st. (btw. 6th & B’way), 212-704-0909

Fashion Week Eats

Zach Brooks — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:00:59 +0000

The tent has gone up in Bryant Park once again, and if you’re attending Fashion Week (or are just looking to hang out and pick up models) the food recommendations I made for February’s Fashion Week still apply. If you don’t fall into either category above, you may want to stay away from Bryant Park today through next Friday.

Guide to Fashion Week Eats for Workers & Lurkers

Zach Brooks — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:00:19 +0000

Who says a short fat Jewish guy who refuses to spend more than $10 on lunch every day (except in extreme all you can eat buffet circumstances) can’t have anything to do with Fashion Week? With shows in full swing at Bryant Park, Madewell (a new’ish chain of stores from the owners of J Crew) asked me for a list of places to grab some eats between shows, for a flier they’ve been handing out all week underneath the tent. Apparently those people do in fact eat. Who knew?

If you’re going to be at one of the Fashion Week events, you shouldn’t have any problem snagging one of the fliers… but if you’re a Bryant Park stalker, hoping to run into your future wife during your lunch break, your access may be limited (also, you should know you have no chance with those women. Their shoes cost more than your weekly salary).

For those dudes, here’s a map, and list of the suggestions appearing in the flier, after the jump…

1. Trini Pak Cart (SE Corner of 43rd St. & 6th Ave.) – It’s still my dream to see some model decked out in super expensive clothes, ordering food from a Chicken & Rice Cart. If you catch one, please take a photo.
2. Halal & Seafood Cart (NW Corner of 39th & 5th) – I know fish is less fattening, so maybe you’ll have a better chance at this cart… although the shrimp they serve are fried.
3. Starwich (38th St. btw. 5+6th) – I’m guessing ‘wichcraft in Bryant Park will be mob scene, so head over to the original, overpriced fancy Midtown sandwich place, only a few blocks away.
4. Fashion Soup (41st btw. 6+7th) – I’m still convinced this place was named to attract people from Fashion Week twice a year- because there is nothing fashionable about it. They do, however, make damn good soups.
5. Kati Roll (38th btw. 5+6th) – Their new location means Indian Burritos are now only 2 blocks away from Bryant Park, instead of 4. That’s two less blocks you’ll have to walk in your heels.
6. Cafe Zaiya (Two Locations) - If the crazy location on 41st btw. Mad+5th is too much, there is now the new cafe on the 2nd floor of the Kinokuniya Bookstore on 6th Ave., right across the street from Bryant Park.
7. Chiyoda Sushi (41st btw. Madison+5th) – In all seriousness, this is probably the best recommendation. More stylish than Cafe Zaiya and models love sushi, right?