Midtown Lunch

See… the Kosher gods aren’t so terrible after all. Yesterday we reported the sad sad loss of the Diamond Dairy, but today we get to tell you about Gan Eden by Jacob- a new Glatt Kosher restaurant opening in the same building as El Rincon del Sabor (on 47th btw. 5+6th). I don’t know a ton about Bukharian food, or Glatt Kosher for that matter, but the menu looks very similar to Taam Tov. Check it out, after the jump…

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You would think keeping kosher would eliminate the desire for pepperoni pizza (it’s pork, plus you’ve got the whole milk and meat thing), but apparently those who follow the kosher laws still want to feel like they’re breaking the rules without actually doing it.  Solution?  Draw rings of “pepperoni” using red sauce.  Genius!  Does anybody know if this is a widespread phenomenon, or just a single inspired act of brilliant subterfuge?  Who cares that it will taste like a regular cheese slice with extra sauce.  It’s still amazing! Want to try this faux pepperoni pizza?  It’s at Aroma, a new generic Kosher deli on 36th btw. 5+6th.

Maoz Vegetarian, the European build your own falafel chain with branches in Union Square, NYU, and the UWS, opened their very first Midtown location a few weeks ago (on 7th Ave. and 40th Street). There is no shortage of falafel options in Midtown, but I have always been intrigued by Maoz- especially since Serious Eats: New York named it the best falafel in Union Square. So last week I headed over to give this new addition to the Midtown Lunch scene a try.

If you’ve already been to Maoz, I’m guessing this is no different than any of the other locations. Like any chain, the operation seems pretty streamlined and I’m guessing it’s the same from place to place. I had no basis for comparison, so on this visit was just a fat guy wondering if this was going to replace any of my other go to falafel places in Midtown. I like the idea of building my own sandwich, because layering is incredibly important to me- and so many places just don’t do it right. I was kind of excited to get to give the sandwich building a go.

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The new Kosher Oasis Cart has had an interesting first couple of months. It first appeared on 44th street (btw. 6+7th) at the end of last year, but then like a mirage (or oasis?) it reappeared on 47th, only to disappear and reappear again a few times throughout August. It seems to have settled in over on 47th Street (btw. 6+7th), but it was forced to move somewhere else on Wednesdays (possibly related to the intimidation reported by the local news?)

But what about the food?  I headed over recently to sample a few of their menu items. (And by “sample” I mean stuff my fat face with pretty much everything they make.)

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Midtown’s Kosher scene has seen a flurry of activity this week, as reported by the website Kosher-NY.  Eli’s Deli, in the Citigroup Building Food Court will close at the end of the week, the Mendy’s in the Rock Center concourse has officially moved to their new digs on street level (on 48th btw. 5+6th) and may have some Grand Opening specials, and Mr. Broadway (on B’way btw. 37+38th) was closed by the DOH on Tuesday. They hope to reopen tomorrow.  Also, in Downtown Lunch news… Little Lad’s (the vegetarian place Daniel reviewed this past Friday) will no longer be under Kosher supervision after this week.

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The Kosher Oasis cart, which appeared briefly back in December on 44th & 6th, reappeared earlier in the week on the SW corner of 47th & 6th.  I stopped by yesterday to sample their menu of schnitzel, falafel, hot dogs and hamburgers, and they had disappeared once again.  If you spot this cart, let us know in the comments (can you believe they’re not on twitter yet!?!)   I did discover the other day that they are owned by the same people who own the Brooklyn location of Burgers Bar. I had never heard of it, but apparently it’s a very large Israeli hamburger chain which has a few locations here in NYC.  Anybody ever been?  If it’s good, it might bode well for the burgers from this cart… that is, if it ever returns.

UPDATE: The cart parks on 47th btw. 6+7th every day but Wednesdays.  On Wednesday it has been parking on 49th btw. 6+7th.

There has been a lot of press (and even more twittering) about the new Schnitzel and Things truck, coming soon to Midtown.  Hell, they even have “merch” for sale- and they haven’t even sold a single bite of schnitzel yet!  Well, Fressagirl is reporting that another truck serving schnitzel quietly hit the scene a month ago on 9th Ave. btw. 32+33rd (just outside the Midtown Lunch boundaries.)  In fairness to Schnitzel & Things, schnitzel is just one of the many items on the Brucha Caterer truck- which is entirely kosher.  (And, as you know from this post, Austrian schnitzel and kosher schnitzel can be two completely different things.)

Of course Midtown has plenty of room for two schnitzel trucks.  And I’m still looking forward to the arrival of veal schnitzel!  In fact, Schnitzel & Things just released the first photo of their truck, which you can check out after the jump…

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A mini argument discussion broke out in the comments the other day over who makes the best schnitzel: Jews or Germans. I suppose the two aren’t mutually exclusive, but the premise of the argument was chicken vs. veal/pork.  Sadly I have to go against my people on this one, and agree that wiener schnitzel is clearly the superior schnitzel- although I wouldn’t turn my nose up at some good Israeli style Kosher chicken schnitzel.

So with all this talk of schnitzel, and the Schnitzel Truck still weeks away, I hit up Kosher Deluxe (on 46th btw. 5+6th) on Monday for a little chicken schnitzel in pita action.

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It’s never a shock when a bad restaurant resorts to something crazy to help boost business.  You’ll see name changes, expensive redecorating, crazy specials, and yes, even sushi being added to a Kosher falafel and kebab place.  But Olympic Pita (on 38th btw. 5+6th) was not a bad restaurant!  Home to my favorite falafel in Midtown (you may say the secret ingredient is their fresh baked laffa bread) Olympic Pita shouldn’t have to resort to this nonsense.  And yet there it was, last week their new sign, with their new name (Baraca), promoting their new menu item (sushi?!?)  Oh, and of course there was the gussied up interior.  Why Olympic Pita?  Why?

The name change is not just for show, according to an employee Baraca is no longer owned by the same people who own the original Olympic Pita in Brooklyn (not good.)  Thankfully, the take out area in the front looked like it hadn’t changed- so yesterday I stopped by to survey the situation.

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A new little kosher falafel & sandwich nook has popped up on 37th Street btw. 5+6th.  The owner used to have a small restaurant in Brooklyn, until his customers encouraged him to move to Midtown.  With Olympic Pita (on 38th btw. 5+6th) and Crisp (on 40th btw. B’way+6th) just a few blocks away, and Maoz coming soon to Broadway and 40th, Midtown South is starting to get a little falafel heavy.  But the price is right, and everything is Kosher so who knows?  You can probably never have too much falafel in Midtown.

I couldn’t decide between their baguette sandwiches (pastrami, corned beef, etc.), their schnitzel (fried chicken cutlets) or their falafel. But in the end the falafel won out. (You’ve got to start with the basics.)

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