Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., New York’s first Steak ‘n Shake will open its doors on Broadway between 53rd and 54th streets, right next to the Ed Sullivan Theater. The exact time is important, of course, because, as we mentioned earlier this week, the Midwestern chain will give their first 150 customers free Steak ‘n Shake meals for a year! (Public service announcement: Weather Channel currently predicts rain, so be prepared.) So what exactly can Midtown Lunchers expect?

Chances are, if you’re from the Midwest, you probably think you have a pretty good idea, but apparently this new store will be a slight departure from the diner-style restaurant you are used to. Steak ‘n Shake Signature is a takeout joint with limited seating and offers a pared-down menu. Along with the standard $3.99 original double cheese ‘n fries combo (two thin patties topped with American cheese and standard fixings), they are introducing the signature steak burger ‘n fries combo, which is a 6 oz organic beef steak burger topped with American cheese and standard toppings. Clocking in at $5.99, the signature steak burger combo is (amazingly) the most expensive food item available. Other specialty steak burgers ‘n fries offerings may look familiar, though, including the grilled portobello ‘n swiss ($4.99), fresh guacamole ($4.99), western bbq ‘n bacon ($4.79) and the frisco melt ($5.49).

Hand-dipped shakes start at $2.99, and beer and wine also make an appearance on the menu, ranging in price from $3.50 to $15. In fact, that $15 glass of Darioush Cabarnet from 2008 is, by far, the most expensive item on the menu, and the only item over $10.

I’m told the prices at Steak ‘n Shake franchises nationwide are exactly the same, which is pretty cool considering the rent they must be paying in Times Square, and they’re operating under a price freeze this year, which makes this a Midtown Lunch for the foreseeable future. Want to see more? Eater did a really comprehensive piece with more photos, so check them out for additional details. And, we’ll see you on Thursday to see what all the hubbub is all about!

Steak ‘n Shake, 1695 Broadway btw 53+54, 212-247-6584

Thanks to Lunch’er Mangostrawberry for giving us the heads up about Bread & Honey, a new Deli/Supermarket/Buffet/Sandwich/Udon noodle place on 8th Ave between 55th & 56th. Normally this sort of venue wouldn’t be worthy of investigation, but when we hear the words Mongolian BBQ station (possibly the only one of its kind in this area) all bets are off. I did a quick cruise through the store to inspect.

Aesthetically speaking, it’s not much of a looker. In fact it’s more like the bastard child of a freaky 3-way between a LES bodega, Cafe Duke, and an industrial warehouse. It’s also within spitting distance of a Gristedes, Food Emporium, and the Columbus Circle Whole Foods, so I’m not optimistic about the longevity of this place.

The prices of their sandwiches are certainly ML worthy.

There’s an extensive steam table of your standard buffet items, priced at $7.99/lb, featuring an eclectic line-up of American-Chinese, Korean, Japanese, a salad bar, and American comfort foods.

The Mongolian BBQ station is at the back of the store, complete with instructions to tell you how it’s done. I’d already had lunch prior to this visit, so I didn’t try any of the food. However, early adopters should let us know what they think in the comments.

Bread & Honey, 941 8th Ave (btw 55+56th), 212-245-0007

Remember how we told you that Metro Marche in Port Authority was going to become a Heartland Brewery? Well, it’s finally open! I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t there a Heartland Brewery in Times Square… just two blocks away?” Yes, there is. But that one is for people who like drinking middling beer and eating overpriced pub food with tourists. This location is for those who like suburbanites, homeless people, and exhaust fumes! Get an inside look at the new space, and their menu here.

With a budget of $30 between the 3 of us, I wanted to make sure to have savory with some sweet.  And of little nibbles mixed with more bigger servings.  Find two co-workers and this could your lunch today. Here’s what we had:

Stop #1: Austrian Food from Schnitzel & Things, in their regular Thursday position, 48th between 6th and 7th.

Our order: a bratwurst sandwich with sauerkraut and mustard on ciabatta, $5.  We hit Schnitzel shortly after they opened, and in spite of the cold there was still a short line.  Not too bad a wait, but if you’re attempting this in colder weather, it would be worth it to call your order in.

At five bucks, this sausage made for a substantial kick off to our tour.

Stop #2: Indian/Bangladeshi from Biryani Cart, 46th Street between 6th and 7th.

Our order: one Spicy Buradi Chicken Kati Roll, $3.  You really can’t go wrong with Meru’s Spicy Buradi Roll.  My guests had never had a kati roll and they loved the spicy, sweet combination of this roll.

Stop #3: Israeli from Moshe’s Falafel, 45th Street between 5th and 6th.

Our order: 4 falafel balls, $2.  Moshe’s takes some flack on ML for their poor sandwich layering, but at $2 for 4 sizable falafel balls, it makes for a filling a cheap snack.  And since they douse your entire order with tahini and hot sauce upon request there’s little risk of not getting the saucy bites that you want.

Stop #4: “Korean” from Kim’s Aunt Kitchen Cart, 45th Street between 5th and 6th.

Our order: a fried whiting sandwich, $3.50.  Ok, this might not be a traditional Korean dish like bulgogi, but it’s my favorite thing from the Kim’s.  My friends were astonished  that the sandwich was so big, so cheap, and so fresh tasting.  If sharing one of these sandwiches I highly recommend ordering it on a hero roll–less chance of the bread disintegrating.

Stop #5: Belgian from Wafels & Dinges

Our order: a Liege wafel with Belgian chocolate and strawberries, $5.  Brussels and Liege wafels at W&D run $5 with one dinge (topping), but if you follow their twitter they generally have a special password for an additional free dinge.  The Brussels wafels are a good choice if you want a waffle that’s more like what most Americans think of as a Belgian waffle, but the Liege wafels with its pockets of crystallized sugary goodness, might be a better pick if you want to show off a treat that’s hard to find outside of Belgium.  After polishing off our Liege, my friends were sad that there isn’t a W&D truck in the Seattle area.

Stop #6 Mexican from El Rey de Sabor, 43rd and 6th, north side of the street

Our order: a chicken tamale, $1.50. El Rey de Sabor gets a lot of love on ML and though this was my first visit to any of their carts, I can see why. Their chicken tamale was tender and delicious. My dad is a born and raised Southern Californian and has instilled this little New Englander with an appreciation for the good tamale. I can definitely see coming back to make a lunch of these.

Stop #7 Trinidadian from Trini Paki Boys Cart, 43rd between 5th and 6th, south side of the street

Our order: doubles, $2.  The curried chickpea filled doubles from the Trini Paki Boys cart is one of my favorite all time ML discoveries.  Even though neither of my friends had ever tried Trinidadian food before they are both adventurous eaters and were blown away by the doubles.  It was their hands down best of the tour pick for being “unique, tasty, and filling.”

Stop #8 Moroccan from Little Morocco, NE Corner of 39th & 7th Ave.

Our order: chicken and lamb combo over rice, $5.  Clearly street meat had to make an appearance in the cart tour extravaganza, especially since my friends had never experienced the wonders of chicken and lamb over rice before.  It was a tough choice on my part in terms of which cart we would get our combo from. Biryani Cart was a heavy contender, though they were ruled out fairly early on since I wanted cart variety and I already knew that we would already be stopping for kati rolls there.   53rd and 6th was a little out of our way and wouldn’t work out timingwise. Kwik Meal was considered as well, but ultimately eliminated from contention for budgetary reasons–in order to hit  10 carts and still stay within the $10 each budget, I had to find a combo platter that would come in at $5 or under.  I had read about Little Morocco being midtown’s “best new street meat” and was intrigued by their shipped directly from Morocco harrissa.  After the Spicy Chicken Buradi Roll, the ample hot sauce from Moshes and Kim’s, and the doubles, my friends had proven themselves capable of handling some heat so I knew they were ready for some Moroccan harissa action.  Little Morocco’s harissa and platter did not disappoint.  It’s such a beautiful thing to introduce out of towners to the wonders of white sauce and hot sauce.

Now I must caution that at this point in the tour more moderate eaters might be feeling a little bit of stomach fatigue.  Trying to be a considerate host, I asked my guests if they were ready to pack it in.  Their response?  “We’ve got 2 more carts to go.  Let’s hit it!”  With my friends determined to complete the 10 cart challenge, we pressed on.

Stop #9: American from the Treats Truck, in position on 38th street and 5th ave

Our order: a chocolate chip cookie, $1.  It had been several stops since out waffle, so it seemed right to go for another sweet treat and what better to represent American comfort food than a chocolate chip cookie?  Some of Kim’s treats tend towards the pricier side, but at $1 for a nice, soft chocolate chip filled cookie, this is one of my favorite Treats Truck bargains.

Stop #10: Jamaican from the Jamaican Dutchy Cart, west 51st and 7th Ave

Our order: a beef patty, $2.  The Jamaican beef patty was supposed to have come early in our tour which I had planned to conclude at the Treats Truck, not far from my friends’ hotel, but unfortunately I hadn’t taken note that the Caribbean  Spice Truck, normally parked near the Biryani Cart on 46th, had gone missing, so for our last stop we back tracked up to the Jamaican Dutchy cart on 51st street for their beef patty. A perfect spicy cap to our 10 cart tour.

And now the final tally:
Bratwurst from Schnitzel & Things: $5
Spicy Buradi Chicken Kati Roll from Biryani Cart: $3
Falafel Balls from Moshe’s: $2
Fried Whiting Hero from Kim’s: $3.50
Chocolate and Strawberry Smothered Liege Wafel from Wafels & Dinges: $5
Doubles from Trini Paki Boys Cart: $2
Chicken Tamale from El Rey de Sabor: $1.50
Chicken and Lamb Combo over Rice from Little Morocco: $5
Chocolate Chip Cookie from Treats Truck: $1
Beef Patty from Jamaican Dutchy: $2
Total spent on lunch: $30 or $10 per person.  Mission accomplished!

A few post tour notes.  We started our tour at close to noon on a Thursday afternoon and didn’t run into too much line trouble.  Eating as we went along we managed to finish the 10 carts within about 2 hours and this included me playing tour guide filling my guests in on each cart as we went along.  If you were meeting up with a group of midtown based friends you could probably do a similar “tour” in less time in picnic form by dividing and conquering with the food pick up.

This particular tour comes with a shitload of food for three people. If you have a moderate to light appetite you could do less carts for a cheaper per head lunch price and still come away satisfied or do the same amount of carts and just invite a 4th person along.  I crafted our stops based on their convenience to my Rock Center office and with the exception of the beef patty snafu, kept us heading in a southward direction focusing predominantly on carts in the 6th ave vicinity.  The stops were based on some of my favorites with ML recommendations that I’ve never tried mixed in and the entire tour was crafted to hit the 10 carts, 10 different cuisines at $10 per person in a decently timely manner on a Thursday.  When creating your own food tour you might have other priorities or other must visit stops.  And with the twitter trucks like Wafels & Dinges, Treats Truck and Schnitzel and Things be sure to always check their twitter for location.

What stops would you have on your own midtown cart tour?

I don’t know the exact history of Six-0 Catering on 39th btw. 5+6th, but it has been around for as long as I can recall.  In fact, I still remember the first time I walked by the place, and was intrigued by its sign touting Mexican food- from an American looking catering place.  It was a complete dump, and the day I walked in was practically empty- save for the one guy behind the counter who told me “we have no burritos today.”  Since then, Six-0 has undergone a massive transformation (both physically and existentially.)  Before they seemed like catering company, that happened to serve lunch food if you hit them on the right day.  Now, under their new name Madeline’s, they seem like a Midtown lunch place that also happens to do catering.  And I was kind of surprised at how good and cheap all the food was.

After that first burrito fail, I’ll admit I never made it back to Six-0.  About a year later, Danny from Food in Mouth emailed me to ask me if I knew about the place.  He had tried the burrito (when it was still Six-0), and from his description I didn’t feel like I needed to rush over and check it out.  It took this comment from Lunch’er Stephanie two weeks ago to get me to finally check it out:

Have you tried Madeline’s (formerly 6-O) on 39th btwn 5th and 6th? They have delicious Burritos, good salads and a great selection of hot specials. Everything is inexpensive, definitely under $10 and the portions are a nice size.

And boy am I glad I did. They did a pretty amazing job of cleaning the place up, and as Madeline’s they are definitely putting more focus on their lunchtime offerings. They have hot food specials every day, and $6 gets you one entree (like roast chicken or meatloaf) plus two sides (string beans, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, etc.) The Mexican food is still being offered, with options like burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and fajitas ($4.25 to $7.95), all made fresh to order. Or if you’re willing to take one of the pre-made burritos wrapped in tin foil on the steam table, it’s only $5 (chicken or veggie.)

Not into the pre-made food, they have a menu of sandwiches, salads, wraps, and burgers- plus sliders ($6.50) and a “crabby patty” (crab caked sandwich for $6.95).

I went with the pre wrapped chicken burrito (what can I say, I’m a cheapo) which I really liked, but definitely isn’t for everybody. It’s made with Mexican yellow rice, which almost seems pre-mixed with the cheese and refried beans, making the inside very sticky and dense. It could also be partially because it is pre-made, but I have a feeling that is the way they turn out even if you order it fresh. It’s more like Taco Bell than Chipotle, but you can tell the ingredients are fresh, and it comes with multicolor tortillas chips plus a really delicious fresh red salsa. It’s not the best burrito you are ever going to eat, (or even what I would call “authentic”) but for $5 it would be really tough to complain.

Also had to get some hot food (mostly because I wanted to try the mac and cheese.) For $6 we got baked chicken, string beans, and (of course) the mac and cheese. It’s a really good amount of hot food for six bucks, and showcased one of the reasons a catering place is better than a generic Midtown deli. Catering places know how to make food that is going to sit out for an hour- but still be good. The chicken was moist, the string beans were not mushy and overcooked, and the mac and cheese was really tasty. Their version is more macaroni than cheese, but it had a distinct flavor that came from whatever cheese they used (it wasn’t the standard yellow American cheese.)

But the thing that I love the most about Madeline’s is the prices. This place could easily be another typical generic Midtown Lunch option… but by making everything just a little bit cheaper than it feels like it should be, it makes you want to go back again and eat your way through the menu.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Much nicer interior than before
• Everything is just slightly less expensive than it could or should be
• Good steam table food if you are in a hurry, or you can order things to be made fresh
• Good salsa
• I like my burritos a little dense… Taco Bell style

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• The type of food they offer is the same as most generic Midtown delis
• The Mexican food is more like Midtown deli Mexican than El Rey del Sabor Mexican
• It seems like the rice, beans and cheese are pre mixed, making the burritos too sticky and very dense

Madeline’s (formerly 6-0), 60 W. 39th Street (btw. 5+6th), 212-391-2500

While there may be many tasty delights to be had at Rick’s Cabaret, I was restrained by Zach’s Midtown Lunch $10 price limit so I will not be telling how it feels to get a lap dance at Rick’s. I will also not be telling you about a little something I coined the “Corporate Massage,” which seemed to involve older, bald, fat (no offense Zach) C.E.O’s and perky bodiced ladies rubbing your back and perhaps calling you daddy (Should that excite you). I will also not digress to tell you about the enhanced lovelies in g-strings dancing upon the stage to AC/DC and Aerosmith. Furthermore, I will not mention how this lunch was the first time I’ve seen a stripper dance to R.E.M. and rub her ample buttocks up and down a mirrored wall.

No, we will not sink so low today. After all, this blog is about lunch- right?  (Well, maybe we’ll sink a little.) 

So let’s get down to the brass tacks. When you enter Rick’s you are offered a choice of seating. Option one is the ground floor- furnished with comfy armchairs and cocktail tables surrounding a red-lit main stage with mirrored walls and disco lights. Option two is a seat upstairs at the bar and lounge, set off from the attractions going on below (but includes a lovely lobster tank.)

Obviously, we opted for the former. Seated in a dimly lit corner we ordered a round of drinks ($8 bucks a pop) and took in the menu (yes, I know that puts me over the ML limit, but hell, I’m in a bar full of stripers! A girl needs a drink). The kitchen is headed by chef Nestor, and as you can tell by this photo, it’s very good to be the chef:

The prix-fixe lunch included soup or salad, entree and dessert. Between the choice of onion or barley soup and caesar salad we opted for the caesar, after all I prefer my barley in drink form. Entrees included a grilled sirloin steak sandwich, steak frites, strip steak, grilled shrimp salad, cheeseburger, grilled chicken club, salmon fillet, or jumbo lump crabcake sandwich. We got the strip and the crab.

I can’t resist a tossed salad in creamy dressing and this one came with abundant parmesan shavings which is always a plus. While I found it tasty, I’d stick to the house salad if you are not into a traditional caesar dressing which has a definite anchovy flavor. The steak was smoky and charred on the outside and a perfectly medium rare and juicy on the inside. The crabcake was wonderfully spiced with Old Bay seasoning and creamy mustard on a brioche bun.

Both came with shoestring fries that were salty, golden and crunchy. I loved the steak and I really liked how the crabcake was actually made of chunks of tender crab and not just mushy breading. However the bun, as good as it tasted, was too much bread for the crabcake and I ended up taking the top bun off and eating it open faced. We also got a quick look at the salmon dish and it looked wonderful.

For $10, the salad, main course, and wonderful scenery would clearly be enough. But wait.  There’s more. Dessert is included, and the offering of dessert options is where I almost passed out. Choose between a big and round apple crumble with vanilla ice cream; dark chocolate cake with drizzles of tangy raspberry puree; or a creamy cheesecake topped with plump blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream. It was hedonistic, and I was already stuffed, but.. but… like a pig at the trough I could not resist. I hit it hard and good. Hell, I got so excited if that plate was wearing a g-string I would have slipped it a fiver.

After all was said and eaten, I must say there is something about having a 3 course meal while circled by men getting lap-dances that was a bit disconcerting to me. Kinda like I was in a crappy David Duchovny movie. Terrible shame though, I was offered a ‘dance’ by a gorgeous tall blonde with skin like milky silk and I declined. Sometimes it’s a bitch to be straight.

Here’s the breakdown ML style:

THE +

• Hot! Nekkid! Babes!\
• An amazing amount of quality food for $10
• Excellent choice of different entrees and desserts that will put you in a happy food coma
• Option to sit comfortably on the 2nd or 3rd floor away from the stage and strippers (though I can’t imagine why??)
• Elevator access to the above floors that avoids the main attraction (again, why?? Did I mention the strippers are downstairs!!)

THE -

• Obviously, temptation could easily make this runneth over the $10 price limit
• Hot! Nekkid! Babes! Your wife will kill you! ( Zach take note.)
• With 3 courses, drinks and um.. entertainment, this could definitely be a ‘long’ lunch, plan appropriately

Rick’s Cabaret, 50 W 33rd St. (btw. 5+Bway), (212) 372-0850

Oh my lord.  This could be a keeper.  The Lunch Menu, after the jump…

I was already on my way to lunch somewhere else, so I didn’t try anything (yet), but here are some of the menu highlights:

• Triple Burger (1 lb. of meat) w/ Fries – $8.50
• Pastrami or Corned Beef Sandwich w/ Fries – $5.95
• Beef & Chicken Kebabs- Plain, w/ Fries, on Rice, or as a Hero
• Onion Rings
• “Specialty Dishes When Avaialble” (No Prices Listed): Chicken Tikka Masala, Paella, Chicken Strips, Falafel, Chicken Wings, Curry Chicken, Shrimp Stew & of course… STEAK

The three specials available yesterday- Shell Steak, Popcorn Chicken & a Bacon Cheeseburger.  The only disappointment:  www.steaktruck.com (printed on top of the truck) doesn’t work yet. 

It’s just overwhelming.

Anybody tried anything off this truck yet?  Feel free to post a comment below.  

And thanks to Nick G. for the Steak Truck tip. If you have a tip, news or recommendation, email it to zach@midtownlunch.com

Photo Courtesy of our flickr friend wwny 

Supermac has finally arrived.  I don’t know if 7th ave. btw. 28th & 29th can truly be considered Midtown, but I have a feeling that for a place that serves only Mac & Cheese, a lot of Midtown Lunch’ers will be making the trek.  (Did I mention they also have Mac & Cheese nuggets???  Holy mackerel!)  [Supermac.com courtesy of Eater]

The second opening is actually in Midtown- and may be providing a little east side competition for our good friends at the Parker Meridien Hotel…  All the info, after the jump:

Great news from Gothamist on Friday… the second location of Good Burger has finally opened up at Lexington and 54th.  Hamburgers, fries, shakes and more… and you don’t have to walk all the way to 2nd ave. to get it.  For a full menu, etc. go to www.goodburgerny.com

Courtesy of Philly2Hoboken via Gothamist

Two quality new lunch places in one week…  very exciting stuff for us Midtown Lunch’ers.  (Although I’ll probably still eat Chinese food today…)