Midtown Lunch

Early this spring, we reported that an exceedingly small new storefront called Simply Sliders was opening on 43rd St. (btw. 3rd+Lex) and we assumed they’d be selling the eponymous miniature burgers. Well, Simply Sliders is now opened and not only are they selling tiny burgers, they’re selling tiny burgers that rival any burger in Midtown (I think so, at least).

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As a general rule, the more options a restaurant has, the more likely they are to be mediocre ones. Think about it. Who’s more likely to make a better torta? A Mexican joint that only makes tacos, burritos, and tortas, or a deli that makes tortas plus a plethora of other sandwiches, plus soups, salads, ramen, and who knows what elese? Hint, it’s the Mexican joint.

That’s why you wouldn’t expect a place like Treehaus (3rd Ave. btw. 50+51st), which has a menu that reads like a Russian novel, to do one thing really well. They’re far more likely to do a few things pretty well. Still, when I saw that Treehaus had a small section of its menu dedicated to ‘smashed’ burgers, I had a feeling that might be one area where they excelled. Having eaten a couple, I think I was right.

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A whole year in the making, Smokey Burger Organic finally opened on 45th btw 8+9th at the top of the year. I stopped by to check out the menu and was a little shocked that it is nothing like anything in the area, when it comes to burgers. Not even close. Craving an elk burger or perhaps ostrich? Smokey Burger Organic has you covered … but it’s going to cost you. This is no Midtown Lunch.
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At the top of the year, this post went up about a really great salad from Mexicue, but I have to be honest, that day, I totally went out for a burger. At Steak ‘N Shake. And not for one second did I make any 2013 resolutions, much less ones about food. Also, as an aside, I have been curious, now that Steak ‘N Shake has been open for a year, would they start raising prices? Answer: So far so good … although I totally have my eye on you, so don’t screw it up!
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During the summer, I often make a futile attempt at eating light so I can look good in the bikini that sits in my dresser drawer for the vacation I never end up going on. My latest attempt at healthy eating went comically poorly, and for some reason I feel compelled to share my embarrassment with you nice folks. My hypothesis going in: You can totally eat a light meal at a burger joint. Right? I tried it out at The Counter in Times Square. My hypothesis was dead wrong (but I still had a tasty meal!).

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I haven’t been to Steak ‘N Shake since my original trip back in January, when I waiting on line in the freezing cold. Now, six months later, it seemed like right right time to revisit the burger chain to check in on the lunch lines and to try the one menu item I’ve been eyeing: the Frisco Melt.
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Because I’ve only been living in New York a few years, I’m still in love with Grand Central Station, and since I started working in Midtown, I probably go there way too much. Although it’s all-around way too expensive, the architecture is beautiful and it’s fun to watch people flitting about. When I first saw Michael Jordan’s Steak House’s pricey menu, I thought, “I’m never eating here.” But then I saw a sign for a $10 “Chicago Style” burger special.

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A couple of weeks ago, the flashy marquee went up (on 42nd btw. 7+8th), and now, according to the Five Guys Facebook page, the Times Square location will finally open today. Now, there are a lot of burger options in the area. Midtown Lunch favorites like Schnippers and Shake Shack — not to mention other spots like The Counter — are all within a 2 block radius. Where do you think Five Guys will fit into the mix?

Five Guys, 253 W. 42nd Street

A year after Clay first noticed the sign for a new burger shop on 36th Street and Sixth Avenue, 5 Boro Burger is finally open. It’s a bar/burger joint with a similar red logo to the other five burger companies (Napkin and Guys). I stopped by to check out the scene and it was a bit harried on Friday. There weren’t even enough menus to go around (the restaurant was half full). When I did get my hands on one, I discovered the burgers themselves range from $8-$11. And if you want to get one of the five specialty burgers named after each borough (with toppings that have a vague resemblance to the actual borough), it’ll run you about $15. They also have hot dogs, sandwiches, and bar snacks. I had already eaten, so didn’t get to actually try the food. Has anybody else ventured in yet? Early adopters, let us know in the comments.

When’s the last time THE New York Times restaurant review also qualified as a Midtown Lunch? Apparently, Pete Wells has discovered Shake Shack and awarded it one star in today’s dining section. I can’t decide of it’s badass or just bizarre to review it … now. While Mr. Wells was “never let down by the hot dogs,” he was brutal when it came to their fries, calling them “pretty awful,” among other things. But for the main event, the burgers, he found the doneness unpredictable. “Shake Shack wasn’t even consistently inconsistent,” he wrote when two patties in the same sandwich were cooked differently. We are certainly fans of Shake Shack on this blog, but it’s hard to defend the place when Mr. Wells isn’t exactly wrong. Sure, I’ve had inconsistently cooked food from Shake Shack, but when you get a really good Shack burger … it’s just SO GOOD.

But even stranger might have been the companion blog piece comparing seven other NYC burgers to the Shack, including several from Midtown. He bestowed favorable words to both the signature burger from Steak N’ Shake and Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen‘s burger while mentioning that Bill’s Bar & Burger was greasy. True. But the fact that Mr. Wells didn’t even address Five Guys or Burger Joint at all is pretty inexcusable.  What do you guys think?