I ordered a small 8 oz soup for $4 (the 12 oz is $6). The soup is thick, rich and spicy. The educational sign on the truck says it’s made from four kinds of lentils, wheat and barley, making it low in fat and high in fiber and protein. If nutrition is the kind of thing you consider at lunchtime, this soup may be for you. Unlike Clay’s soup from last year, mine had plenty of conspicuous chunks of dark meat chicken. So, although it was good last year, it’s even better now! The owner asked me how soon I would be consuming his soup. “It’s better fresh,” he said and advised me not to reheat it in my office microwave if I could help it. Since I would be eating it soon enough, he squeezed a little lemon juice on top, sprinkled shredded fresh ginger and fried onions. If all soups tasted like this, I would get soup for lunch more often.

The fried Puri Bhaji (2 for $4 or 4 for $6) are a perfect compliment to the soup. Puri is an unleavened Indian bread that puffs up when fried. These airy pockets come with Bhaji, or a thick, spiced potato sauce on the side for delicious dipping. It also comes with a garlicky condiment that I might recommend skipping if your post-lunch plans include lots of meetings. But if your afternoon is clear, go for it!

Desi Food Truck, Normally parked on 50th btw. 6+7th but you’ll want to check their Twitter or the ML Twitter Tracker just to be safe.

For $7.95 I got the two veggie platter that came with rice and a piece of naan. The guy behind the counter was nice and patient (took me a while for me to decide what I wanted). Along with the rice I got chana masala (chickpeas cooked with tomatoes and coriander) and aloo gobi mutter (cauliflower and potatoes).

This whole lunch really hit the cold day spot. Both the chickpea and cauliflower were great. The flavors were spot on and the texture of the chickpeas was perfect (soft but not mushy). The piece of naan was a little stale but was great for dipping into the sauces. For $7.95 I thought it was a great deal and it doesn’t seem like it but there was a lot of food. I had major food coma afterwards.

I guess the guy walking around with the sign on him did his job that day. It got me into the restaurant and I’m thankful for that. Now I’m curious about their other offerings like that lamb curry.

Joy Curry & Tandoor, 148 E. 46th St. (btw. Lex+3rd), 212-490-1277

Tadka Indian (53rd btw. 2+3rd) has been mentioned several times in the comments, forums, Lunch’er profiles, and links over the years as a place for a decent Indian fix in upper Midtown East. While we never got around to a full review, it’s always sad to see good places go out of business. Luckily, its (slightly more expensive) sister restaurant, Chola, is still in business (58th btw. 2+3) so we’re not completely out of luck. Here’s hoping something amazing comes in to fill the void!

The Desi Food Trucks have been a pretty big part of Midtown Lunch since Clay first visited them over a year ago. So, it was a big loss when they were forced out of their spot on 50th (btw 6+7th) by the cops. Ever resilient, the Desi folks may have found a way around the food truck breakdown – they parked their brand new Kati-Kart on 50th btw. 6+7th. Get a look at the menu and some kati rolls after the jump.

The menu at the Kati-Kart will be familiar to anyone who’s been to one of the trucks. They have 5 kinds of kati rolls (aloo masala, chicken, chicken anda, paneer masala and just plain anda) ranging from $4 to $5.50 each, with a $1 price break for ordering two of the same kind. They also have daal, chicken tikka masala and chicken biryani. Finally, they have three combo meals that combine a kati roll, a main dish and a drink for $8, 9 or 10. The combos are somewhat rigid (only the $10 one lets you pick any roll you want), but will still save you some money, even if you don’t factor in the cost of the drink (which I don’t).

It was my first time eating at a Desi Food establishment, so I just got a couple of kati rolls. They didn’t have any chicken left, so I got the aloo masala (above) and the paneer masala. The rolls are definitely more simple than the flavor orgies I’m used to from Biryani Cart. But they are also significantly bigger, and still really good. The aloo roll ($4.50) was hearty and packed enough heat for me to notice.

The paneer roll ($5.50) didn’t disappoint either, with chunks of cheese and their cilantro sauce. It seems weird to pay this much for a vegetarian kati roll, but I didn’t have any complaints while eating it. The bread on both rolls was a little chewy, but nothing that detracted from my enjoyment.

Normally, I would balk at paying $10 for just two kati rolls, but I’ve got to say they are pretty filling. Still, I’ll be looking at the combos the next time, and there will definitely be a next time. I applaud Desi Food’s effort to get back on 50th St. The Kati-Kart plans to make 50th btw 6+7th their permanent home during the day (they may head down to 27th and 5th in the evening). As always, keep your eyes on their twitter (or the ML Twitter Tracker) for the latest updates.

Good question!  The “Indian Fast Food” Cart was a classic.  Anybody seen it lately or know what happened to it?  Let us know in the comments…

The Kashmir Grill (8th Ave. btw. 39+40th) has had a tumultuous last few years. It used to be a by the pound buffet. Then it was shut down by the DOH. Meanwhile, their downstairs all you can eat buffet became The Times Buffet and may or may not still be associated with their upstairs neighbor. All that is history though. Late last year, Kashmir Grill ditched the pay what it weighs buffet and reopened as a take out place with Indian food that looked largely the same as the original.  Now that it seems to have settled into this role, I thought it was high time Midtown Lunch weighed in.

Kashmir Grill has lots of items that you will see at similar restaurants and carts. The chicken biryani, curries, samosas, kati rolls and, of course, chicken and rice. All the dishes that come with rice are around $6-7, and their “kabab dog,” which appears to be a kebab served in a bun like a hot dog, is certainly intriguing (and the price is right at $.99). But I decided to go with the kabab roll.

The kabab roll is two ground chicken kababs with lettuce and raw onions, topped with white sauce and hot sauce and all rolled up in a piece of grilled pita bread. It was made to order, unlike the pre-made ones behind glass Zach saw last October. At $3.99 and almost big enough to constitute an entire lunch this seems like a pretty good deal… but how does it taste?

Well, first of all, I found a hair attached to the outer wrapper of my kabab roll. On the tin foil. It wasn’t on or in any of my food, but still that’s not really what you want to see from a place that’s already been closed by the DOH. This may be my only time eating at Kashmir Grill though, and since I figured my food was safe, I soldiered on (you’re welcome).

The rest of my kabab roll was much less eventful, between bland chicken kababs and sauces that didn’t add much. The grilled pita was pretty good though. Overall the sandwich was forgettable, but I suppose if you are in the area it might do in a pinch.

I also tried their grilled spinach wrap- spinach, onions and spices wrapped in chapati. Unlike my kabab roll, this was already made sitting behind glass and just got thrown on the grill for a minute. Again, it was nothing special. It certainly wasn’t bad, and if I’d had some sauces to dip it in or something, it might have actually been quite enjoyable. At $1.99, it kept my lunch pretty cheap though and I left full.

I’ve only tried a small sampling of Kashmir Grill’s menu. The prices are good, and I’d love to discover a hidden gem on their menu (the tikka roll perhaps?), but at this rate I don’t think I want to bother hunting for it. Of course that all could change the next time I’m hungry and happen to be passing by.

Kashmir Grill, 601 8th Ave. (btw. 39+40th), 212-594-3777

Last month we brought you word that Taste of India had opened next to Carribean Kitchen in 1 Penn Plaza, replacing Bruce’s Burger. While some may lament the loss of a hamburger place, we all know there’s more than enough new burger places popping up in New York these days (ahem, Shake Shack). Some of you in the comments section mentioned that Taste of India is serviceable and it was worthy of investigation because there’s a shortage of Indian options around the Penn Station area. So investigate, I did.

The meal comes with dal, rice, and naan. You can either get two vegetable entrees ($7) or one chicken and one vegetable entree ($8), or one lamb/seafood and one vegetable ($9). Even though the sign mentioned seafood and lamb, I didn’t see any seafood there, and instead of lamb I saw goat vindaloo.  I think the meat options vary slightly day-to-day, with chicken tikka masala being the mainstay. There was also butter chicken, if tikka masala isn’t your thing. For vegetables you get to choose from Dum aloo (potatoes), vegetable korma, bhindi masala (okra), chana masala (chickpeas), or cauliflower. The vegetables seem to also vary a little day-to-day because they have limited steam table space. I went with cauliflower and the chicken tikka masala.

To be completely honest, I thought both the chicken tikka masala and the cauliflower leaned towards a dish that your cardiologist might approve. That is to say, it’s low on sodium. What is healthy isn’t always the things for which your taste buds beckon. One redeeming aspect of Taste of India is that the naan is pretty fresh. They’re making it at the restaurant and it’s not store bought or from a package. When I was there, I had to wait for them to make fresh ones because they were out. They brush some butter/oil/ghee (?) on it right after it’s done. The thinner parts of the naan were on the warm and crispy side and the thicker parts were chewier.

To the right of the steam table where you order is a fridge that contains cups of mango lassi. They’re $2 dollars a-piece. The yogurt-based drink was sweet and refreshing. It’s a small cup, maybe 8oz or so, and you could easily down a cup without realizing it. I highly suggest it during the heat waves, as the inside of Taste of India isn’t accompanied by air conditioning (as far as I could tell).

THE +

• Fresh naan FTW
• There’s no other decent Indian food in the area
• Curry Hill is too far East!

THE -

• Could use some salt…
• I like my Indian food flavorful and spicy.  This is neither.
• Screw this.  I’d rather walk to Lex. (or South to better places in the 20s)

Taste of India, 1 Penn Plaza (in the alley on 33rd just West of 7th Ave.)

Last month we told you that the “Famous Dal Cart” (discovered by Grub Street in the EV) had to decided to move to Midtown for lunch. It hasn’t been the most consistent cart of all time (one day it’s there, one day it’s not), but they seemed to have settled on the NW corner of 32nd and Park. So I swung by last week to see what they have to offer. Just from the name, Famous Dal Cart, I knew two things before even eating any of their food. First, I should probably try the dal (duh). Second, it’s always good to be weary of restaurants that claim to be “famous” or “best” at something (especially when they’ve been open for less than a month!) In other words, I was keeping my expectations on the low side (but hoping to be pleasantly surprised.)

When I arrived at the Famous Dal Cart, I knew that even if their dal wasn’t good enough to be famous, they would at least win an award for having a festively decorated cart.

For those of you not familiar with dal, it’s a dish common in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It’s usually some form of lentils or beans or peas that’s been stewed. It’s a good source of protein for vegetarians and but a good version will tasty pretty great served over rice (even to the meat eater.)

As interested as I was in this “famous” dal, I was excited to see they had a lot of other options.  (Meat options!) There’s a chicken tikka platter ($6), chicken tikka sandwich ($5), chicken malai sandwich ($5), chicken masala platter ($5), or you can get a dal platter with two kinds of dal ($4). When I arrived, they had just finished cooking up some chicken tikka on the grill and had some extra pieces. When I asked about their menu, the proprietor of the cart was eager to let me a sample a piece of chicken tikka. It was a very good piece of chicken, not dry at all. (If only all street meat could taste like that…)  Expectations rising…

I ordered a chicken masala platter (to get a taste of something else on their menu) which came with rice, a choice of one dal, chicken masala, and garlic pickles. There are two types of dal to choose from. I don’t know my dal that well but one type was yellow in color and looked like it was smooth and consistent in texture. The other type was brown and you could see the bits of lentils. I went with the yellow one.

Even though the cart bills itself as being famous for dal, I was quite pleased with the chicken masala. It was both white and dark meat (best of both worlds?!) and the flavor was nice. Since I’m no dal expert (and a bonafied meat eater), I can’t really comment on the nuances of lentils, but it mixed up real nice with the rice. The entire platter was enjoyable and even the garlic pickles were irresistible.  And for $5, the price is right!

If you’re someone who’s looking for Indian food options in the lower eastern part of the Midtown Lunch coverage area, you’d be wise to give the Famous Dal Cart a try. From their name, one might assume they’re only a vegetarian cart, but they’re vegetarian friendly with tasty meat options.

Famous Dal Cart, NW Corner of 32nd street and Park Ave

Chinese food is everywhere in NY. It’s in tourist shops, it’s in generic deli buffets, it’s even kosher. But Indian Chinese food?  Well, that’s completely new to me.  I’ve walked past Chinese Mirch, in the middle of Curry Hill, dozens of times without thinking much of it. It’s actually been mentioned a few times on the site… but it wasn’t until Luncher ‘Steve’ told us recently about their $5.95 lunch special, that I finally made it over there to check it out. I didn’t have very high expectations, but was happily surprised with what we got.

Details on the special and food photos after the jump.

The special runs Monday through Thursday, each day with a different chicken dish for $5.95. The rest of the lunch menu is reasonably priced, but only the chicken and vegetables are priced under $10. There are some tasty looking lamb and seafood options that are all over the $10 mark.

My Flatiron predecessor Jason ended up tagging along, and being more amenable to vegetarian options than I, chose the paneer chili gravy. A pile of firm cubes of cheese, browned and tossed with a chili pepper-flecked gravy, it was one of the least healthy vegetarian dishes I’ve ever seen – and the most awesome.

It certainly made me rethink my habit of skipping over the vegetarian section whenever I eat out. Turns out it’s not all sprouts and spinach, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I had the special of the day, the hot chicken garlic. When it showed up at our table, I was worried.

To look at it, the collection of breaded, fried chunks of boneless chicken covered in a shiny, pink sauce resembles the generic orange/sesame/general tso’s chickens that every hole in the wall Chinese joint slings across the city. But, I was ready to take one for the team, so I dug in and was happy to be completely off base.

The chicken chunks were only lightly breaded, not buried under a layer of greasy pre-fried crust. There was chicken in every bite and it was juicy and tender. Flakes of crispy bits were sprinkled on top to add a satisfying crunch to the chicken.

The sauces in both dishes weren’t nearly as thick as they looked and didn’t have the corn starchy sliminess that you find elsewhere. Instead, the sauce was silky, almost light coating the chicken and paneer but not weighing them down.

I left the meal very satisfied and glad that I looked past my assumptions and thankful for the tips and recommendations you guys provide. Chinese Mirch is definitely up for a return visit, both to try the out-of-range lamb dishes and to find some good Chinese-ish in an area where it’s few and far between.

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

• I love piles of cheese
• The $5.95 daily special gives me something different to eat four days a week.
• I like a good twist on standard Chinese fare.

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

• I like my Chinese food greasy and generic.
• I want my vegetarian food healthy.
• I want some lamb under $10, too!

Chinese Mirch, 120 Lexington Avenue (btw. 28+29th), 212-532-3663

The Trini-Paki Boys cart (on the SE corner of 43rd and 6th) is well known to Midtown Lunch’ers.  It’s mostly famous for their Pakistani version of chicken over rice, topped with Trinidadian pepper sauce- but Zach was pretty excited to discover that they also served biriyani, dahi bala, polourie, samosas, and most importantly doubles.

I discovered doubles in my college days through a Trinidadian ex-girlfriend. It’s been years since we’ve been on speaking terms, but doubles are still a fond memory. So a week or so ago I finally got a chance to check out the Trini Paki Boys cart for myself- and for once skipped the street meat in favor of a double.

After the jump, some doubles porn and a little background on the whole “Trini-Paki” thing.

In previous posts there was a bit of confusion about how Trinis and Pakistanis converged. The short version of West Indian history is that the British brought many Indian workers and servants to the Caribbean, particularly to Trinidad and Guyana, where they are the majority of the population. And that is how you end up with food like doubles coming from Trinidad. It’s a scoop of curried chickpeas (also called channa) sandwiched between two small, thick roti shells with a spicy pepper sauce and a sweet tamarind sauce.

When ordering, you should know that the singular of doubles is still doubles, so it’s one doubles or two doubles. It’s weird, but true. The doubles I had before are small pouches that you could easily eat two or three of for a sweet, spicy and savory breakfast. The Trini Paki Boys versions are different, bigger and served flat. Also different is the roti bread, which isn’t as soft.

It’s a bit hard to eat with your hand hands (the fork is definitely necessary), but the filling- with the chickpeas and the sauces- is wonderful. The spice left my lips tingling all the way back to work, while the sweetness of the tamarind had me going back for more even as the heat built up.

My only issue is with the bread, which is mostly just different than what I’ve had before, but not bad in any way. Regardless, at $2 a piece, they’re remarkably filling and very good. I’ll be back for more (and you should too!), but next time, I might order one and have it accompany a taco from El Rey del Sabor across 43rd Street.

Related:
The Hidden Delicious Mysteries of the Trini-Paki Boys Cart