Midtown Lunch

I’ve been on the hunt for a quality bulgogi-packed bowl of dolsot (read: sizzling hot) bibimbap in New York since I learned what it was five years ago by eating the Korean rice dish everyday in Australia. (It was cheap/delicious/so hot it hissed/came with bottomless banchan AKA Korean side dishes. I was a student. Cheap, unlimited anything was A+ in my book.) Zach came across a “pretty damn good” non-hot bibimbap at Cafe Amande deli last year, but I’ve been hoping to bump into its “pretty damn good” SIZZLING HOT cousin somewhere in Midtown East (aka outside of Koreatown). For five years, it’s been a fruitless search so imagine my surprise when I noticed a certain $9 lunch special at Gyu-Kaku (on 50th St. btw. 2+3rd) of all places…

More bibimbap after the jump. Read more »

While wandering past Yakitori Totto – one of Zach’s favorite Midtown lunches of all time – in the sun yesterday, I came across this sign in front of East Japanese (W 55th btw 8th & Broadway). The rest of the banner shows a takeaway container filled with what appears to be tempura and veggies AKA an “un-ignorable and unforgettable restaurant quality to-go lunch with restaurant price!” For $5, I’ll be back to order this Hiru-Bento, but has anybody tried it yet?

It seems pretty likely that all of the new places that make up the recent Japanese “invasion” of Koreatown are owned and operated by Koreans rather than Japanese.  Arang hides nothing with its mixed menu of Korean and Japanese foods and Haru Hana’s broad survey of all foods Japanese is a bit unusual. The latest beach head is Izakaya Moku (on 32nd btw. B’way+5th), and it has inspired much consternation among chowhounders and other seekers of authenticity. Here’s the thing: I don’t really care.

I love Japanese food. And until recently, the only option for those of us working near 34th Street was to hop the 6 train. I’ve happily checked out the other places that have popped up in K-Town, and jumped at the chance to try out Izakaya Moku.

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I’m excited to welcome our newest contributor Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Amy, from the blog AmyBlogsChow (where she posts videos showing you how to make smores in the microwave.) She works in Midtown East, and will be covering that area for us. -Zach

On Zach’s first visit to Onya last fall (on 47th btw. Lex+3rd), he pointed out that the fresh noodles and mix-and-match menu at this udon joint made it a worthy alternative to nearby Udon West (on 46th btw. Lex+3rd). Five months after their opening, Onya is still one of my favorite Midtown East lunch spots, and last month, they added some nine lunch options to the original five! Even though I tend to stick with what I know (the #5 Kamatama) I figured it was time to tear myself away from the same old, same old. With thirteen similar-sounding udon varieties to choose from (there are a few rice combos, but most of the menu consists of udon prepared in different broths served either hot or cold) I basically closed my eyes and pointed at an entrée.

My finger landed on Number 14, the Mentaiko-Tororo Bukkake Udon – cold udon noodles that’s “a little bit sweet” the lady behind the counter said. Whatever, I like sweet- and while cold noodles is not exactly the best choice for a week like this I felt the need to follow the finger.

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Is it just me or does it seem like there are a lot of new Japanese spots popping up in Koreatown?  Haru Hana opened a month ago on 32nd btw. B’way+5th serving ramen, udon, sushi, and katsu- and now Izakaya Moku has opened on the same block.  Fork in the Road filed an early look at this new place, praising the yakitori and okonomiyaki– but the exciting news is that unlike most Izakaya (which are after work places that don’t tend to open until after 5pm) this place is open for lunch.  Plus they’re offering 20% off their lunch menu through the end of Feburary.

Check out the lunch menu after the jump…

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As much I love meat on a stick, I admit I haven’t been back to Kushi Q (on 3rd Ave. btw. 45+46th) since they first opened almost 3 years ago. I liked it enough, for a fast food-under $10 yakitori spot, but it’s always tough for me to revisit a place. What can I say? Midtown lunch is a tough a gig. :-)

But when I heard they had opened a new location in the CitiGroup Center basement food court (on 53rd btw. Lex+3rd), I figured it was a good excuse for some fast food meat on a stick action… and it turns out they’ve made some positive changes in two years (go figure!)

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Just before the new year Time Out New York reported that a new Japanese restaurant called Haru Hana had opened on the main strip in Koreatown (on 32nd btw. B’way+5th), serving up “sushi, yakitori and hot pots”. They also have udon, ramen, and katsu, plus a lunch menu in which most of the items are under $10. Ultraclay gets the first taste, and seemed to enjoy his eel over rice and yakitori– although he noted how unusual it is to see a Japanese restaurant in Midtown that does everything, rather than focus on doing one thing well.

Check out the lunch menu after the jump…

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I love the blog but i’m currently in a serious midtown lunch depression as three of my favorites have packed up and left all at the same time. The Jamaican Dutchy has disappeared and my two bento delivery places (Yozu and Washoku cafe) have stopped delivering. Do you know anyone else offering bento delivery in the Rock Center area? We have a lot of Japanese people in our building and bento used to be delivered outside but now it has all disappeared. As lunch is all we have to look forward to this is seriously depressing! I can’t stand our cafeteria and won’t be able to eat indian food everyday. Please help!!

Well the Jamaican Dutchy is on vacation, and will most likely be back soon. But I’m sad to hear the sidewalk bento guys on 50th street are gone. I know Cafe Zaiya recently launched a huge online ordering system. You can try that. Anybody else have any good suggestions for Lunch’er David? Put it in the comments…

Got this email last week from Lunch’er Andrew: “Had a great lunch at Zaiya today [on 41st btw. Mad+5th], though I had to go online for a tutorial on how to open those damn plastic wraps!”  Wait a second… there are online tutorials for how to open those shrink wrapped triangular rice balls? “But of course there are!!”

The onigiri mystery unlocked on video for confused westerners, after the jump.

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The news about Onya, the Japanese udon chain owned by Muginoho (the Japanese company that owns Beard Papa) keeps getting more and more exciting.  We reported that they would be moving into the old Cafe Zest space on 47th btw. Lex+3rd back in August, and the more we’re hearing about the place the better it sounds.  According to the owners it will be the first restaurant in New York City to serve freshly-made, authentic udon from Osaka, Japan- going so far as to say that they will do for Osaka udon what Ippudo has done for ramen from Fukuoka.

I guess that means it’s different then the udon served at Udon West (on 46th btw. Lex+3rd).  The description of the restaurant sounds different enough… the first floor will have quick bento lunches in the front, a small dining area in the back, and an open kitchen where you can watch the noodles being cut.  Sit down dining will be available on the 2nd floor.  Even with all that, everything on the menu is well under $10, and looks awesome.  Check it out after the jump…

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