Midtown Lunch

A brand new sweets truck just hit Midtown, and is giving away free samples for the next couple of hours on 55th btw 5+6th. . They’re not selling anything just yet, but their menu includes croissants, cookies, cake, muffins, and quiche. They’re affiliated with One Girl Cookies in Brooklyn, and will carry some of their items, plus a host of homemade recipes. Plus about 20% of the stuff will be baked right on the truck.

They hope to be in this spot every single day (but you know how that goes.) More details to come when they launch their website and twitter (of course) in the next couple of days (and I’ll post a photo of the menu here once I get home.). They’re still testing eveything out right now (this is their very first day) but if you want a free sample, now is the time. Freeloaders engage.

Check out a photo of the menu after the jump…

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After a few months of being out of commission, Wafels and Dinges hit the road again a few weeks ago with a brand new, tricked out truck.  To celebrate, they gave away free wafels on Thursday… so naturally I was there to wait on line and get my bit of free waffle goodness. The new truck is quite a sight to behold, with a giant lit up menu and newly installed speakers that pump 50s music from Sirius/XM satellite radio onto the street.  If you’re really lucky, they’ll throw on the kind of annoying/kind of amazing “Waffle Song” while you’re waiting on line.  It’s really loud, and I’m guessing at some point it’s going to get them kicked out of at least one of their regular spots.  After15 minutes of hanging out, and listening to music, I thought for sure the guys serving the waffles were going to jump on top of the truck and start singing and dancing.

For free waffle hour, you got a half portion of whichever kind of wafel you wanted (brussels or liege) topped with two dinges (I went with banana and chocolate.)  Delicious.  Of course, the fact that it was free helped tremendously.  I’ve never actually done a proper post about the Wafels and Dinges Truck, which spends a few days a week in Midtown.  As you may or may not know, they not only sell waffles with sweet toppings but they also have savory waffle topped with BBQ pork and cole slaw that’s perfect for lunchtime. I posted about this when they introduced it back in October, but never actually got to try it for myself.

Well, as long as I was there…

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Been getting a lot of emails about the new cupcake truck launching in NYC tomorrow.  No sign of Midtown on their preview schedule– but the truck was started by a couple of NYU New York Law School grads who couldn’t get lawyer jobs, so I’m guessing they’ll want to flaunt their new business in the faces of those that spurned them. In other words, it’s only a matter of time before they start parking outside Midtown law firms. UPDATE: SENY is reporting that they plan on parking in the Herald Square area from 9am to 5pm.

If you are a big fan of bakeries, Midtown would probably not be your first choice of places to be stuck 40 hours a week. Lower East Side, East Village, Soho, hell, anywhere would probably be better than here. (Though we do have 28 locations of Crumbs!) But don’t curl up into a sugar deprived ball just yet. Some of the best non-Midtown bakeries have items shipped to various shops in Midtown… and who better to uncover the best ones than our contributor, and baked goods expert, Kathy YL Chan (from A Passion for Food.) Here is her list of favorites, along with the location in Midtown you can find them. (Note: some places have multiple locations with a rotating list of sweets. You won’t be guaranteed to find each of these items at all locations on all days… but it’s still a good guide to get you started.)

Two Little Red Hens

• Actual Bakery Location: 1652 2nd Ave (btw. 85+86th), UES
• Favorite Item: Brooklyn Blackout Cake

This dark and luscious number never fails to leave me intoxicated in a sugar coma, post-consumption. Regardless, I return to it over and over again. And no, there are never regrets. Tiers of chocolate cake layered with chocolate pudding, finished off with frosting and a smattering of cake crumbs. Too sweet? Of course! But in just the right ways that you would expect and want. Where to get it in Midtown: Dean & Deluca

Sage General Store

• Actual Bakery Location: 24-20 Jackson Ave., Long Island City
• Favorite item: Carrot Cake Cupcake

The girls over at Lunch Studio have already spilled wonders on this oversized cupcake creation. Carrot cake and a smother of whipped cream cheese frosting. Simple and classic, no surprises here, just pleasure all around. Where to get it in Midtown: Dean & Deluca

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“Why don’t you write about the places on 9th Ave.!?!” is a question I get a lot.  My reply is usually some form of “Well then I have to go to 2nd Ave., and 26th street, and 65th Street… and then it never ends.”  Essentially, you have to have boundaries or else it’s complete chaos.  And while there are people who work on the outskirts who will travel to 2nd Ave. or 9th Ave. for lunch, most Midtown Lunch’ers will not… unless there is something that is going to make everyone say “oh man… I need that now.” Like banh mi, or tacos, or thai food, or $1 fried chicken.  Or gyros (and Greek pastries!)

The age old gyro question came up again last week, when Profiled Lunch’er Harry asked if there was a real Greek gyro to be had in Midtown.  Street carts, chop their gyro up and fry it on the griddle, rather than allowing it to fully cook on the spit, Gyro II leaves a lot to be desired, and while Famous Chicken Place does a bang up job- we still don’t have a real deal Greek gyro in the ML boundaries.  Unless you are willing to travel to 9th Avenue. Uncle Nick’s and Posiedon Bakery were (enthusiastically) recommended in the comments… and when commenters speak, I listen. And boy am I glad I did.

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In honor of Queen’s Day (?), which is today, Wined and Dined and Serious Eats: New York are reporting that Danku (on 57th btw. 5+6th) is going to start serving made to order stroopwafels, a kind of waffle cookie sandwich thing with a “hot caramel goo” in the center. You all know how I feel about Danku (and I know how you feel.) I love Indonesian food, and had incredibly high hopes for this new chain. But despite a few decent dishes, overall it was a pretty big letdown. Could this be the thing that turns it around?

Strangely enough, I was walking by Danku weeks a few weeks ago and they were handing out free samples of these stroopwafels… so I was a little surprised to read that they were “introducing” them today for Queen’s Day. (Maybe they were just “testing” them? Or maybe I was imagining things… because PR people never lie. Today is the day! Get excited!) Either way, the free sample I tried was pretty delicious… so if you’re into this kind of thing, I would definitely recommend checking it out. For more on the Danku Stoopwafel (and a behind the scenes look at exactly how they make them) check out Serious Eats: New York.

Related:
Everything You Wanted To Know About Danku (But Were Afraid To Try)

Last week Lunch’er Marisa asked for some strawberry shortcake help.  You responded with suggestions, and here is what she ended up with:

“We went to Café Zaiya. Honestly, the shortcake was fresh, but the whipped cream wasn’t real whipped cream and there were only 3 or 4 strawberry slices (so maybe one or two whole strawberries?) in the whole piece. It was enjoyable, but didn’t measure up to the real thing. Also of note, my boyfriend was absolutely shocked by how cheap everything is at Zaiya. I bought a edamame and bacon roll plus the piece of cake for under $5! He bought this delicious panko breaded chicken sandwich with a spicy mayo sauce for $3. Great place.”

Yes it certainly is. More strawberry shortcake porn, plus a shot of that edamame and bacon roll, and links to more Cafe Zaiya posts, all after the jump.

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Midtown Lunch friend (and contributor) Kathy YL Chan from A Passion for Food noticed this little bit news on Chowhound yesterday: Financier Patisserie will be opening a new location in Midtown East on 1st Avenue and 54th Street.  First Ave. is a bit of a hike for most Midtown Lunchers, but it’s ok… because we just got this even bigger news from the source:  F.P. has two new Midtown locations in the works, and the 2nd one is going to be in the Fox News Building on 6th Ave. btw. 47+48th.  It will be a boutique location, like the one in World Financial Center Downtown, and will carry their famous tarts, cakes, and pastries, plus sandwiches, salads, and more… and from the looks of the menu on their website, everything is under $10.  According to Kathy, “nothing is like OMG CRAZY GOOD, but everything is like really good (if that makes sense.)” No word yet on when either location will open.

Financier Patisserie (coming soon)

• 983 First Avenue (at 54th Street)
• 1211 Sixth Avenue (at 48th Street)

Photo courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything (Robyn Lee)

Just in time for St. Patty’s day, Food in Mouth brings the news that a branch of Lily O’Brien’s Chocolate Cafe has opened near Bryant Park (on 40th btw. 5+6th). I don’t know if the fact that this is an “Irish” chocolate company means anything (maybe everything is filled with liquor?), but Danny tried the hot chocolate and seemed pretty pleased. Apparently it goes pretty well with a cinnamon bun from Cafe Zaiya. 36 W 40th St. New York, NY 10018. 212-575-0631‎ [Food in Mouth]

Hello!  Lunch’er Sal spotted this at Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th) and was kind enough to send the photo along. How can that be bad?!?! (No word on whether or not they’ve begun pumping cinnamon bun smell onto the sidewalk.)

Related:
A Food Porn Guide to Navigating Your Way Through Cafe Zaiya