Midtown Lunch

 

The new location of Golden Krust on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th. has finally opened.  The Caribbean chain (which has multiple locations in NYC) will be offering a special grand opening lunch special price of $5.99 for fried chicken, stewed chicken or curry chicken served with rice & vegetables.  They have 3 other locations in Midtown…

• 33rd St. btw. 5th+Mad
• 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th
• A kiosk in Grand Central Terminal food court 

Golden Krust too much of a trek from your office?  Or maybe you’re just feeling lazy, but still want some jerk chicken?  The Jamaican Dutchy cart on 51st & 7th now offers delivery.  It’s a $15 minimum order, so you’ll need to get at least one other person in on the plan before calling (646-287-5004 or 347-213-2851).  Actually an afternoon office Jamaican beef patty party doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Cupcake question, and El Sabroso hits the blogs, after the jump… Read more »

 

From Eater (via FatWallet)

Another day, another fro-yo opening, another promise of free goods. Today a Red Mango opens on 45th and 8th Ave., and promises to give away their goods from 3-10pm.

My track record with free frozen yogurt  is not that great, but this one seems legit.  A phone call to the location confirmed that the new Red Mango will be giving away the small size frozen yogurt with one topping.  723 8th Ave. (btw. 45+46th).  Enjoy!

Update:  It’s pretty cold out for fro-yo, but it was free so how could I resist.  See what “free” should really get you, after the jump…

Read more »

Minamoto Kitchoan, Posted to Flickr by bottleofblues

So it’s Valentine’s Day, and while you should have trekked to Vosges (Soho), Mariebelle (Soho & UES), or Jacques Torres (Soho, UWS, Dumbo) for some of the best chocolate in New York City- you didn’t.  So, now you’re stuck in Midtown and need to get something tonight after work. 

For some perfect Midtown (and Upper East Side) chocolate options, check out Ed Levine’s great post from earlier this week.  For something in the non-chocolate category, here are a few of my suggestions (along with an interactive map). Read more »

Thanks to Feisty Foodie & Cheap Ass Food I was tipped off to this pretty cool thing happening at Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th). For the past week, they have replaced their Beard Papa station with the NYC debut of “New Matsue Kashi” a very beautiful (and delicious) form of Wagashi, Japanese sweets made from mochi, bean paste and fruit. And for those who like to limit their fat intake (present company excluded obviously), they don’t contain any animal fat, making them low in calories and cholesterol.

The wagashi range in price from $1.75 to $3.50 each, and come in different flavors and shapes (including pumpkin, blueberry, mango and chestnut). Similar sweets can be purchased at Minamoto Kitchoan (on 49th btw. 5+6th), but at Cafe Zaiya you can actually watch them being made (and I’m guessing they’re cheaper).

Tomorrow is the last day they will be available at Cafe Zaiya (and they close at 8pm). More photos, after the jump… Read more »

 

I hate over-priced food, but there is a soft spot in my heart for Dean & Deluca.  Probably because I could spend hours roaming the big one in Soho (even though I’ve never actually buy anything), just staring at the meats and cheeses and flavored salts and meats and fruit and bread and cheeses and seafood and meats and cheeses and desserts.  Did I mention the mention the meats & cheeses?

Anyway, Dean & Deluca opened their third spinoff in Midtown yesterday, on 48th btw. 5+6th (on the North side of the street).  Unlike the “Cafes” in the Paramount Hotel, or the one next to the Rock Center skating rink (which is right around corner), this location is pretty spacious and will have a much larger focus on lunch.  The normal array of baked goods and sweets are there, but the prepared foods section is much larger, and they even have a station where you can order a custom made sandwich (the other two only sell pre-made sandwiches).

More Dean & Deluca porn after the jump… Read more »

No more delays… the Yolato on Park Ave. (btw. 41+42nd), that we’ve been waiting for since July,  is finally opening;  and to celebrate, they are giving away free Yolato all day long (11am to 11pm)!  And while it’s not a Lenny’s/Yolato combo outlet (as one site incorrectly reported yesterday), it will be the biggest Yolato yet (possibly until the one inside the Empire State Building opens in December???).

As for the Lenny’s/Yolato merger that just happened, the first Lenny’s to start serving Yolato will be the one on 9th St. & 6th Ave.  There are no announced plans for the Midtown Lenny’s locations– but once it all gets worked out, there will in fact be Yolato available at all Lenny’s big enough to accomodate it.  Until then, enjoy the new Yolato location outside of Grand Central!  (Did I mention it’s opening tomorrow, and there’s free Yolato all day long?)  God I love free food…

The unmistakeable smell has already begun to fill the tunnels beneath Rockefeller Center, as Cinnabon prepares to open for business at 4pm.  In honor of the “grand opening” they will be handing our free coffee (today only) but the guy inside would not confirm (or deny) the possibility of free samples of cinnamon bunly goodness.

The location is not actually in the concourse, but in that underground area between buildings, next to the Dunkin Donuts just outside the Subway turnstiles.  You shouldn’t have any trouble finding it… just follow the intoxicating smell.

Thanks to Lisa C. for the tip.  If you have any news, info or recommendations- email them to zach@midtownlunch.com

 

Yesterday I walked into my boss’ office and spotted a giant cookie on his desk from Cosi, still in it’s plastic wrapping.  I looked closely at the cookie, and despite how tasty it appeared to be, I knew that he had not meant to purchase this particular cookie.  It had raisins in it.  And while many people enjoy a good oatmeal raisin cookie from time to time, there was something about this raisin cookie, clearly masquerading as a chocolate chip cookie, that said to me “this was a mistake”.

Me: “Hey man.  What’s up with the cookie?”

Boss: “Awww yeah.  Looks delicious, right?”

Me: “Really?  I think you might have bought the wrong cookie.”

Boss: “What do you mean?  Cosi cookies are great.”

Me: “That cookie has raisins in it.”

Boss: “No.”  (looks closer at cookie) “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  It was in the chocolate chip cookie bin.  Those bastards!”

It’s not hard to see how he made the mistake.  From afar it looked like a chocolate chip cookie.  Even one of the raisins had smeared up against the plastic wrapping, saying “Look at me!  I’m like a melted chocolate chip!  Hahaha! You wanted a dessert, but now you’re eating healthy fruit!!!”

Is there anything worse than biting into a cookie you think is filled with chocolate chips, only to discover raisins?  Luckily I was  able to save my boss in time.  Let this be a lesson to the rest of you.  Never trust signs.  And never trust raisins. 

In a related story, the Treats Truck is on 38th St. & 5th Ave. today.  Got a favorite cookie in Midtown?  Post it as a comment below…

The Midtown Yolato location on Park Ave. just south of 42nd St. was supposed to have its Grand Opening yesterday (with free Yolato all day long), but as you can tell from the photo, they weren’t quite ready.  I got an email saying 10 more days, but I can’t imagine how they’ll pull that off.  I will keep you updated…

In the meantime, you’ll have to settle for Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, which is available (when it’s not raining) from a table next to Pershing Square on 42nd & Park until the end of the month (and in the restaurant on the dessert menu all year long).

For those of you who work in the high 40s & 50s, the goto Midtown Treats Truck stop on 38th & 5th, is a little too far south.  There was much begging and pleading, followed by a Treats Truck attempt to find a spot in the 50s, which resulted in the truck finally parking at 47th & Lexington, after hours of driving around.

This morning, fresh off the news that the Treats Truck has been kicked out of their normal Upper West Side spot at 79th & Columbus, came word that the truck would be attempting to find a new spot in Midtown today… possibly on “44th near 6th or 7th”.  As of 1pm, there is no sign of the truck, but as soon as they settle into a spot, I’ll let you know…

Worst comes to worst, I’ll see you on line at 38th & 5th tomorrow!

UPDATE:  As of 2:40 PM the Treats Truck is parked at 45th btw. 6+7th.  Enjoy!