Midtown Lunch

When Feed Your Hole launched in January, they got an ear full from Midtown Lunch’ers in our comments. People had a problem with the name. And the logo. The random use of red words on the menu. The use of the Philly-style word “wit.” And, of course, there were accusations of shilling. Feed Your Hole’s Sean Sullivan got involved, stood up for their food and offered the haters free lunch (no word if anyone took him up on it). Clocking in at 133(!!) comments in just four days, it was intense.

After a recent mention in the forums, I figured it might be time to check back in with the truck and see what the food’s all about.

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The Norwegian Seaman’s Church’s annual fair isn’t the only Scandinavian Christmas action happening in midtown this week. The Church of Sweden on 48th street kicks off their holiday bazaar today, too. Read more »

Who doesn’t like a good old fashioned Scandinavian kickoff to the holiday season? The Norwegian Seaman’s Church (on 52nd btw. 1 + 2nd) annual Christmas fair begins today and runs through Saturday 11/19, noon to 6pm each day. According to their website:

Visit our Christmas Fair to buy Norwegian handcrafts, nisser, knitwear, jewelry, Norwegian fashion items, decorations, ornaments, table cloths and much, much more!

Large selection of Norwegian food.
Cafeteria w/Smorgasbord.
Raffle tickets for several beautiful items.

If you’ve been, let us know in the comments!

The Norwegian Seaman’s Church, 317 E. 52nd St (btw. 1+2nd), (212) 319-0370

Over the past several months, rumors started flying amongst friends and co-workers about a new bodega on 8th Avenue with an eclectic but intriguing variety of international foods. European friends murmured about their hefty line-up of Kinder chocolates and Cadbury confectioneries, and Korean friends spoke of their impressive stock of kimchi, banchan, and packaged noodle soups. The bodega that they were referring to, was none other than Midtown West newcomer, Bread & Honey.

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Ever since Chris H. wrote about Main Noodle House in July I’ve been meaning to check it out. So when the hankering for mapo tofu hit the other day I figured I’d head over, but before I did I decided to check Chris’ post to see if any commenters had other suggestions- and I’m glad I did. Read more »

When I last wrote about finding a sit-down, under $10 lunch in Manhattan’s Koreatown at Muk Eun Ji, I started by stating the obvious – the area is a treasure of affordable and filling lunch time options. But woe to those who have the tough but enviable task of deciding a venue, given the great selection – a good problem to have. If your heart is set on soondubu jjigae, the warming stew of soft tofu in a rich and spicy broth that simultaneously exhilarates and comforts, you’ll find no better on the block than at BCD Tofu House.

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I recently walked by this nondescript cart on the corner of 55th + Lex and noticed that next to the display case full of muffins and bear claws, amidst the standard pictures of egg sandwiches and hot coffee were photographs of tortas, quesadillas, and tacos. A new Mexican cart? Sign me up!

The cart offers lunch options of chicken, steak, carnitas, and chorizo, and each of these meats are available in taco, quesadilla, burrito, or torta form. They also offer a “Mexican Hamburger” ($5), hot dog ($2), and several plate entrees including but not limited to Huevos Rancheros ($5). I settled on three tacos at $2.25 each, with one each of chorizo, steak, and carnitas.

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If the new Pad Thai Cart on 50th and 6th has taught us anything this week it’s that the heart of Midtown has a serious craving for thai food.  The cart was packed yesterday (reports had the line at 20+ people) and they ran out of food shortly after 1pm.  But I’m more of a pad see ew kind of girl.  Located on 8th Ave. btw. 42+43rd, Qi Thai isn’t quite as far as the places on 9th and Chris had nice things to say about their reasonable lunch specials back in the spring.

But how is their Pad See Ew?  I needed to find out…

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Num Pang (which has a Midtown location on 41st btw. Lex+3rd) recently unveiled its new Fall specialty items, so naturally I hightailed it over to check them out. I set my sights on the Roasted Fig sandwich ($8.25 + tax): Kadota figs, chilis, bacon, chili mayo and the usual veggie suspects of cucumber, pickled carrots, and cilantro.

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It’s one of the curses of New York City that some of the best foods that would be cheap eats where they came from are super pricey here. In the years since quality barbecue arrived in New York with places like Blue Smoke and Hill Country, it’s been the rare spot that has been anything like a Midtown Lunch. Nearby, I was happy to find some good deals at RUB NYC, but it has stood as the exception to the rule. But, has that changed?

Back in September, I reported that BBQue’s Smoke Shack was opening up on 6th Avenue just a few doors down from the Limelight. It’s now open for business and this week, I took the opportunity to get a closer look.

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