Midtown Lunch

Got a little bit of sad news from the Papa Perrone Pizza Truck (on 55th btw. Mad+Park) this morning.  He’s retiring their official entry into the Midtown Lunch Sandwich Challenge.  The mozzarella stick/french fry/chicken finger homage to the Rutgers’ Grease Trucks may come back in September, for now you’ll have to make due with his regular menu of offerings. Though to make it up for it, starting today Papa Perrone will be serving the famous Louie G’s Italian Ices from Brooklyn.  The flavors will rotate, and $2 will get you two scoops.  Today he’s got Vanilla/Oreo, Spumoni, Rainbow and Lemon.  Might be a good option if the Kogi BBQ line at the Dessert Truck is too long…

Related:
An Inside Look at the Papa Perrone’s Grease Truck Special

The Wall Street Journal becomes the latest publication to report on the new mobile food trend sweeping the nation. It covers much of the same ground- like twitter and how much cheaper it is for trained Chefs to open a truck than a brick and mortar restaurant. But it also spends a little bit of time talking about the obstacles, including a topic that Midtown Lunch has covered extensively: cart on cart intimidation.

“Another major hazard of the business, newcomers say, is hostility—and even threats—from the competition. Mr. Lao [from the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck] says his entry into the industry was marked by threats and sabotage by other vendors, who parked their carts right in front of his sales window.”

In related news, the NYPost reports this morning that a criminal complaint has been filed over threats directed by a Mr. Softee truck at a Good Humor man in Queens. That sounds familiar.

Related:
At Lunch Now: Rickshaw Dumpling Truck Take Two
Halal Vendors Chase Happy Well Being Cart Back Downtown
Rafiqi’s Tries To Intimidate New Mexican Cart From 49th Street
The Treats Truck Will Try Her Luck at 45th St. Today

I might have been mildly interested in this news if Baja Fresh hadn’t just opened on 3rd Ave, although I guess if you work near Penn Station you might be down: “I just randomly happened upon this today…. Inside of Penn Station a Moe’s Southwest Grill is set to open — I’d say by Friday. They looked open and staffed, but had the door barricaded. This location isn’t even mentioned on their website as a coming soon! Walking inside towards the A-C-E lines, it’s on the right side. They are also converting the Houlihan’s to a TGI Fridays, and remodeling the Roy Rogers (which contains two other places that I cannot recall). -Lunch’er Joe” Ahhh, Penn Station. What a glorious lunchtime wonderland. Anybody been to this chain before? Is it worth it?

Huge Chinese food news in the old Inbox last night courtesy of Lunch’er “Robert” (who appears to have taken this photo from his office across the street.) Szechuan Gourmet, the only place ever written about on this site to receive 2 stars from the New York Times (and my personal favorite spot for beef tendon, and twice cooked pork belly with chili leeks), is opening a second location on 56th btw. B’way+8th. The menu will have all the old favorites from the location on 39th btw. 5+6th, plus some new stuff (according to the employee I spoke to.) They hope to open this Tuesday- but you know how those things go, so you’ll want to check back here before heading over.

This is fantastic news for Midtown north Chinese food fans, who right now have to go to… I don’t know… Yips (?) for their closest Chinese food fix. Where the hell do you go for good Chinese food in Midtown north? Starting next week, the answer to that question will be Szechuan Gourmet!

Related:
Szechuan Gourmet: Day 1 as a NYT 2 Starred Restaurant

I try my best not to be too negative on this site, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to vent. Every once in awhile I’ll share some of the more angry useful emails I get in a post called “Airing of Grievances”. (If the Eater Complaints Dept. would like royalties, I’ll be happy to pay up…)

Ambrosia’s Bi Bim Bap circa August 2007. Back when it was called “the best in Midtown”.

There’s only so many complaints you can get before something has to be done. When Ambrosia, the generic Midtown deli on 45th btw. 5+6th, launched their Korean food station I thought it might be the best Bi Bim Bap in all of Midtown. They gave you a ton of banchan (the little Korean side dishes), it was $7 and it was delicious. Since then it has slowly deteriorated and after this email yesterday, I think we might have to take away its “Midtown Lunch” status.

“I realize that your post on Ambrosia being the best Bi Bim Bap in midtown was quite some time ago, but let me tell you I had a very sad experience. The item costs $11.89 now with tax, and it is just beef and lettuce…with 2 mushrooms and 2 strips of red peppers.”

But wait… there’s more.

Read more »

It’s never a shock when a bad restaurant resorts to something crazy to help boost business.  You’ll see name changes, expensive redecorating, crazy specials, and yes, even sushi being added to a Kosher falafel and kebab place.  But Olympic Pita (on 38th btw. 5+6th) was not a bad restaurant!  Home to my favorite falafel in Midtown (you may say the secret ingredient is their fresh baked laffa bread) Olympic Pita shouldn’t have to resort to this nonsense.  And yet there it was, last week their new sign, with their new name (Baraca), promoting their new menu item (sushi?!?)  Oh, and of course there was the gussied up interior.  Why Olympic Pita?  Why?

The name change is not just for show, according to an employee Baraca is no longer owned by the same people who own the original Olympic Pita in Brooklyn (not good.)  Thankfully, the take out area in the front looked like it hadn’t changed- so yesterday I stopped by to survey the situation.

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This is kind of exciting.  The Famous Halal Guys’ daytime cart on the SE corner of 53rd St and 6th Ave (who won last year’s Street Meat Palooza) have added kofta kebabs to their menu.  I had already had lunch by the time I walked by and spotted this beautiful sight on the grill, so I didn’t get a chance to sample.  But you better believe that a chicken/kofta over rice combo platter is in my immediate future (topped with white sauce and hot sauce of course.) No word on whether the nighttime cart (on the SW corner), or their other daytime cart (on the SW corner of 53rd and 7th) is also serving the item.

Related:
Debunking the Myths of 53rd & 6th, the Most Famous Halal Intersection in New York City
Are Lunchers Finally Getting the Message About the Halal Carts on 53rd & 6th?

We’re hearing rumors that the company who owns Beard Papa, will be bringing a branch of their Japanese Udon restaurant (called Onya) to the now vacant Cafe Zest space on 47th btw. Lex+3rd.  There is also the possibility that it could end up sharing the space with a new branch of Beard Papa, who just closed their counter inside Cafe Zaiya (although that part is still up in the air.)  Anybody been overseas and eaten at (or heard of) Onya before?  Is it a cheap, fast food kind of place (like Udon West) or a fancy sit down place (i.e. expensive?)  Let us know in the comments…