Midtown Lunch

Got this question today from “Lunch’er Miguel”:

“Since it is Christmas time, and I am Mexican, I am dying to buy a bunch of tamales from the tamale lady in front of the Mexican Embassy(on 39th btw. Mad+Park). But I just realized I haven’t been since early this year. She still around? Also, any idea if she sells by the dozen or is that asking too much?”

Coincidentally enough, I walked by the “Tamale Lady” in front of the Mexican Embassy this past Wednesday and have some pork tamal proof that she is still there (shown above). $1.50 and it was even better than I remembered from last time (with a huge chunk of slightly spicy pulled pork in the middle.) I’m not sure if she’ll sell in bulk, but I can’t imagine she wouldn’t if you set it up with her beforehand (I’m assuming you speak Spanish, which will be very helpful.) If that doesn’t work, I’d suggest hitting up any of the other places in Midtown that have tamales. Anybody done this before?  Or know a good bulk tamales option in Midtown (or farther afield?)

Got something you’d like to “Ask Midtown Lunchers”?  Email it to zach@midtownlunch.com

Earlier this week I had an email exchange about the new changes at City Burger(on 39th just East of B’way) with Josh “Mr. Cutlets” Ozersky. Not only is he editor of The Feedbag, but he is also the self appointed president of the Pat LaFrieda fan club:

Josh: “You better get on down to City Burger… Went there with a few other people the other day. It is SICK! Really, really good now.”

Me: “I don’t know.  [The black label burger] is a little pricey for my cheap-ass blood… but yeah, I’ll probably break down and try it this week.  Have the regular burgers changed at all?”

Josh: “Listen to this! I like the regular burgers BETTER than the black label. They’re top-three burgers in town right now.  They got rid of the grills and brought in griddles…started warming the buns… oh man I wish I had one now.”

That is a bold statement… top 3 burgers in the city?!?!  (Not even just Midtown?) The truth has been narrowed down to 2 possibilities.  1)  City Burger has significantly improved their burger.  Or 2) The Abitino Brothers (who own City Burger) have some serious dirt on our good friend Mr. Cutlets.

Only one way to find out which is true…

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It looks like Moshe’s Falafel (on 45th & 6th) is no longer the only Kosher cart on the block. Kosher Oasis popped up on the SW corner of 44th & 6th a few weeks ago selling falafel, schnitzel (fried chicken cutlets), soups, and kosher hot dogs.  The schnitzel hasn’t been selling well so they plan on taking it off the menu, but maybe if enough people go ask for it (hint hint) he’ll keep it around (what can I say?  I love the idea of schnitzel from a cart!)

The kosher hot dogs have been the most popular item so far, but they are still tweaking the menu.  Any early adopters tried this cart yet?  Feel free to comment below.

It appears as if the now closed Good Portions(on Lex. btw. 39+40th) is going to be replaced by an equally wretched place called “Recharge”. I don’t know about you, but I’d take mediocre Asian food, over THE BEST, most delicious “health” food any day of the week. I’ve got nothing against healthy food itself… but I do have something against a lunch menu where 3 of the 6 sections contain the words “Low Carb”. Didn’t the Atkins thing die along with the man?

There was one menu section I did find a little funny… it’s after the jump.  Read more »

Today is National Brownie Day, but with the Treats Truck (my goto brownie source) parked Downtown, I’m kind of at a loss. Anybody have a brownie recommendation for those of us looking to celebrate this most important of holidays? Feel free to put it in the comments… (yes, I’m using this stupid thing as an excuse to eat a brownie today.)

Photos by Kathy YL Chan

The out of bounds block of 53rd street btw. 2nd and 3rd Avenue is quickly becoming a mini-restaurant row for east side Midtown Lunch’ers.  A while back I wrote about Spoons (which was replaced by Good Health Burger) and Uncle Marky’s Organics (which is still there.)  There is also LTK (Little Thai Kitchen) and , where you can get under $10 Thai and Indian lunch specials, as well as the recently opened second branch of the East Village’s Brick Lane Curry House. 

But I think the cheapest option on the block is the Hawaiian Island Grill, a take out only place that is also home to the overpriced “Gordon Chen’s Kitchen.” Both are owned by the same company that owns the Hakata Grill, and while I didn’t necessarily have high hopes, a tipster suggested I check it out. Seeing how it was supposed to be Hawaiian food, and I’ve never been to Hawaii, I enlisted my friend Kathy YL Chan (from the blog A Passion for Food & Serious Eats: New York) to accompany me.

Between the two of us, we ordered most of the lunch specials… and our thoughts (plus food porn) are after the jump. Mine, from the perspective of a fat guy- her, from the perspective of a Hawaiian.

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Speaking of burgers…. I guess I knew it was only a matter of time before somebody stepped up and complained about the mini-post we did a few months ago about the Ruby Tuesday Burger:

“I don’t usually feel the urge to comment on anything directly online, but I feel compelled here to make sure that everyone understands just how awful the Ruby Tuesday’s burger is. I had their triple meat burger (ooh 3 types of meats ground together!) a few months ago, or whatever they call it, it’s awful, don’t do it to yourself, it’s not worth the money! Any money! I wouldn’t eat it if it was free (that’s a lie – but I would hesitate). It was just a not-good tasting burger, not seasoned well and didn’t taste like good quality meat. Soggy bun, sad lettuce…. go anywhere else and save your taste buds!!!”

Considering that it’s Ruby Tuesday, I wouldn’t have thought this needed to be said.  But I trust A Hamburger Today when it comes to burgers, and they said it was decent.  (It has problems, but nothing that would be considered “awful”.)  Have any other lunchers subjected themselves to a Times Square tourist lunch, and want to weigh in?  Sure, Midtown Lunch is against crappy chains like this in theory- but I just want to make sure they get their fair shake.

Despite the high prices, and the economic issues facing lunchers, it appears as if Free Foods NYC (on 45th btw. 5+6th) is doing well enough to open a second location where F&B Gudtfood used to be (on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd). Lunchers looking for the best bargains won’t care about this one, but if you are really into organic food, and don’t mind spending the extra money- this is your best option in Midtown.  Even I’ll admit, their buy the pound buffet (which is quite possibly the most expensive in the city) looks pretty damn tasty.  It’s what I refer to as the “If I were a rich man” lunch.

The sign says that they are planning on opening fall of 2008 (which would be now), but from looking at the plywood, I’m guessing it won’t be for at least another month.  A photo of that (for those of you who get excited about construction sites) is after the jump.

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Speaking of sandwiches, Serious Eats: New York conducted an experiment of their own recentlyand determined that you could make 5 “normal” size sandwiches out of one Carnegie Deli sandwich (on 7th Ave. btw. 54+55th). There is no mistaking the Carnegie Deli for a bonafide Midtown Lunch- the place is a complete tourist trap, their sandwiches are $15, and they charge you an extra $3 just for the “privilege” of sharing the food that you have paid for (a complete travesty!) But there is no denying they serve some damn good pastrami and corned beef, and even though Midtown Lunchers would have to eat two of those  “normal” sandwiches to be satisfied, SENY has made it clear that getting a Carnegie Deli sandwich, and splitting it among multiple people, would be a completely worthy lunch for anybody who works in Midtown.

Maybe this wasn’t the best day for this post. The Friday after Thanksgiving is quite possibly the biggest sandwich eating day of the year, followed closely by the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Maybe you’re sick of sandwiches.  Maybe if you look at another sandwich, it’s going to make you puke.  But maybe, just maybe, the mark of a truly great sandwich is one that can still make you salivate, even on the Monday after Thanksgiving.  So, in that spirit- I’m proud to present the Midtown Lunch entry in the Murray’s Salami challenge.

First, let’s get everybody brought up to speed.  A month ago Murray’s Cheese opened up a salami counter in the Grand Central Terminal Market (entrance on Lexington and 43rd). Everything in the market is very expensive, and Murray’s is no exception.  But they’ve got a staggering array of amazing meats and charcuterie from some great purveyors around the country, and for a guy like me that is tough to ignore. Unfortunately, they are prohibited by Grand Central from selling anything that would resemble a “sandwich” or packaged lunch (probably to protect the food court vendors downstairs.)  So, if we were to enjoy the new Murray’s Salami, in a lunchtime form, it was up to us to create our own sandwiches, made from ingredients foraged from the market.  Most importantly, it would have to be under $10 a person. (Spending more than that on lunch, is a crime against humanity… unless it’s an all you can eat buffet- in which case you are allowed to spend a little more.)

Blondie and Brownie weighed in first, followed by Lunch’er Dave, and finally Lunch’er Max. And now, the Midtown Lunch entry, from start to finish.  In all its glory.

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