Midtown Lunch

Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th) is as much a Midtown shrine to Hideki Matsui as it is a popular spot for Japanese curry (go means 5 in Japanese, and 55 is Matsui’s number.)  So the day after Godzilla was named MVP of the World Series, it should be no surprise that GGC was a complete madhouse, with lines stretching down the block.  (5 free toppings coupons certainly helped.) CBS2 News filmed a segment, as did Fuji TV, and NHK World News.  Plus the New York Times reported wait times of up to 40 minutes for food, and asked owners what would happen if Matsui left the Yankees (his contract expired at the end of this season.) Their response? Go Go Curry isn’t going anywhere, but if Matsui leaves New York they will probably stop giving away the free topping coupons for all his homeruns.

I think I speak for all Midtown Lunchers when I say the Yanks should give the man whatever he wants!

Related:
Go Go Curry Hits a Japanese Curry Grand Slam

Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th) has a brand new deal through the end of July that appeals to both my cheapness, as well as my early onset hunger (I still can’t understand how people wait until after 1pm to eat lunch!)  Every day from 11am to Noon you’ll be able to get any medium size curry from Go Go Curry for just $5 (eat in or take out only, no additional toppings.)  The deal is limited to the first 30 orders each day, so what are you waiting for!?!

Related:
Go Go Curry Hits a Japanese Curry Grand Slam
Opening Day Means The Return of Free Toppings at Go Go Curry

The Serious Eats offices are about 5 blocks outside the official Midtown Lunch’ing range, but it looks like on Friday Robyn Lee (their photographer extraordinaire and expert on all things manatee) found herself at two Midtown Lunch favorites: Go Go Curry, followed by a little dessert at Ying Du (both on 38th btw. 7+8th.)  Nice choices!

Related:
Make Your Own Bo Lo Bao/Pork Chop Sandwich at Ying Du
Go Go Curry Hits a Japanese Curry Grand Slam

The 5 competitors with the owner of Go Go Curry (in the Yankees gear)

On Saturday “Gentleman” Joe Manchetti dispatched four other competitors to win the first ever Go Go Curry Eating Championship. I was there to witness the carnage, and quite frankly I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. Sure, I’ve been to an all you can eat buffet with professional competitive eaters- but that was like dining at the Four Seasons compared to this spectacle. After watching these 5 guys compete, I’m embarrassed to have ever referred to myself as “fat”.

The photos are after the jump.

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The finals of the Go Go Curry Eating Championship are tomorrow (Saturday, May 30th) at 5pm.  Four semi professional eaters and a complete unknown will face off in a Japanese curry eating battle to the death of epic proportions(?)  I think the sign says it all (in more ways than one.) To say this is going to be the epitome of grossness would be the understatement of the year. Watch the carnage go down live on JustinTV.

Last night was the final preliminary time trial for the Go Go Curry Championship, so the finals are now set. Here are the 5 finalists that will be competing for the $500 first prize:

1. “Gentleman” Joe Menchetti (:37)
2. Paul Arcaria (:53)
3. Masato Tomita (:55)
4. Don “Moses” Lerman (1:00)
5. Dale “Mouth of the South” Boone (1:07)

So, with four out of five of the contestants all having some pro competitive eating experience, this event is shaping up to be a battle between “Gentleman” Joe and Don Lerman- who apparently are still feuding over something that happened years ago. The lone darkhorse appears to be Masato Tomita, the only name out of the five that when google’d doesn’t turn up some random gross eating competition.

The final round will take place on May 30th, inside Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th) at 5pm. The place is tiny, but they do have four audience member spots to give away (plus their guests.) If you’d like to enter for one of those spots, email ggc@notionsunited.com

Related:
Is Go Go Curry’s Eating Championship Turning Into a Parade of Pro Eating “Has Beens”?
Go Go Curry Launches Annual Eating Competition

The final chance to qualify for the Go Go Curry Eating Championship is this Wednesday from 6 to 8pm (on 38th btw. 7+8th), but if you don’t think you can eat 2 small orders of curry over rice in under 73 seconds- don’t bother.  The top 5 qualifying times advance to the finals (which are scheduled for May 30th) and right now according to the official Go Go Curry website the fifth place qualifying time is 1 minute and 13 seconds (although Lunch’er Eric checked in to say that he and another eater eater broke the 1:08 barrier, but haven’t been added to the list yet. So really you’ve gotta be around 60 seconds to make it.)

But then, even if you do qualify, you’ll run smack into 3 (possibly) professional eaters.  Don “Moses” Lerman was the first pro-eater to enter- throwing down a 1:00 prelim score which was quickly destroyed by “Gentleman” Joe Menchetti (also a pro eater, of sorts.)  Now we’re hearing that Dale “Mouth of the South” Boone will try and qualify on May 20th.

None of these guys are members of the IFOCE (the official pro eating organization that runs the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating thing on July 4th) because they don’t allow participation in unsanctioned events like this… but they are all experienced competitive eaters. I don’t know anything about this stuff, so I checked in with Crazy Legs Conti, the official Midtown Lunch expert on all things competitive eating.

His thoughts on Joe, Don, Dale, has-beens, hobbyists, picnickers, and The Godfather are after the jump.

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Last year’s sign still applies

Tomorrow (5/5) is Go Go Curry’s 2nd Anniversary, so if you’re looking to have a Japanese Cinco de Mayo head to 38th btw. 7+8th where all Small, Medium and Large orders of curry (with any topping) are only $5.  (They’re kind of obsessed with the number 5.)  And while we’re on the topic of Go Go Curry, there are still 4 more opportunities to qualify for their big Eating Championship, happening on May 30th.  Retired professional eater Don “Moses” Lerman looked to be unstoppable with his qualifying time of 1:00 (to eat two Small orders of curry.)

But since then, 2 eaters have beat his time… including one who did it so quick you are just not going to believe it.

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The complaints have been pouring in since it was reported that retired professional eater Don “Moses” Lerman has entered the Go Go Curry Eating Championship. His preliminary time (to eat 2 small portions of curry with rice) was an amazing one minute, and a lot of competitors are already getting discouraged.  After all, what are the chances a layman is going to beat Lerman.  (Pro competitive eaters are banned from entering any events unsanctioned by the IOCE.)

In fact, Midtown Lunch’er Tom- who agreed to be our representative in the competition, backed out half way through his “training”. The video, plus Go Go Curry’s response to the complaints, is after the jump…

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