Midtown Lunch

There’ve been one too many fake-outs with the Hallo Berlin cart lately, which has been M.I.A for months now.  You might have noticed the most recent one last week, which had the cart listed as a participant in BKLYN Yard’s “Parked” event in Gowanus yesterday.  Sadly there was no cart… just Hallo Berlin Express set up at a table. We tried to get in to grill them about the whereabouts of the cart , but they were completely swamped with people all day long. Guess we’re not the only ones trying to get our bratwurst fix…

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Is the Hallo Berlin Cart Returning This Fall?

This Hot Dog Crawl by Jets Tight End Dustin Keller caught our eye recently. It started with a terrible snap-less wiener at a “hot dog stand on the corner of 39th and 8th called Sabrett” before moving on to Nathan’s and then Hallo Berlin (?) which is strange since they’ve been M.I.A. for months.  Excited by the report we rushed over to 54th and 5th today, but no Hallo Berlin.  Maybe this food tour was done last year?   Who knows… but we’re still holding out hope that the famous sausage cart is not gone forever.

Related:
Is the Hallo Berlin Cart Returning This Fall?

After Rolf Babiel passed away back in October, the Hallo Berlin cart returned to 54th and 5th briefly before disappearing again.  So last month, on my way to try East Japanese’s $5 box lunch, I stopped into Hallo Berlin Express (on 9th Ave. btw. 50+51st) to ask about the missing cart. Sadly, the staff said the cart was no more and they were pretty vague about whether they’ll ever bring it back. We were pretty much ready to say goodbye forever, until we spotted this on the Hallo Berlin website! “Juicy Food Stand, Re-Opening Fall 2010.” Still nobody at the restaurant seems to know what the deal is, and we can’t seem to get in touch with the owner. But just seeing this posted on their website gives us hope…

It appears as if the Hallo Berlin Cart (on 54th and 5th) has gone and disappeared.  Lunch’er “Rootbeer” commented the other day that it hasn’t been seen in months, and the same discussion popped up on Yelp as well. Hallo Berlin co-founder Rolf Babiel passed away this past October, but the cart returned shortly thereafter with his brother at the helm. And this isn’t their usual July vacation time either. If anyone has any insight, leave it in the comments. For now I guess we’ll have to settle for Hallo Berlin Express (on 9th Ave. btw. 50+51st)

According to these photos on Bah Humbug, the Hallo Berlin Cart to returned to action this week (on 54th and 5th), and just in time for the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Not sure if that was intentional, but either way we’re glad to have it back. Dictator specials for everyone!

Related:Hallo Berlin Cart Owner Rolf Babiel Has Passed Away

Today’s New York Daily News has the obituary for Hallo Berlin Cart owner Rolf Babiel:

BABIEL-Rolf, Founder of Hallo Berlin, age 57 died at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan, NY, on Wednesday, October 21, 2009. Rolf Babiel was born June 24, 1952 in Hoyerswerd, Germany. He went to school there & later worked as a machinist in the open pit at Knappenrode. At age 23, August of 1975 he moved from East to West Berlin. There he drove a milk truck at night. In 1981 he immigrated to the United States. He bought a push cart, called it “Hallo Berlin” & began to sell German Wurst.

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I can’t believe it but Rolf Babiel’s brother Wolfgang is out right now working the Hallo Berlin cart (on 54th and 5th).  The line down the street was a fine tribute to Rolf (especially on a day when other well known carts seemed a little less crowded because of the weather.)  I let Wolfgang know how sorry we were to hear the news about his brother, and asked him what happened.  He told me that Rolf had cancer, and said as far as the future of the cart goes he’s just taking things day to day… “It still isn’t real for me yet.”

Related:
Hallo Berlin Cart Owner Rolf Babiel Has Passed Away

Some very sad news to report… Rolf Babiel, one of the owners of Hallo Berlin, has passed away. His unique sense of humor was a huge part of what made the Hallo Berlin cart on 54th and 5th so great, and he will be missed.  According to a worker at the 9th Ave. Express Location, the cart’s future is up in the air for now. (Got an update from his brother this afternoon… Rolf died of Cancer.)

The funeral is this weekend in Hell’s Kitchen. Our thoughts go out to all of his family and friends.

Now now boys, don’t stare. It’s impolite… and kind of creepy. Ladies, on the other hand, if these tweets are to be believed it looks like the Hallo Berlin Cart (on the SW corner of 54th & 5th) is the place to be!

Related:
Hallo Berlin’s Rolf Babiel Tells VendrTV How Germans Like Sex

After taking the entire month of July off, the Hallo Berlin cart returned to their spot on 54th and 5th Ave. on Monday.   I also noticed (and I’m probably totally late to the game on this one) that the photos they use to promote their Democracy & Dictator Specials have changed again…

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