Well that answers that question.  Pick A Pita, a tiny but righteous falafel and shawarma spot on 38th btw. 7+8th, will be opening a second outpost in the now closed House of Pita space on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th.  The tiny closet they currently operate will remain open, meaning you will now have two Pick-a-Pita options right around the corner from each other.  HOP fans could do a lot worse; I have a special place in my heart for Pick-a-Pita since it was where I discovered the beauty of french fries in a shawarma sandwich.  They say the new location will be open on October 1st.

Word has come in from an email tipster that House of Pita on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th is now closed:

Looks like another one bites the dust in that spot. First Mandler’s, now House of Pita. I think that location is jinxed. I walked by quickly and I didn’t see any signs (like the yellow DOH), but there’s paper over all the windows. Doesn’t look too promising.

I got the confirmation from the owner shortly after:

Someone came in and loved the location, service and the food. They made us an offer that was just too hard to refuse. Lots of $$$$, so we sold. The name is not part of the sale. We will take a long vacation and think about our next step.

The recent history of House of Pita has been a long and kind of sad one. 2 year ago they were at the center of the Midtown falafel universe. Their window on 48th btw. 5+6th, nestled inside a hallway filled with jewelers, had become pretty popular- with office workers lining up every day for their Israeli style falafel.

Knowing they were going to lose their lease on the original window location, H.O.P. opened a second location in June of last year on 45th btw. 5+6th. The space was much larger, with actual seating, and they expanded their menu for the first time, to include salads, fresh squeezed juices, pizza(?), and more. But according to the owner this was always just a temporary solution, until they found a long term location.

The original location closed November (and still remains empty), and then (in what the owner called a planned move) the second location closed in December. In January 2008, House Pita made its triumphant return in the former Mandler’s Sausage location on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th.  They expanded the menu even further, and with the New York Times building opening up across the street you’d think the H.O.P. would be alright.  And who knows, maybe they would have been?  But it looks look somebody else thought the space was more valuable, and now they’re gone.

I was told the new owners are going to serve the same kind of food, and I would have thought that it would be a chain, because they are the ones who can afford buyouts like that. Somebody like Crisp (the new’ish falafel place on 3rd Ave.) or Maoz Vegetarian. But the owner of HOP says it is a sole proprietor. I’ll keep you updated.

In the meantime, RIP HOP- for now. And as soon as you’re done with vacation, let us know.

Normally they give away free topping coupons the day after Hideki Matsui hits a homerun, but why should we be punished because it is the Yankees’ offseason?  Problem solved.  Today is free topping coupon day at Go Go Curry on 38th St. btw. 7+8th. 

The new House of Pita on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th finally replaced the Mandler’s Sausage sign.  They smartly decided to keep the H.O.P. name, and only add the “Chicken Bar” part to the sign underneath.  I guess they “discovered” that Chicken Bar already exists.

Kashmir Express, the Indian take out place on 8th Ave. btw. 38+39th, has converted to a by the pound buffet.  Looked pretty good, although having to pay for my lunch by the amount it weighs is always a scary proposition.  The $4.99 price tag is not bad, but Indian food can get heavy!  And it forces you to break the #1 rule of eating at buffets by the pound… go easy on the rice and bread.

A shot of the buffet, plus Piece of Chicken’s shocking new menu changes, after the jump…

The New Inside of Kashmir Express

Not into the by the lb. buffets?  There is always the $9.95 Kashmir all you can eat buffet, in the proper restaurant next door (down the stairs).

Saw this sad sign hanging in “Out of Bounds”, Midtown Lunch favorite “Piece of Chicken” on 45th btw. 8+9th. 

“Due to the price increase of milk, eggs, cheese and butter, we have to raise the price of Macaroni & Cheese to $3.00.  Sorry.” 

Sorry indeed.  The chicken and waffles is now $3 as well (although that seems a little more worth it.  I mean you’re getting a piece of fried chicken AND a waffle.  Is there anything better?)  They make up for it a little by adding a whole bunch of new $2 options, including Bread Pudding, Spicy Jezebel Herbed Tea (from the original restaurant whose kitchen they now occupy), honey chicken, smothered chicken and Jamaican jerk chicken.  And of course each piece of fried chicken is still a buck.  They also have an entrance now, so you don’t have to wait in line in the freezing cold for your food to be put together.

Got any bits and pieces of your own?  Email them to zach@midtownlunch.com