Midtown Lunch

On my wanderings for Midtown Lunch, I kept passing by this unmarked truck that always had a line. What were people lining up to eat? One of those times, I noticed the Jamaican flag flying above the truck and finally pieced it together. I’m not sure why it’s now unmarked, but this was the Jerk Pan truck that ML last reported on in 2011… and I learned some very, Very Important Lessons about lunching from a truck (or cart).

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This has been a tough few months for anybody who likes eating from food trucks, but the most recent crackdown in Midtown East has hit me particularly hard because I just discovered the Jerk Pan Truck! And it pains me to think that they might be forced to leave their current spot (48th & Park).

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With the Vendy Award nominated Jamaican Dutchy cart on vacation for another two weeks, Midtown Lunch’ers are being forced to get their jerk chicken fix elsewhere these days.  Caribbean Spice (on 46th and 6th) has always been an ok substitute, but I thought it might be time to suck it up and brave the line at the Jerk Pan cart on 48th and Park. Much like the Dutchy when they first opened back in 2007, Jerk Pan popped up back in July and instantly had a line that seemed to move at a snail’s pace.  The menu (and wait times) were clearly meant to be modeled after the Dutchy, but is the food as good?

I finally got a chance to check it out on Monday, and boy am I glad I finally did.

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Posting the news this morning that the Jamaican Dutchy cart was going on vacation for three weeks made me hungry for some curry goat with rice and peas.  So I walked over to 48th and Park to try out the 4 month old Jerk Pan cart, only to discover that it was gone!?  Anybody know what happened to them?  If you do, let us know in the comments.

Also missing was the Steak Truck, which apparently has decided to try out some new spots.  Today they were in the Bronx.  (In fairness to them, we were warned.)  This all comes on top of last week’s news that the Trini Paki Boys carts are going to be gone for a bit while they sort out their permit issues.

Anybody have any good news to share?

Looking for something new and different for lunch today? The Jerk Pan cart (on Park Ave. and 48th Street) is now doing red snapper on Fridays.

Related:
Jamaican Me Crazy: New Jerk Pan Cart Hits Park Ave.; Caribbean Spice Changes Name

Fresh off my failure to procure an early lunch from the Eggs Travaganza cart, I decided to walk a few blocks south to the newly opened Jerk Pan cart (on 48th and Park.)  Their menu is pretty much identical to the Jamaican Dutchy’s (on 51st and 7th), which is not a surprise considering that I heard they consulted with the Dutchy for advice before opening their cart. And the menu isn’t the only thing that seemed familiar.  By 12:05pm, the line was already starting to form down the street, reminiscent of the early days of the Jamaican Dutchy cart.

We can joke all we want about people from the islands taking thing slow, but this is ridiculous. At least the Dutchy has beefed up their service in an attempt to speed things up a little bit. I only saw one guy working the Jerk Pan cart, and it took about 3 minutes to serve each person. I gave up pretty quickly (what can I say… fat man can’t sit in this kind of heat for 45 minutes waiting for Jerk chicken.)  I do really want to try this new cart.  Next time I’m going to get there at 11:30am… a lesson all the people in line ahead of me clearly have already learned.

Related:
Jamaican Me Crazy: New Jerk Pan Cart Hits Park Ave.; Caribbean Spice Changes Name
The Jamaican Dutchy… a Midtown Cart on Island Time

Yesterday, Lunch’er Dan sent word about a new Jamaican cart parked on the SE corner of 48th and Park called the Jerk Pan. Not sure how long it has been there, or whether or not it will still be there today. He forwarded along a menu that looks very similar to the Jamaican Dutchy menu- complete with patties, coco bread, small and large portions of jerk chicken, oxtails, curry goat and more. Plus mini-meals, sorrel drinks, and rum cake.

Check out the new cart’s complete menu after the jump…

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