Midtown Lunch

I was surprised to discover Kwik Delights, the most recent addition to the Kwik Meal empire, set up on 36th and 6th Avenue yesterday. That’s quite a ways from its usual spot on 45th and 3rd. The guys working the cart told me they moved last week because another vendor took their spot and instead of fighting with him, they found a new spot. I’m sort of surprised they didn’t hold tight since they’ve fostered that location for the last few years, but this is certainly a welcome addition to this area of Midtown. Even though the original Kwik Meal is just nine blocks north, you can now get your chicken schwarma and quality lamb right here (especially since the price is back down to $9!)

Back in September, we were dismayed to learn that lamb prices had risen so much that Kwik Meal’s famous lamb on rice could no longer be considered a Midtown Lunch. Thankfully, the price of lamb has gone down, putting Kwik Meal back in the game once again. While the prices aren’t what they were prior to the hike, lamb on rice is now $9 and the lamb on pita is $8.  Thanks to Lunch’er midtownCustomer for tipping us off in the forums!

Kwik Meal, SW Corner of 45th and 6th

A year ago Kwik Meal rolled into 2011 by adding Kati Rolls to their menu, an item I personally support on a regular basis (and may single handedly make worth their while to keep on the menu). And it looks like they have kicked off 2012 in much the same way, by offering a new batch of daily specials. Every day they’ve got something different, sometimes chicken biryani, other times shrimp … and also goat biryani! I guess goat must be a less expensive meat than lamb, with the special coming in just under $10. Of course, their famous lamb over rice exceeded the Midtown Lunch budget last fall, disappointing street meat lovers all over Midtown, so I’m personally looking forward to see how goat measures up in taste and texture. Unfortunately, by the time I saw this, I had already gotten my lunch, but I’d love to know if anyone’s checked it out yet!  Early adopters, let us know what you think in the comments.

Kwik Meal, SW Corner of 45th and 6th

Kwik Meal appears to be making a foray into the beef market. With lamb prices on the rise (more on that in a sec), pricing the cart out of ML range for the lamb on rice, I usually go for their chicken kati roll. But today, my eyes wandered, and I saw something I hadn’t noticed before: beef sticks!

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Photo courtesy of @jareddiamond

Is Kwik Meal (on 45th and 6th) no longer a “Midtown Lunch”?!  We don’t know much about the price of lamb, but apparently it’s gone up- possibly as much as $3 a pound, if this sign is to be believed.  If the language seems confusing, allow us to break it down for you… Kwik Meal’s famous lamb over rice (one of the only versions in Midtown that uses real lamb and not gyro meat) is now $11, up from $8, and their lamb on pita is a whopping $10, up from $7.  Kwik Meal was always a bit on the pricey side, and we understand that food costs are what they are, but $11 for a plate of street meat seems kind of insane.  Will you pay?  Or has the original Street Meat Palooza champ just priced themselves out of the market?

On Saturday we gathered together at City Winery with a couple hundred of our closest friends to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Midtown Lunch (yes, we too are surprised this thing has been around for 5 years!)   A great time was had by all thanks to the amazing food (provided graciously by Kwik Meal, The Biryani Cart, Cer Te, Ma Peche, Food Gallery 32, El Rey del Sabor, Tri Tip Grill, Wafels & Dinges, Miss Softee & the Rolling Cones, Kelvin Slush, and Momofuku Milk Bar) and the endless drinks courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery and GuS’s soda.

Check out the highlights, after the jump…

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Kwik Meal has arguably the best (yet priciest) lamb of all the food carts in Midtown. Certainly it’s the highest quality- he uses actual lamb leg meat instead of the processed gyro stuff. It’s tender, flavorful, and delicious, and I always felt like it overshadowed his passable chicken. He uses the dark thigh meat which I sometimes find a bit chewy and fatty.

Well, earlier this week a sign went up on the cart that lists a new menu item called “Chicken Breast Kabob”. Of course as popular as it is with some people, breast meat has problems of its own… the biggest being that it’s often overcooked, dry and bland. But somehow I knew Kwik Meal wouldn’t disappoint.

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It’s hard for me to resist Kwik Meal’s tender lamb over rice. When it comes time to order it’s like I’m on auto-pilot, “lamb over rice, please.” Over the years I’ve heard raves about their tilapia over rice–Lunch’er Dennis even called it “the best fish I’ve eaten in midtown.” With only one more Friday left in Lent, I decided to finally give it a try.

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Hard boiled eggs are a traditional accompaniment with biryani, the popular Indian dish that we know all too well in Midtown thanks to the many halal carts that populate the street. But one famous halal cart that has yet to serve biryani is also getting in on the egg action. Kwik Meal, which has expanded its menu in the last few months to include kati rolls, is now offering spiced eggs.

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When you’re the food blogger in the family you often get co-opted into the food decider role–the person in charge of picking the food outing that the whole family will enjoy. I love introducing people to new foods, but still it comes with a good bit of pressure. Months ago I introduced my husband’s aunt to kati rolls and she’s been raving about them ever since. With my husband’s mother, brother and sister in town it was clear that kati rolls would be on tap and with so many eager eaters it seemed an apt opportunity to embark on a kati krawl. Read more »