I was planning on eating at the newly opened Lan Sheng yesterday (on 39th btw. B’way+6th), but found myself drawn instead into Madeline’s- the very good catering company/lunch spot on the same block that I wrote about last April.  I won’t lie, a specials sign touting a steak sandwich probably wouldn’t have registered a reaction;  but a “Korean BBQ Steak Sandwich” and I’m in. (What can I say, it’s not just Asian soups I’m addicted to.  It’s Asian everything.)

At $6.50, the sandwich is just like everything else at Madeline’s- slightly cheaper than you would expect.  In Midtown, where overcharging is considered part of the accepted economic landscape, it’s refreshing to find a place that makes you feel like you’re getting a good deal without sacrificing quality.  It’s why I love Madeline’s so much, over other similar places, serving the same kind of food.

It’s always going to be a crap shoot ordering ethnic food at a generic deli/catering company specializing in American fare, but I was pleasantly surprised.  The beef was nice tender slices of bulgogi, sauteed with mushrooms, peppers and onions, and served on a nicely toasted ciabatta roll. Think of it as a hot steak sandwich, with a slightly sweet Korean bbq flavor, and you won’t be disappointed.  Ask for it spicy, and the guy cooking the bulgogi on the mini electric griddle behind the counter will give the meat a nice squirt of sriracha.  It makes for a pleasant burn that builds as you make your way through the sandwich.  You can add cheese (I think mozzarella) for 50 cents, but the Italian style mushrooms, onions and peppers were as a far as I wanted to stray from traditional bulgogi.

With Koreatown only 7 blocks away, a bulgogi sandwich from a catering company could have easily ended up being a tough sell- and I’ve been burned by bulgogi sandwich in the past.  But Madeline’s nails it with this one, and I would definitely go back for another (and another.)

Related:
Madeline’s is a Signifant Upgrade from Six-0 Catering

39th Street btw. 5+6th has been a hot bed of activity over the past month.  Colbeh, an out of the ML price range Glatt Kosher restaurant, moved into much fancier digs across the street, there’s a new sushi restaurant open called Soi, and Szechuan Gourmet (on 39th btw. 5+6th) might have some new competition.  Lan Sheng, a new “Szechuan” restaurant, is set to open across the street from SG in the next week or two.  They are undoubtedly hoping to get some of the overflow from the always packed during lunchtime Szechuan Gourmet, and based on their menu it looks like the food could go either way…

On one hand, they have some interesting looking Sichuan style cold dishes like ox tongue and tripe in chili sauce, spicy beef tendon, sliced conch in chili sauce, and diced rabbit w/ chili sauce (!?!)  But unlike Szechuan Gourmet, who offer some of their specialties as lunch specials, Lan Sheng’s lunch specials menu is made up of the standard Americanized Chinese food.  They do, however, offer “small” versions of their main courses which are all under $10- including fatty or lean Sichuan stir fried pork, home style pork tripe, shredded beef with cumin, and ma po tofu.

Lan Sheng, 60 W. 39th Street (btw. 5+6th), 212-575-8899

I don’t know the exact history of Six-0 Catering on 39th btw. 5+6th, but it has been around for as long as I can recall.  In fact, I still remember the first time I walked by the place, and was intrigued by its sign touting Mexican food- from an American looking catering place.  It was a complete dump, and the day I walked in was practically empty- save for the one guy behind the counter who told me “we have no burritos today.”  Since then, Six-0 has undergone a massive transformation (both physically and existentially.)  Before they seemed like catering company, that happened to serve lunch food if you hit them on the right day.  Now, under their new name Madeline’s, they seem like a Midtown lunch place that also happens to do catering.  And I was kind of surprised at how good and cheap all the food was.

After that first burrito fail, I’ll admit I never made it back to Six-0.  About a year later, Danny from Food in Mouth emailed me to ask me if I knew about the place.  He had tried the burrito (when it was still Six-0), and from his description I didn’t feel like I needed to rush over and check it out.  It took this comment from Lunch’er Stephanie two weeks ago to get me to finally check it out:

Have you tried Madeline’s (formerly 6-O) on 39th btwn 5th and 6th? They have delicious Burritos, good salads and a great selection of hot specials. Everything is inexpensive, definitely under $10 and the portions are a nice size.

And boy am I glad I did. They did a pretty amazing job of cleaning the place up, and as Madeline’s they are definitely putting more focus on their lunchtime offerings. They have hot food specials every day, and $6 gets you one entree (like roast chicken or meatloaf) plus two sides (string beans, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, etc.) The Mexican food is still being offered, with options like burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and fajitas ($4.25 to $7.95), all made fresh to order. Or if you’re willing to take one of the pre-made burritos wrapped in tin foil on the steam table, it’s only $5 (chicken or veggie.)

Not into the pre-made food, they have a menu of sandwiches, salads, wraps, and burgers- plus sliders ($6.50) and a “crabby patty” (crab caked sandwich for $6.95).

I went with the pre wrapped chicken burrito (what can I say, I’m a cheapo) which I really liked, but definitely isn’t for everybody. It’s made with Mexican yellow rice, which almost seems pre-mixed with the cheese and refried beans, making the inside very sticky and dense. It could also be partially because it is pre-made, but I have a feeling that is the way they turn out even if you order it fresh. It’s more like Taco Bell than Chipotle, but you can tell the ingredients are fresh, and it comes with multicolor tortillas chips plus a really delicious fresh red salsa. It’s not the best burrito you are ever going to eat, (or even what I would call “authentic”) but for $5 it would be really tough to complain.

Also had to get some hot food (mostly because I wanted to try the mac and cheese.) For $6 we got baked chicken, string beans, and (of course) the mac and cheese. It’s a really good amount of hot food for six bucks, and showcased one of the reasons a catering place is better than a generic Midtown deli. Catering places know how to make food that is going to sit out for an hour- but still be good. The chicken was moist, the string beans were not mushy and overcooked, and the mac and cheese was really tasty. Their version is more macaroni than cheese, but it had a distinct flavor that came from whatever cheese they used (it wasn’t the standard yellow American cheese.)

But the thing that I love the most about Madeline’s is the prices. This place could easily be another typical generic Midtown Lunch option… but by making everything just a little bit cheaper than it feels like it should be, it makes you want to go back again and eat your way through the menu.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Much nicer interior than before
• Everything is just slightly less expensive than it could or should be
• Good steam table food if you are in a hurry, or you can order things to be made fresh
• Good salsa
• I like my burritos a little dense… Taco Bell style

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• The type of food they offer is the same as most generic Midtown delis
• The Mexican food is more like Midtown deli Mexican than El Rey del Sabor Mexican
• It seems like the rice, beans and cheese are pre mixed, making the burritos too sticky and very dense

Madeline’s (formerly 6-0), 60 W. 39th Street (btw. 5+6th), 212-391-2500

Ferris Bueller Likes Me

OMG!  Did you know that when celebrities listen to you, it validates your opinion? I wonder if Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick read Midtown Lunch? (They don’t, but they should.)  Two weeks ago the NY Observer spotted the couple outside of what they thought might have been Szechuan Gourmet, a popular Midtown Lunch spot given two stars by Frank Bruni in the New York Times.  Yesterday it was confirmed by US Weekly (yes, I read my wife’s copy of US Weekly):

During dinner with friends at Szechuan Gourmet, a low-key Chinese restaurant, the Sex and the City star [Parker] and her hubby [Broderick] noshed on braised beef, fish fillets, sliced pork belly and crispy fried lamb. “They were very nice,” owner Cheng Zhong Huang tells US. “It was their first time here, and they were having a good time.”

What are you talking about low key?  Clearly US Weekly has never been there at 1pm on a Wednesday.  Surprisingly this isn’t the first time Sarah Jessica Parker and Midtown Lunch have collided.  She told Grub St. last year that she loves street meat, and her favorite cart is on 55th & 6th Avenue. (Btw, nice ordering.)

I walked by Curry Dream Indian Buffet on 39th btw. 5+6th the other day, and noticed something interesting:  it was kind of packed.  I guess this wouldn’t be such a huge surprise, unless you knew a little bit about Curry Dream. I first wrote about this place in March of 2007, back when it was still one of the only under $10 Indian buffets in Midtown (they’ve since raised their prices.)  It was ok for the price, but nothing I would have traveled far out of my way for.  One commenter wrote that the restaurant might be a little dirty (roaches were mentioned, but this is all heresay).  Despite the comments, the restaurant still quoted Midtown Lunch (sort of) in their newspaper ad.  Very exciting stuff.

Needless to say, I haven’t been back since- and most of the time the place seemed fairly empty… that is until last week.  I walked by during lunch and it was pretty hopping, despite the fact that they raised the price of the buffet at the beginning of the year.  This could mean a few things: A) I’m on crack.  The place was always crowded, I just didn’t notice.  B) It has gotten a lot better since I first visited a year and a half ago.  Or C) people love paying more for things.  Could it be that a higher price buffet gives people a greater sense of security that their food is clean?  What do you think?  Has anybody been lately?

With all this in mind we rushed over to Grand Szechuan for lunch yesterday, mere hours from the time that Bruni’s accolades were made public, super curious over what we would find. Pandemonium? Sub par food from a cocky overwhelmed kitchen? Mass hysteria? As I walked up 39th St. I noticed a few people with dejected looks on their faces carrying take out menus back to their office. Not a good sign.

At 12:30 the wait for a table was 30 minutes, and the scene was pretty hectic (although not much different from a normal day around 1pm.) Tons of take out orders were being picked up, and I heard it mentioned that the phones had been ringing off the hook all morning. Oh right… take out orders. You don’t have to wait for a table, you can just call ahead and pick up your lunch. Maybe things are going to be ok.

But on this day, we decided to wait- and for that patience we were rewarded with a meal that confirms Szechuan Gourmet as hands down the best Chinese restaurant in Midtown. Bruni or no Bruni. From 11:30 to 3:30pm SG offers a lunch menu where everything is $6.95 to $9.95, but I would recommend going to withas many people as possible, and mixing up some lunch specials with some of the Szechuan delicacies and appetizers (most of which are well below $10.) This way you can sample a ton of stuff, but still keep the tab under $10 per person.

The lunch special comes with your choice of soup, and to answer the commenter from yesterday- the wontonsoup is excellent. Seriously. While most places give you dish water, you can tell that this soup (actually, bothsoups for that matter) was made with some serious time and care. The broth is outstanding, and has a barely noticeable kick- getting you ready for the pain to come.

In addition to the two lunch specials we ordered two appetizers off the Szechuan Delicacies menu:

The Chef’s Sichuan Pickle ($3.95 $4.50**) was amazing. Very lightly pickled and super spicy, I could tell this would be a nice complement to some of the more greasy dishes we would be getting later. For $4.50, how can you not?

Thin sliced beef tendon w/ roasted chili vinaigrette ($7.95 $8.95**). I remember the first time I heard about Szechuan Gourmet. It was from a co-worker named John who told me about this amazingly authentic Chinese food restaurant witha special “hidden” Sichuan menu where you could find all the good stuff. Duck tongue, jelly fish, thousand year old eggs, and most importantly beef tendon. Seeing as how much I love the sauteed beef tendon at Sake Bar Hagi (48th btw. 6+7th), I knew that this would be my favorite dish at SG. Sort of like a slightly rubbery proscuitto, the beef tendon is cut paper thin and served cold, covered in an oily hot dressing. If you are even mildly adventurous, I would definitely recommend this dish.

On to the two lunch specials…

Braised Ma “Paul” Tofu with Chili Minced Pork ($6.95 $7.40**) or as I like to call it- lake of fire. Don’t let the funny typo fool you, the guy who invented this dish was certainly not named Paul. This thing tasted exactly the way it looked. So spicy, but so freaking good. I usually prefer my tofu to be fried, but the ground pork made up for it- that and the fact that I could only eat a few spoonfulls before my face burned off. (Note: My face didn’t actually burn off, and in retrospect people who love super super spicy foods may not find this as hot as I did. I’m just a wuss. A very-sweaty-at-the-end-of-the-meal wuss.)

Double cooked Sliced Pork Belly w/ Chili Leeks ($6.95 $7.40**). Also know as “the star of the show”. I’m guessing that this is the most ordered lunch special on the Szechuan Gourmet menu (and I’m not just saying that because it’s listed first.) Is there anything better than good pork belly? Half meat, half fat- and the SG version is cooked so perfectly. Not too crispy but not too mushy. The perfect middle ground, and if you like leeks (giant green onions) than you’re really in for a special treat. I could eat this every single day for lunch.

A good amount of food for four people, the bill with tip came out to $42 (50 cents apiece over the Midtown Lunch price limit, and worth every single penny), but you can definitely order differently and come out with more food for the same price. Either way, there is no question the more, the merrier.

By 1:30pm there were open tables, and no wait, so clearly I probably overreacted. And if you don’t want to wait to have a later lunch, there is always the take out option. It looks like we’re going to be alright… until they raise their prices.

Today’s +/- is pretty easy… keep in mind, these aren’t the goods and bads. It’s more like a how to determine whether or not you’re going to like this place…

The + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• “I love spicy authentic Szechuan cuisine, and want to eat the best version Midtown has to offer”

The – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• “Do they have beef with broccoli?”
• We will also accept “I don’t really like spicy food” a correct answer.
• And… “What’s pork belly? That doesn’t sound good to me.”
• Oooh, there’s also… “I ordered the sweet and sour chicken, and don’t see what the big deal is.”
• (This really could go on forever and ever…)

Szechuan Gourmet, 21 W. 39th St. (btw. 5+6th), 212-921-0233

** I double checked my receipt and realized that the prices on the dine in menu (which I paid) are more expensive than the prices listed on the take out menu. Sorry for the confusion.

In the past two months alone, the New York Times has discovered numerous Midtown Lunch’ing favorites.  There was the Treats Truck piece, and the mention of the Jamaican Dutchy cart, plus the under $25 review of Sophie’s Cuban.  But this… this is much much bigger.  Midtown Lunch’ers have know about Szechuan Gourmet, on 39th btw. 5+6th, for awhile, but now the secret is officially out.  Frank Bruni awarded the Chinese restaurant 2 stars in this mornings New York Times.  Not a fun little piece about our favorite sit down Chinese restaurant in Midtown.  Not even an under $25 review (amazingly lunch is still under $10).  A full fledged, rate it like you’re eating at Le Bernardin, New York Times review.   Two mother-fucking stars. That is some crazy shit.  A Midtown Lunch people!   

Back in March I wrote about how much of a madhouse the place had become during lunch.  I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like now.  As long as the lunch menu stays under $10 I’m not gonna be mad…

Related:
The Best Chinese Food Dishes in Midtown… As Picked by You
The Most Offal Lunches Midtown Has to Offer

Al Baraka, Midtown’s best only Turkish buffet, is now Kanaat Turkish Restaurant.  The chef, food and lunch buffet are exactly the same, but it is now $10.95 (up from $9.95 before).  The lamb shanks are still on the buffet, so it’s worth the extra buck, but the current trend of lunchtime price increases worries me that soon all buffets will need special exemptions to be included in the Midtown Lunch’ing price range.

Another popular buffet that has broken the $10 threshold, after the jump…

Curry Dream, the Indian Buffet on 39th St. btw. 5+6th has also raised the price of their all you can eat buffet from $9.95 to $10.95.  For Indian lunch buffets under $10, there’s still Kashmir on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th, and the West Tandoori Club on 37th btw. 7+8th both still sitting pretty at $9.95.

In the end, as long as the lunch buffet at Spice Fusion (8th Ave. btw. 47+48th) remains at $9.95 I won’t go into panic mode.  Hopefully winning best Indian Buffet in the 2007 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll won’t go to their head.

When Kati Roll lost their lease, and was forced to move from 46th St. to 39th St. (btw. 5+6th), it was at the peak of Midtown Lunch popularity.  There were long lines to order, 20+ minute waits for your food and it even spawned two copycat carts down the street (only one of them survived).

Now, 4 months later and in their new location, the lines are gone.  The crowds, nowhere to be found as the new Kati Roll waits for the lazy, set in their ways workers in Midtown South to discover them for the first time.  One thing that hasn’t changed, is the food, and if you work near the old Kati Roll and don’t have time to walk the extra 7 blocks to the new location, they now offer delivery.

The minimum order is $20, but they told me if you got above $15 they would probably do it.  The delivery area is from 30th St. to 50th St., between Lexington & 8th Ave.  They’ve also added a new, and fairly strange take out menu- for those who are not so good at reading. 

Check it out after the jump…

So weird, and mildly off putting- and yet I can’t pull my eyes away from it.  It should clearly be an entry on Suicide Food, a website dedicated to advertising where cute animals encourage people to eat them.  I’m all for knowing what animal your food comes from, but for some reason- this menu strikes me as a little creepy.  And yet, I want to frame it and hang it up in my apartment. 

One thing I don’t understand is why mutton was spared the humiliation of having a cute little baby lamb advertising the delicious Shami Kebab rolls.  Perhaps Kati Roll sides with the Simpsons.  Mutton is lamb Lisa, not A lamb.

To order delivery from Kati Roll, call 212-730-4280, or get off your lazy ass and visit them on 39th St. btw. 5+6th Ave.

While some might think Halal means “Chicken & Rice from a cart”, the actual translation just means permissible under Islamic law.  While it is usually used to describe food, the word can actually be applied to anything.  Haraam is the term used to describe things that are forbidden under Islamic law.  Certifying meat Halal has to do with how the animal is slaughtered, with blood and pork being 100% forbidden.  The rules dictating what is halal are very similar to the Kosher laws, although the two terms are definitely not interchangeable.  Seafood is up for debate as different sects interpret the Koran differently.  While most agree that fish is halal, some Muslims feel that shellfish is haraam, because they are bottom feeders, and the Koran strictly forbids eating predatory animals. 

That being said, I am not Muslim, and if a cart wants to throw some fried shrimp on top of that plate of chicken and rice, I’m all for it!  What I got, a +/- and cart porn after the jump… 

My wife remarked that based on the photo, this could be considered the Middle Eastern version of the garbage pate… and I think she might have something there.  Normally they serve a combo with Chicken & Shrimp for $6.00, but I asked if I could try the lamb and chicken (with shrimp of course, since that’s why I was there in the first place).  They were super friendly, and happily gave me a little bit of everything.  He even threw in a falafel ball, and charged me the same $6.

The variety at this cart is pretty great.  They’ve got three different kinds of rice to choose from (Rice w/ Lentils, Yellow Rice & Yellow Rice with veggies in it), and they have salad and a sauteed onion mixture.  The lamb and chicken were as good as any cart in Midtown, and they had the requisite white and red sauces, but the real clincher is the fryer.  Fried shrimp and french fries are a huge bonus for fatsos like myself.  Neither were the best I’ve ever had (obviously), but give me the choice between a chicken, lamb & rice plate with french fries and fried shrimp, or without french fries and fried shrimp- I’m going to go with the “with” every time.  Pile it on!

Now if only I could find that kosher falafel stand that serves roast pork…

THE + (what somebody who likes this place will say)

• It’s your standard chicken or lamb & rice stand… with the important addition of fried shrimp and french fries!
• A lot of variety
• They seemed more than willing to let you make your own combo of items for $6 (but that price is not guaranteed.  They might have just been in a good mood that day…)
• Surprisingly, I didn’t have any “problems” associated with carts like this, later in the day (also, not guaranteed)
• I like fried shrimp!

The – (what somebody who doesn’t like this place will say)

• It’s not the best chicken or lamb and rice you’ll ever have
• It’s not the best french fries, or fried shrimp you’ll ever have
• There’s no way I’m eating fried shrimp from a cart.

Halal & Seafood Cart, 39th & 5th Ave.