Midtown Lunch

*Sigh*  Is it over?  Have I finally given in to the pressures of everyday lunch’ing in Midtown?  When Crisp first hung up their sign on 3rd Ave., I figured there was no way in hell I was going to find something redeeming about a place that calls itself Crisp.  From their saying on the wall (“Fast fresh food that syncs your taste with your conscience“) you automatically knew it was going to expensive, and worse case scenario- it would be expensive salads.  (I think between Just Salads, Chop’t and every single crappy generic deli in Midtown, we’re all set on the salads.)

When they finally opened, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that “crisp” actually referred to falafels, and the place was more like a midtownified pita pocket and hummus bowl kind of place.  Not terrible, but certainly nothing to jump for joy about.  With so many great (and mostly cheap) falafel places to choose from in this area, why do we need a place where the cheapest falafel sandwich is $6.75- thanks but no thanks. 

But then something happened.  I tried it.  And I have to say, despite my brain urging me to show hate and disapproval- there is one sandwich at Crisp that I think I can fully get behind.  Read more »

I promised I wouldn’t cry post about all the price increases, because there were just too many, and it is starting to sound like a broken record at this point… but some things are much bigger than a Price Hike List (which I put up on the left hand Navbar on Wednesday).  For example- the $1 slice of pizza, which is hands down, the cheapest Midtown Lunch there is.  Well, I’m sad to report that Z Deli on 8th Ave. btw. 48+40th has upped the cost of their slice from .99 to $1.49 (a 50% increase!!!), leaving 99 Cent Fresh Pizza (one location on 43th btw. Lex+3rd, and one out of bounds location behind Port Authority)  and the Prince Deli (on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th) as the only two remaining purveyors of the $1 slice of pie in Midtown.

The Z Deli slice was barely worth $1, I can’t even fathom anybody paying $1.50- but more importantly, what will 99 Cent Fresh Pizza do if the cost of flour, and cheese continues to rise.  Shut down, or change their name?  Either would be incredibly upsetting…

Photo by Kayoko from Umamimart

The plywood has come down at Crisp, the- not as generic as I expected it to be- sandwich/salad place, on 3rd Ave. & 43rd, and they are open for business.  Far from being another Chop’t or Just Salads, the all vegetarian menu (which can be seen on their now live website) consists of salads (of course), pita pocket sandwiches, hummus bowls, and a nice selection of homemade teas.  It’s typical Midtown prices, with everything on the menu ranging from $6 to $10.75, but a few things on their website stand out enough for me to want to check it out:

• Their pita breads are baked from scratch every few hours on premises
• Their fresh made teas sound really good (with flavors like lychee, ginger/peach, & apple mango)
• Some of the ingredients they use in the sandwiches I could be down with… like mango curry, eggplant, goat cheese, and pomegranate dressing
• I won’t eat salads, but a hummus bowl with mango curry or roasted eggplant sounds pretty damn good
• Everything they serve is organic, when possible, and always delivered fresh daily.  Plus they change their oil every 24 hours, and they only use eco-friendly, recycled materials

Is there potential for anger and disappointment?  Of course, but I can’t help but get excited when new places open in Midtown, and this one looks alot more promising than we initially gave it credit for.  Full +/- coming soon… and for you early adopters who can’t wait to check it out, please post your thoughts in the comments.

Crisp, 684 3rd Ave. (btw. 43+44th), 212-661-0000

Official Website: http://www.eatatcrisp.com/

If you’re looking for a St. Patty’s Day Midtown Lunch, there really is only place to recommend…  The Blarney Stone on 3rd Ave. btw. 44+45th.  An Irish Bar, to be sure, but not one of those typical Midtown pubs, where the food is mediocre, overpriced and served to you by a waiter.  It’s a dive in the best sense of the word, with a bar on the left, steam table/grille on the right, free for all wooden tables in the back, and some of the cheapest, most delicious lunch food in Midtown- no menus required.

When I first wrote about the Blarney Stone in January of last year, it was for the burger.  1/2 a lb. of fresh grilled meat, on a gigantic roll for only $4 is easily the best burger deal in Midtown ($6, gets you the works + fries or onion rings), but with the influx of Five Guys, the new Goodburger location , Pop Burger, and standbys like the Burger Joint, I feel like the Blarney Stone is still largely under the radar when it comes to burgers (although you wouldn’t be able to tell from the long lines between Noon and 2pm every day).  The burger is still great, and amazingly they haven’t really raised the prices yet.  But on St. Patty’s Day, a burger may not be exactly what you’re looking for…

Corned Beef porn, and the best onion rings in Midtown, after the jump.  Read more »

Having lived in Boston for 9 years, I am very familiar with the lobster roll.  I’m also very familiar with the cheap lobster roll.  That’s because when summer rolled around, cheap lobster rolls would pop up in the unlikeliest of places.  The most well know was probably from the sub chain, D’angelos.  It has become so popular they now offer three different versions.  And then of course there is the McDonald’s lobster roll.  That’s right.  In parts of New England, you can get a lobster roll at McDonald’s for $6.  Scary. (But still better than eating a Big Mac)

Having a lobster roll at a place like McDonald’s for less than $10 can really make you wonder- “What the hell is in this thing?”.  But a real lobster roll is pretty simple.  It’s just lobster meat served in a hot dog roll.  From there, the argument will begin as to what makes the “perfect” lobster roll.  Mayo or no mayo.  Lemon juice or no lemon juice.  Celery is sometimes added, and often a layer of lettuce can be put under the lobster meat or salad.  Grilling the hot dog bun first, and brushing it with melted butter can’t hurt either.  But there is one thing that everybody can agree on- the more lobster (and the bigger the chunks), the better.  Claws always welcome!

Unfortunately, the more meat in the sandwich, the more expensive it’s going to be.  That’s why a good lobster roll will usually run you $14-18 in New England, with many fancy New York restaurants charging upwards of $25+ for their version.  While some purists would never eat a fast food lobster roll, some of us more frugal diners want to be able to experience that taste, without dropping a ton of money.  So when Cosi introduced their limited time only “Lobster Salad Sandwich”, I was pretty excited.

What it looks like, what it tastes like and the mayo filled +/- after the jump… Read more »

Nothing gets New Yorkers going like a good Hamburger post.  You could argue about the best burger forever, and there would never be consensus.  It all comes down to what is most important to you?  Size?  Value?  Quality of meat?  Toppings?  Fries?  Location?  I don’t know what is most important to me.  I’d like to think it’s value, but the Burger Joint in the Parker Meridien is no deal, yet because of the quality of the meat, and the cool “hidden” location, I seem to ignore the price. Prime Burger is one of the older places in Midtown, makes there burger with quality meat, and has a great atmosphere, yet but because you have to order from a menu, and the burger comes totally plain I didn’t like it as much because the value wasn’t there.  When the Prime Burger post went up in September, a lot of people commented on it, pointing me towards “The Blarney Stone”, a place where atmosphere and value come together in a gigantic burger, where the quality may not be good enough for some- but was good enough for me! 

It’s fun to revisit comments and suggestions after trying a place for yourself, and in retrospect they were all right on.  Here are a few of them:

Comment from Alex

I have a suggestion for burgers. Try the burgers at Blarney Stone on 3rd Ave near 45th st. The burgers here are just as good as any joint out there.

This was the first comment… and at the time, I sort of ignored it because it sounded like an Irish Pub, where you had to sit at a table and order from a menu (not really a Midtown Lunch kind of thing).  The Blarney Stone is an Irish Pub, and there are tables- but there are no waiters.  You order from a counter, and then take your food to one of the tables in the back.

Comment from Christopher

Another Blarney fan! FOUR DOLLARS and you get this big, beautiful, burger. Plus, if you throw in the extra .50 for cheese, they don’t skimp, and they never overcook a medium rare request, which is very important.

Two very important details in this comment (aside from the $4 price tag).  First, my burger was cooked a noticeably perfect Medium rare.  Second, they give you a ridiculous amount of cheese.  It’s only 50 cents, and they really don’t skimp.  I don’t know if you can tell from the pic, but the thick white layer above the burger is actually cheese.  I can’t be sure, but I feel pretty confident in saying there could possibly be an unheard of, 2 to 1 meat to cheese ratio. 

The +/-, more comments, and the 2/3 meat, 1/3 cheese burger pic, after the jump…

Read more »

I don’t often eat at (or write about) generic fast food chains, but every once in awhile something will catch my eye, and I just can’t resist.  This blog was practically launched on my reporting about the craziness surrounding the opening of Chipotle in my building.  I also wrote about the one Europa Cafe with a burrito bar, the new oil at KFC, and that weird Wasabi Salmon Bagel thing at Au Bon Pain.  This particular item highlights my weakness for those fast food “Limited Time Only” menu items. 

I think it started back in Junior High when Burger King introduced the first and original Bullseye BBQ Burger.  Man, that thing was awesome.  It seems commonplace now, but doing that cross promotion thing with Bullseye was total genius (I’m pretty sure I forced my mom to buy that sauce for years afterwards).  I remember seeing it on the menu and ordering it for the first time.  Two bacon cheeseburgers, side by side- covered in Bullseye BBQ sauce.  How could it be bad? And then one day it was gone.  Oh boy was I pissed. And yet- even now, all these years later I forget that anger, and get suckered in once again;  falling in love with these crazy menu items that disappear without warning, leaving you wanting just one more taste… (Has anybody had that fried chicken finger wrapped in a tortilla that McDonald’s has?  I really want to try it but I know my wife won’t ever let me live it down)

Enter Cosi.  I was walking by Cosi the other day and noticed a sign in their window for two new sandwiches.  I’ve written about Cosi before.  I know I rail against paying $8 for a sandwich, but for some reason Cosi is the one place I’m willing to do it (I’m pretty sure it’s the bread.  They must put crack in it.)  So when I saw their new Pot Roast Nuevo Sandwich in the window, I was like “I like pot roast!”, and it’s freezing cold.  What better way to enjoy pot roast then in delicious “Only for a Limited Time” sandwich form.

The picture of the sandwich, and the +/- after the jump…

Read more »

Deep in the heart of Midtown, there lies a gem, buried where few are willing to go… alright, maybe that’s not true- it’s just a Cosi, on 48th St.  But surprisingly it’s got no sign or awning sticking out- and despite its closeness to 6th avenue you can’t even see the place until you’re right up on it.  It’s pretty unassuming, and I’ve got to think alot of people don’t even know it’s there.  Even when you walk in front of it, it sort of blends into the building. 

I feel like everyone knows Cosi, and it’s silly to write about it- but the other day, when I returned to my desk with a Cosi sandwich, the guy next to me said “What’s that?” “Cosi” I said.  “What is it, a falafel or something?”.  Yes, people like this do exist.  To top it off this “Hidden” Cosi is on the SE corner of 48th & 6th.  Our office is on the NW corner and he hadn’t ever even *heard* of Cosi.  Pretty unbelievable. 

For those of you who rely on this blog for truly hidden gems, and ethnic delights- I apologize, but every once in awhile I gotta throw the normal eaters a bone.  So, for those who have not been to Cosi, consider this your intro.  It’s not that Cosi is that great… or everybody should know about it- but it’s better then most chain sandwich places, and they owe it all to one thing: the bread.

The bread at Cosi is delicious, and if you go during peak time (i.e. lunch) it’s about as freshly baked as you can get.  After spending some time in a wood brick oven, the bread comes out, is sliced, and passed off to be stuffed with the toppings of your choosing- minutes after coming out of the oven.  The bread is so good, they give out little hot free samples in a bowl that sits in front of the wood brick oven.  It’s a great treat while you wait in line to order- plus there is nothing more fun then watching Midtown suits take two and three pieces of free bread out of the bowl (you know who you are people).  Good times.  Also, if you haven’t been to Cosi in awhile they’ve added a fresh baked wheat bread option- so now you have the choice between standard or wheat.

My special Cosi creation, a list of not so hidden locations, and the +/- after the jump… Read more »