And here we are, the fourth Friday in Lent. You can do it Catholics, two more to go! We’ve covered some of the fried fish options, but what if you gave up fried things (Brownie!) or have been sick enough that someone (Zach!) told you that if you’ve called in sick to work on Wednesday, you shouldn’t go have burgers off a truck as a sick-day lunch. Well, then it would be Asian vegetable soup time.

Lucky for me I work by 45th between Lex & 3rd, one of the best soup blocks in the city. Closer to Lex is Menchenko-Tei, your 2009 Winner of Best Japanese Soup. It might be the most upscale of the soup joints on the block, but it also has the better ambiance and quality. Lately, I’ve been partaking in the Vegetarian Menchenko which toes the ML line at $9.50. But this isn’t your ordinary bowl of noodles… the broth is a kelp seaweed based miso, the noodles are cooked in a cast iron pot (still to perfect al dente like when Zach visited oh so many years ago), and the fresh vegetables are more plentiful than usual. It’s the broth on this that really makes it a winner, its vegetable-based giving it a lighter, more subtle taste then most Asian soups we’re used to. And it’s not too salty like 99% of the broth in this city. I know, you guys probably like salty, but I’m a lady and too much salt can take me from “okay” to “muffintop” in no time. Controlling your salt level is a plus in my book. For $9.50, you get a decent size portion, I usually can’t eat it all and end up staying pretty full through the afternoon. So if you think eating a vegetable soup brings you closer to Jebus, you should pick this up.

For the more lenient types, the ones who think “well, if I choose to be ignorant about the base of the broth then it’s not a sin,” you can walk down the street to Oms/b. Oms/b has been serving udon for at least a year now… it’s not the best in the city, but it’s $6, made to order, has respectable udon noodles, and is full of these vegetable/”carriers of nutrients that will make me healthy for St. Patty’s Day” things. The most likely meat-based broth is also lower on the sodium side, but if you’re looking for an amount similar to a bowl of ramen from Menchanko-Tei, Men Kui Tei, or Sapporo, you’ll be disappointed. It does look comparable to sizes at Udon West (there isn’t currently an under $10 vegetable udon at Udon West.) If you were to go with this option, I’d supplement my Lenten Lunch with a few rice balls or some edamame to help me get through the afternoon. Or I’d walk back up the block to Menchenko-Tei.

Menchanko-Tei, 2 Locations

• 131 E. 45th St. (btw Lex & 3rd), 212-986-6805
• 43-45 W. 55th St. (btw. 5+6th), 212-247-1585

Oms/b, 156 E. 45th St. (btw. 3rd & Lex) 212-922-9788

Related:
Friday During Lent? It’s Time For Cheap Fried Fish Sandwiches!
The Friday Guide to Midtown Lent

I walked by Oms/b (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd), the small Japanese rice ball specialist, the other day and noticed this sign. I have partaken in their delicious omusubi on many occasions, but never noticed that they had Udon (oden, yes, but not Udon). I’m guessing this isn’t new (because it’s on their printed menus), and I really like how you can get a special combo with Udon and 2 rice balls. Has anybody tried it?

Their sushi, on the other hand is definitely new (or, at least, no more than a few months old), and I’m sure it’s perfectly fine… but why would you opt for sushi, when you can have oh-so-delicious rice balls!

The blog Hungry Travels points out the horribly amazing logo of the Oriental Noodle Shop on 45th btw. Lex+3rd.

I’m waiting for the P.C. police to come storming in and shut the place down. That’d be a shame, because if you ignore the mildly offensive logo and name, you can get tasty noodle dishes and noodle soups here at reasonable prices, especially for midtown (lunch will run about $7-$10). I especially like the thick, almost chewy texture of their pan fried noodles.

After last weeks (still going in the comments) debate about the Trini Paki Boys Cart (on 43rd & 6th) I shudder to think of what people are going to say about this.

Oh man.  What are we going to do?  Has it really come to this?  Since Yum Thai closed last year, I have been seriously Thai deprived.  Sure, there are options available- but none are really “Midtown Lunch” worthy (i.e. there is no super cheap, order at a counter Thai food in Midtown.)  If you want Thai, you’re going to have to eat it at a sit down restaurant, or order it to go and take it back to your office.  There are plenty of options to the far west, but not much going on to the East, which is what brought me to Thai-Nam last week; a Thai/Vietnamese combo restaurant on 45th btw. Lex+3rd.

What I got (after ignoring the various red flags) after the jump… It doesn’t have to be said, but good Thai food would be very welcome in this part of Midtown.  Good Vietnamese food would be welcome as well.  Put the two together, and it becomes infinitely less likely that either of the two cuisines are good.  That’s the first red flag of Thai-Nam.

The second came when I considered ordering off the Vietnamese menu.  I love bun (the bowl of Vietnamese noodles topped with meat, spring rolls, cilantro, bean sprouts, and nuoc cham.)  A perfect lunch, that’s what I’m looking for in a good Vietnamese restaurant.  The lunch special bun at Thai-Nam doesn’t come with any kind of meat (or shrimp.)  It’s entirely vegetarian, and costs $9.25.  Uh… I think I’ll pass.  Let’s order off the Thai menu.

Red Flag #3.  Soup arrives, and the broth tastes like a Chinese wonton soup broth.  This Thai/Vietnamese combo is probably owned by Chinese people.  Isn’t New York amazing!  Here’s the rest of what we got:

“Pad See Yu” on the left, Penang Curry on the right. In case you are wondering, yes- the one curry they offer on Mondays is a watered down red curry named after a city in Malaysia (the lunch specials change every day.) Both were satisfactory, but nothing I’d go back for.

The pad thai was also fine (although I hate when they put lemon the plate. Is lime that much harder to get?) 

It’s official, I have wasted way too much time on this place.  Thai-Nam is at best acceptable, and the search continues on.  On the west side, this problem is semi-solved by Pongsri (48th btw. Bway+8th), or an out of bounds walk to 9th Avenue, which is home to some of the better Thai restaurants in Manattan (Pam Real Thai & Wondee Siam.)  Even Nanking on B’way btw. 50+51st is better than this place. 

If you work in the area, and must have Thai, this place is edible- but I think Midtown Lunch’ers can do better. This is getting pretty desperate.  If you’ve been to this place, and can recommend a dish, I’m all ears (we only tried three of the Monday dishes, and the lunch specials change ever day.) Or any other ideas for the east side?  Please post them in the comments…

Thai-Nam, 137 E 45th St (btw. 3rd+Lex), 212 867-8222

Today, around lunchtime, Africa Action sponsored a Darfur Rally to force the US to act against the genocide happening in Darfur, when we take over the Presidency of the UN Security Council on June 1st.  In order to keep the sidewalk clear in front of the building that houses the soon to be President’s office (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd), the police forced the protest across the street, in front of Hop Won!  Seems like a bunch of BS to me.  The office building that houses people who should rightfully be inconvenienced by this noble cause can’t be bothered, but feel free to block me from getting to the best sauteed udon in the city!  What crap…

Walking around on the East side on Monday, I discovered something exciting.  On 45th btw. Lex+3rd, there is a Hing Won East.  It’s called Hop Won, and by looking at the takeout menu- you would never be able to tell the difference between the two places.  The even have the double sided ordering counter.  Right side is the steam table, left side is the real stuff!  With Menchanko Tei and Maharaja right next door, this is becoming a pretty formidable block.

My (not surprising to anybody who has eaten at Hing Won with me) lunch, after the jump…

Despite an enormous littany of choices, and the experience of being at a kind of new place- I still couldn’t bring myself to waver in my order.  Sauteed Udon with Pork.  It’s just too damn good, and the version they serve at Hop Won is practically identical to the one they serve at Hing Won (the pork is sliced a little differently, and the veggie choice varies).

Walking out, I saw a Szechuan pork dish, and a fried scallop with garlic and green chilis dish that made me ashamed that I didn’t order something new.  Maybe next time.

Hop Won, 139 E. 45th St. (btw. Lex+3rd), 212-661-4280

Yesterday, I was very disappointed to get this email & photos

Hi there,

Menchanko on 45th at Lex – BIG FAT YELLOW NOTICE:

“Closed by order of the Board of Health”

Yikes!

I suppose it’s about time.  It has been almost a year since a Midtown Lunch commenter posted this:

I have always liked this place, but today I found a dead cockroach in my rice bowl. They had the nerve to give us the bill. There has to be the last time I pay for a cockroach lunch.

I don’t care what anybody says.  I still love the place.  Maybe I’ll just stick to the 55th St. location and their 26 (two points below passing, and no mention of vermin, as of June ‘07).

Close-up of the dreaded yellow- after the jump…

Thanks to Stacey H. for the tip and photos.  Do you have Midtown Lunch news, info, or incriminating photos?  Post them to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Page, or email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

Menchanko-Tei has two locations in Midtown (one on 45th btw. Lex & 3rd and the other on 55th btw. 5+6th) which have a few differences, but are essentially the same.  They both have a small front room with a bar, and they both have a second small room… the one on 55th is in the back, the one on 45th is an upstairs balcony.  Much like Sapporo & Men Kui Tei, you have to get there early or you are going to wait.  By 12:30pm, both locations are full.

But enough about the similarities.  The differences that set Menchanko-Tei above the fray, more food porn and the +/-, after the jump…

Menchanko-Tei’s real advantage is the options and quality of their menu… and that starts with their signature “Menchanko” Noodle soups (which I think translates literally as “mixed noodles”).  The noodles are slightly thicker then the ones you get at most ramen places in NYC, and they are cooked perfectly al dente.  There is nothing worse then mushy noodles in your ramen… and these are good enough to make some Italian chefs jealous.

In addition to the slightly thicker noodles, the Menchanko comes with chicken, shrimp (with their heads still on), a salmon ball, tofu, ricecake and vegetables (mostly spinach, bean sprouts and cabbage) all in a very hot cast iron bowl.  The rice cake is very thick, so it had a strange, overly chewy consistency that you don’t get with the thinly sliced oval rice cakes… but other then that it was great.  The broth was was rich and deliciously salty… but still light enough to be able to drink the whole bowl.  At the 45th st. location they had regular spoons… but on 55th they had these pretty sweet big spoons that were a lot of fun to eat with (you can see it at the bottom of the picture below).

They make 11 different versions of their Menchanko… so there is something for everyone.   You can get it with miso, spicy miso, or sesame miso.  You can also substitute things for the chicken & seafood, like just vegetables or you can get it with shrimp, pork, or beef.  There is a curry Menchanko which I’d be curious to try, and a Kimchi Menchanko (the regular Menchanko, filled with spicy korean cabbage that turns into just plain cabbage as the chili seeps out and turns the broth red and spicy).  The downside is they are a little more expensive then the soups at Men Kui Tei & Sapporo, ranging from $8.95 for the original, to $14.95 for the seafood Menchanko.

Not into the Menchanko, or looking for something cheaper… they’ve got all the standards including Hakata Ramen (pork broth with simmered pork slices) and Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce broth with simmered pork slices) which are only $7.75.  The simmered pork slices are actually pretty amazing (sort of like thinly sliced brisket), and I was really disappointed that they didn’t come in any of the Menchankos, although you can add them to any soup for $4.50 (a little too pricey for me).  The best deal is getting one of these two soups in a combo with a rice of the day (for $8.75 if I remember correctly).  The day we were there, it was rice topped with spicy tofu.  Not that spicy, but still pretty good…

We didn’t try it, but they also have Oden, which is an old school, traditional Japanese dish of assorted ingredients very simply stewed in a kelp based stock.  You order them individually, and they have boiled eggs, tofu, fish, daikon, salmon balls, fish cake and more- with prices ranging from $1 to $2.50.  You can also get an assorted “Chef’s Choice” combo of 5 items for $8.50.  I will definitely be checking that stuff out in the future… it looked really interesting sitting on top of the bar.

THE +

• The slightly fatter, perfectly cooked Menchanko noodles, and the amazingly flavorful broth set this place slightly ahead of Men Kui Tei (and Sapporo). 
• A ton of variety… different items that you can’t necessarily get at the other ramen places
• Very authentic

THE -

• Both spaces are slightly bigger then Men Kui Tei, but they fill up just as quick.  Even getting there before 12:30 doesn’t guarantee you a seat without waiting.  Going alone and eating at the bar will definitely increase the probability of not waiting.
• The shrimp in the Menchanko still have their heads on… I could see some less adventurous people not being into that
• The price… you get what you pay for- and some of the things are a little more expensive, especially if you start adding things to your soup- like sliced pork or extra noodles.

Menchanko-Tei, 2 Locations

• 131 E. 45th St. (btw Lex & 3rd), 212-986-6805
• 43-45 W. 55th St. (btw. 5+6th), 212-247-1585

How could you not?  It’s a perfect name for this place.  Say what you want about grammar, reading the name, you understand what kind of restaurant it is.  During lunch, the food is all in steam plates, so it’s “hurry”, and a lot of the food is pretty tasty (I’m not going to vouch for all of it).  Maybe it was meant to be “Hurry and Taste THE Curry” but the guy who made the sign heard them wrong.  To add to the confusion, Menupages has two listings for the place, at the same address (133 E. 45th St.), Maharaja (which gets four stars) and Hurry & Tasty Curry (which gets 3 1/2 stars).  As far as I can tell, the owners of Hurry & Tasty Curry used to own an Indian restaurant on 44th St. called Maharaja (which was half a star better then the only place they own now- which is on 45th St. and has a giant awning that say Hurry & Tasty Curry). 

Who knows… but either way the sign says everything you could ever need to know about this place.  It’s fast, tasty and it is clearly authentic (because these people are too busy making good Indian food to care about English grammar).

What they’ve got, pictures and the +/- after the jump…

I didn’t think much of this place walking by it.  The food is all in steam trays behind the counter in the back, and you can choose from any number of combo platters served from 11am to 4pm.  All the combos come with basmati rice, green salad & nan.  The sign on the counter says the combo comes with papadums as well (delicious chips made from lentils), but I think you have to specifically ask for them.  $5.99 will get you 2 veggie choices.  $6.99 will get you Curry or Tandoori Chicken and 1 veggie option, and $7.99 gets you Chicken Tikka Masala or Lamb curry with 1 veggie option.

I went with the lamb curry and one veggie option.  I’m a big fan of lamb, and their lamb curry looked pretty good.  For veggies the choices were dal (lentils), saag (spinach), cumin potatoes, or eggplant.  I usually love saag, but I have found that most saag at cheap Indian buffets and take out restaurants in Midtown is watery- so I went with the eggplant, which turned out to be an excellent choice.  The lamb was also much better then I expected… which is really the key to enjoying any cheap Midtown Lunch.  Keep your expectations low, and it’s hard to be disappointed.

The one thing that lived down to my low expectations was in fact the saag.  I tried my friend’s saag, and it was watery.  You probably would want to stay away from it anyway considering the current state of spinach affairs (although this saag tasted like it was made from canned spinach).  The naan was a big enough piece, and tasted good enough.  If you order the combo, make sure to hit up the fridge along the left hand wall.  Inside is where you get your raita (yogurt sauce), green sauce and free salad.  They also have little cups of diced onion, and hot peppers if you like your food spicier.

All it all, it was a great lunch.  More expensive then the Indian Cart on 52nd & Park, but the quality of food is better (and you get naan).  Some days the few tables they have are full, so you may have to take it to go- but other days I’ve seen the place practically empty.  It’s a crap shoot.  If you work in the area, and are looking for good, cheap Indian food that’s both “hurry” and “tasty”- look for the awning and you won’t be disappointed (provided your expecations are not that high…)

THE +

• Like the awning says, it’s fast and tasty
• It’s reasonably cheap for the quality of the food
• It’s not the greatest Indian food you’ve ever had, but if you keep your expectations low, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

THE -

• There are similar places in different areas of Midtown that are better (Minar), and buffets that are not that much more expensive (Rangole)
• There’s an Indian Food Truck on 53rd and Park where you can get the same vegetarian combo for $2 less (but they serve chappati instead of naan as the bread)
• It’s small and seems a little dirty

Maharaja aka Hurry & Tasty Curry, 133 E. 45th St., 212-682-7963

The truth is, I write about places to eat lunch in Midtown every week, and some I even talk about like they’re the greatest ever.  But you know, and I know- they’re not REALLY the GREATEST ever.  They’re just good for Midtown.  That’s why almost every one of my postings is qualified with “This is not the best ___________ you’ll ever have, but it’s good enough for lunch in Midtown”.  Well- finally I can say I found a “This IS the best ____________ you’ll ever have”, IT’S IN MIDTOWN- and it’s called Oms/b.  Very exciting indeed. 

But don’t get too excited…  I’m not saying EVERYBODY will like the food at this place… there will be a +/-, just like every lunch I write about- but there will be no qualifier for Oms/b.  It’s pretty simple… if you like this kind of food, for this kind of price, in this kind of atmosphere- this will be YOUR NEW FAVORITE PLACE!  Don’t work in Midtown?  Toss the kids in the car, we’re going for a ride… because if you’re into it- this place is worth the trip (and not just from 49th st & 6th ave.)

Now that I’ve totally overhyped this place- check out the pics, the menu and of course, the +/-, all after the jump….

Oms/b is short for Omusubi, or to put it into English, a Japanese rice ball.  They come in many shapes and sizes, and can be stuffed or topped with things like spicy tuna, salmon, shrimp tempura, eel, seaweed, edamame, etc.  Some are triangle shaped, and wrapped in seaweed, others are round balls of rice, topped with something delicious.

Initially you may think it is like sushi, but there are some major differences.  First, there is no raw fish in any of the Omusubi I’ve seen here (I’m not sure if traditionally it can have raw fish- but here in New York, I’ve only seen it with cooked things, or vegetables).  Second, unlike Sushi, Omusubi is meant to be entirely portable, and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or a snack. 

It seems like these little rice balls are poised to become pretty popular in New York City.  I first saw them at Cafe Zaiya a few months ago, but since then they seem to be popping up all over the place… especially in take out sushi restaurants.  While I enjoyed the spicy tuna omusubi I had at Cafe Zaiya, Oms/b takes it to the next level.  The rice is fresher, the ingredients are better, the selection is larger and the presentation is pretty amazing.  As you know, I’m not big into describing how food looks, and I don’t think I ever talk about things like presentation- but man, when you walk into this place it’s pretty sweet.  All of the rice balls rolled up in a row is a pretty beautiful sight…. (does that make me a wuss?)

Alright… you get the picture- now onto the helpful information:  What and how to order?  Here’s the thing, Oms/b is pretty intimidating.  There are a lot of options, and it’s tough to order on your first trip.  Not to mention, it’s a pretty small place, so if you go after 12:45pm, there tends to be a line; and that line of people is not interested in waiting while you decide.  So with that in mind, I suggest doing as much research as you can before getting there, so you’re prepared.

The most popular option is SET A (from the set menu).  It includes any 3 rice balls you want plus soup for $7.50.  Initially, this seems like a great idea, because you get to choose whatever you want- but this option is only good if you are going to get what I refer to as the “big money rice balls”.  These are the ones stuffed with eel or shrimp or meat of some kind.  These are over $2.00 ala carte, and make the SET A worth it.  If you are interested in the vegetarian choices, it might be cheaper to order ala carte.  Look at the prices of the rice balls you are interested in before making your choice.

SET B is the vegetarian option, and the cheapest set menu.  3 vegetarian rice balls, an appetizer (which is pickled vegetables of some kind) and soup.  The set is pre-made, so you don’t get to choose- but if you are thinking of going all vegetarian, this might be the easiest and cheapest way to do it.

The Special Set is 3 rice balls, and appetizer (the same seaweed salad), and soup for $6.50.  Once again you don’t get to choose which rice balls you want, but it’s $1 cheaper then set A, and you also get the pickled vegetables.

In the end, as appealing as the Sets are, if you don’t care about the soup, but you really want to choose your own rice balls, it might be better to order ala carte.  But if you are looking for a deal, and don’t care so much about choosing, Set B & the Special Set are the way to go… and if there is a rice ball that looks particularly good- get it in addition to the set.  Your meal will still be under $10.

So to help you decide, here is a list of the top 10 omusubi, as posted on the wall of the restaurant: 

1. Spicy Tuna (it’s actually cooked tuna- like tuna fish-so if you’re expecting sushi, you may be disappointed)
2. Shrimp Pop Corn
3. Salmon (also cooked)
4. Eel
5. Lobster Salad
6. Salmon Roe
7. Shrimp Tempura
8. Football Rice
9. Hijiki
10. Cod Roe 

ONE IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you are used to stuffing your face (like I am), 3 rice balls and soup is probably not going to fill you up.  For this I have a few suggestions: #1. Get the Deluxe Set… or as I like to think of it- the “fat guy” Set.  4 rice balls, 4 kind of appetizers, and pickles, for $9.99.  If that seems like overkill, or too expensive, just add a few more things to your 3 rice ball SET.  An extra rice ball, or one of the appetizers.  They have all sorts of delicious things, like fried chicken, dumplings, tofu nuggets and croquettes.  Both ideas will still mean a lunch that is around $10.  Not the cheapest ever, but still in the reasonable range.

There are a few more important things in the +/-, so be sure to read it before rushing off to stuff your face with rice balls.  If the + outweighs the -, venture forth- because I can honestly say “This is the best omusubi place in New York City… it only happens to be in Midtown”

THE + (what people who like this will say)

• You’ve obviously got to love rice.  80% of what you are eating is rice… so if you don’t really enjoy rice, you might not be into it
• They are freshly made, and the selection is great
• The presentation…. they are pretty sweet looking 

THE – (what people who don’t like this place will say)

• Not a good value.  It’s mostly rice, and there’s not a ton of filling in each ball.
• I’d rather eat sushi.  There’s no raw fish.
• Not a lot of food.  After three rice balls, and some soup, I’m still pretty hungry. 
• The restaurant is really small and cramped.  There are very few tables to sit at, and they are not the most comfortable, so either get there early, or expect to take your food to go.
• Did I mention it’s a lot of rice?  If you don’t like rice… skip this place (seems like a no-brainer, but some people…

Oms/b, 156 E. 45th St. (btw. 3rd & Lex) 212-922-9788