The Rafiqi’s on 47th & Madison has raised raised the price of their street meat.  A combo platter is now $5.45.  I’m not sure if this is just this cart or all of them, but I do know that we paid $5 for a combo at the Rafiqi’s on 44th and 5th.  It seems weird that different Rafiqi’s carts would have different prices.  Considering they came in 2nd to last, nobody should care too much about this, although sadly it is probably a sign of more price increases to come.  It joins Kwik Meal as just another addition to our ever expanding Price Hike List.

Speaking of Kwik Meal… 

The famous Kwik Meal empire has gone from 3 carts to 2.  I got a bunch of emails last week asking if I had seen the two Kwik Meal sister carts (Kwik Meal 2 and Kwik Gourmet.)  Kwik Gourmet has returned to 47th and Park, but Kwik Meal 2 is nowhere to be found.  The OG Kwik Meal on 6th Ave. and 45th says that during the summer, they cut back because less people buy the street meat, but the guy in the Kwik Gourmet cart says Kwik Meal 2 is gone for good.  Not sure who is telling the truth, but either way- if you want a lamb pita from Kwik Meal, you’re going to have to settle for the remaining 2 locations for the foreseable future.

Got any of your own news to report? Email it to zach@midtownlunch.com

I’ll complain that charging $10.35 for a burger, fries and soda combo is too expensive, or $11+ for a sandwich is just plain stupid.  But then, over the weekend, I’ll spend twice that amount on an appetizer at one of my favorite restaurants (sweetbreads at Prune?  Hello!).  Value is about expectations and balance.  It is feeling that what you sacrifice in quantity, you gain in quality, and the whole thing works out so that you are charged accordingly.  And while for me, Goodburger and FreeFoods NYC have priced themselves just outside that value threshold, I can’t help but think that a place like ’wichcraft teeters right on the edge.

There is no question alot of the menu will leave you hungry, and feeling ripped off, but with some clever ordering I think you can feel like you had a quality lunch, for an expensive, but acceptable price.  Plus, I love Craft, really like Craftsteak, love Tom Collichio, and even though my first trip to ‘wichcraft, ended with my wife being hungry (and angry we paid so much for such small sandwiches), I vowed to give the place another shot.

Basically what I’m saying is this.  If you are a fat man (like me) and enjoy quantity (like me), ‘wichcraft is overpriced for what it is:  tiny sandwiches that leave you hungry in the belly, and lighter in the wallet.  But if there is that small part of you that occasionally likes to trade a little quantity for quality (mixed in with a dose of celebrity chef), there is a better way to order at ‘wichcraft, to get you out for under $10, and feeling satisfied.

A breakdown of the menu, after the jump…

So right off the bat, let me say- there is no filling sandwich at ‘wichcraft, no matter what you order.  There is no big.  Only small, and really small.  But if you are looking for quantity, there are definitely some heartier choices and they don’t necessarily mean a higher price.

Sandwiches for the Super Skinny (aka Fat Man Beware)…

• Most of the Cold Sandwiches.  If it says that it is on “bread”, it means sliced bread, and sliced bread almost always means small.  You are going to do a little better with “Baguette” or “Ciabatta”, but all of the cold sandwiches on bread are pretty tiny.

• The Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  The Fontina is by far the worst at $9.50.  There is no question that black trumpet mushrooms with white truffle fondue is a delicious combo, but if you are looking for filling, you’ll want to stay away from expensive ingredients like this.  They cost more, but don’t fill you up as much.  The other two grilled cheese sandwiches are tiny as well, but at least they clock in at $5.50 and $6.50 respectively, leaving you a little room to fit some more eats under the $10 cap (a soup or side dish perhaps?).

And now for us fatties… once again realize that none of these sandwiches are going to leave you stuffed- but they are heartier choices than the ones listed up above, and will leave you feeling slightly less ripped off.

• Roasted turkey ($9.50) - Meat is going to be a huge help in getting more full, and they give you a decent number of layers, in addition to a couple strips of bacon, and some avocado- another big plus.   And while the ciabatta roll is not huge, it’s heftier than then the sliced bread.
• Chicken Breast ($9.75) and the Meatloaf and Cheddar ($9.50) - I didn’t get to try these two sandwiches, but I’m assuming the same concept applies as in the roasted turkey sandwich.  Meat = More Filling

• Slow Roasted Pork ($8.50) - You know how I get about pork.  Photo says it all… although the pork sandwich at Sophie’s/Tina’s is a much better value (that thing is ginormous), you may feel better about yourself after the ‘wichcraft one.

For a decent middle ground, go for the hot marinated eggplant sandwich ($8).  Without meat it’s a little less filling, but it’s on ciabatta, so it’s bigger than the cold sandwich options.

In the end, the most filling option may be the soup and sandwich.  $8.50 will get you half a cold sandwich, plus a soup which can be pretty filling (it also comes with two little bread stick cracker things).  But I think the real winner may be to order the $5.50 whole grilled gruyere sandwich, with the $4 cup of soup.  $9.50 + tax, and the most food for your money.

Or you can just do what most people that eat at ‘wichcraft do.  Get a job that pays six figures so you don’t mind ordering two sandwiches, and spending $20 on lunch!

‘wichcraft, multiple locations in Midtown

• Bryant Park Kiosks (40th-42nd St. on the 6th Ave. Side)
• Rockefeller Center Concourse (on the West side of the concourse, near the bathrooms on the way to the Post Office)
• 555 5th Ave. (on 46th St. btw. 5th & Madison)
• 245 Park Ave. (near 47th St.)
• 34th & Broadway (*Coming Soon*)

1.  The history? Pizza is not Italian.  At least not originally.  Started in Greece… no tomatoes… Queen Margherita… colors of the Italian flag… WWII… Italian Immigrants… Pizza Hut… 30 minutes or your pizza is free… Mexican Pizza at Taco Bell.  I covered everything right?

2.  The best pizza in New York?  I don’t even want to start that argument…

3.  Tourists visiting New York eat at the worst pizza places.  How else do you explain the existence of a Sbarro’s in Times Square?  (It still amazes me every time I walk by that place and there are people eating in there)

The list could go on and on.  The simple fact is, I’m not a pizza aficionado.  Don’t misunderstand this for pizza hate… I love pizza just as much as the next guy- I’m just not a connoisseur.  I guess some places are better then others, but I can’t really pinpoint exactly what I love and hate about each slice.  If you’re into that sort of thing, there are plenty of blogs that talk about pizza… and only pizza.

But the truth is, pizza is one of those things that has so many different varieties that trying to determine the “best pizza” is futile… because everyone likes something different.  You’ve got deep dish, thin “New York” style pizza, Sicilian, pizza with tons of toppings, pizza with no toppings, crunchy crust, floppy crust… it’s no wonder people love to argue about this crap.

Anyway, when talking about great pizza in Midtown, one name comes up all the time:   Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck.  I finally went last week to check it out, and found an amazing slice of “pizza” that will find just as many haters, as lovers.

The pictures, +/- and more… after the jump.

I hate reviewing places.  I could easily say “The pizza at Jiannetto’s sucks!  It’s got no cheese!  What kind of pizza has got no cheese???”  Of course that would not only be a disservice to Jiannetto’s, but also to people who enjoy what I have come to learn is “authentic Sicilian pizza”. That’s right.  Sicilian pizza is not just square pizza.  It’s square pizza with little to no cheese.  Bread, sauce, basil, and a sprinkling of parmesan… and if that type of pizza doesn’t make you go “Hey Goober!  Where’s the cheese?”, then Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck is your new favorite spot.

Even if you love cheese (which I do), and can’t imagine a pizza without cheese- it’s still worth checking out Jiannetto’s.  First, they have a pizza oven built into the truck.  A pretty sweet sight in and of itself.  Second, no cheese means you can fully appreciate the sauce.  It may be too sweet for some, but the sauce at Jiannetto’s is meant to be the real star… and even if you don’t want a slice of their pizza, there are other things to order that get covered in sauce.

One of the most popular is the Sicilian Rice Ball (or arancini as it is called in Italian).  I’m a big fan of the rice ball.  Ever since having them in Rome, I fell in love with these balls of rice (about the size of a tennis ball), usually stuffed with cheese and a little sauce, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried.  So delicious.  I can’t be sure, but if Jiannetto’s is any indication- the Sicilian version comes stuffed with cheese, ground beef and peas (almost like the Italian version of Shepherd’s Pie). They serve it broken already, in a tin container with a side order of garlic knots.  For $4, it is the steal of the century.  Unfortunately, they only have a limited amount and they always run out early.  If you want to guarantee a rice ball, call ahead and have them set one aside for you (the guy on the truck said he’ll do it).  The garlic knots were not fresh (or garlicky) but they can be salvaged with a quick dunk in sauce and parmesan.

They also have daily pasta specials, and all the parmigiana sandwiches you would expect from a place like this.  There’s two locations, but like I reported on Friday, the truck normally on Park and 51st got into an accident and is out of commission… which only means the one on 47th is just going to be that much more crowded.

THE +

• It’s from a truck, but it’s made fresh, thanks to their built in pizza oven!
• If you like thin crust Sicilian Pizza (bread, sauce, sprinkle of parmesan) then this is one of the best slices in Midtown
• The crust is delicious.  And so is the sauce… (but some may find it too sweet)
• The rice balls… if you like ground beef and peas!

THE -

• Where’s the cheese, goober?
• The parmesan they do sprinkle is powdered.  This is something you might be able to overlook if your pizza is already covered in Mozzarella… but with no cheese, it’s a little harder to ignore the fact that the stuff is powder.
• The lines.  This place is really popular, and if you don’t go early, you will have to wait.  Call in your order to save a little time… especially for the rice balls and sandwiches.

Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck, 47th St. btw. Madison & Park (on Vanderbilt Ave.), 917-287-7241

(There’s also one on the corner of Front & Wall St. downtown for those of you work around there)