Midtown Lunch

Photo by seraphim1970

Thanks to Gen from Foodies R Goodies for passing this info along.  Naruto Sushi, the take out Japanese place on 49th btw. Mad+5th is now Shinbashi 49.  Operated out of the back of the upscale sushi restaurant of the same name, Naruto was originally designed to be its own separate store, with its own management.  The owners decided that wasn’t working, so now it’s being run by the same people who run Shinbashi on 48th btw. Mad+5th.

I may be on crack, but it looks like there may have been an improvement in the quality of the rice since I wrote about Naruto.  I didn’t try anything, so I don’t know for sure… but if you work in the area, and are looking for decent take out sushi, you could probably do a lot worse than this place.  If you check it out, feel free to comment below.

And for more photos, check out Gen’s post at FoodiesRGoodies

Ever since the news hit that the Malaysian chain Sakae was bringing conveyor belt sushi to Midtown, I’ve been in the mood for raw fish.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about Kikku, a sit down place on 55th btw. 5+6th that is considered one of the best cheap sushi options in Midtown, and of course there was my trip to Mitsuwa in New Jersey this past weekend.  But the quest for good, but cheap sushi in Midtown continues. 

Logic (and basic economics) tells me that it’s impossible to find good and fresh raw fish, in a 100% takeout setting- that doesn’t cost over $10.  But I refuse to give up.  Kikku and Taki have established themselves as decent and cheap sit down sushi meals, but I want sushi you can grab and go.  Right now that kind of lunch is dominated by Midtown Delis, the last place I want to be eating raw fish from.  Enter Naruto Sushi, a brand new exclusively take out place on 49th btw. Madison and 5th that is hoping to be the solution to my cheap sushi problem.

Why it is, and why it isn’t as part of a gigantic +/- with photos, after the jump… Read more »

When I write about a Midtown Lunch, it is supposed to be quick, easy, usually something different or interesting- and most of all cheap.  Burger Heaven is not really any of these things, but a little while back I found myself eating lunch there with my wife and a bunch of her co-workers.  I had never been there, but judging from the crowds it is pretty popular.  Apparently there are a lot of people in Midtown who find things like a waiter, a chair, and proximity to their office more important than price and value.  (These people all make more money than me.)

But, sometimes you have to sacrifice to have a fun lunch with friends, or a big group of co-workers…  and Burger Heaven is a perfect place for that.  Despite the price, there is something for everyone, and room for big parties, if you get there early enough.  They must be doing something right, because Burger Heaven has been around for 60 years, and now has 5 locations in Midtown.

The burgers are actually similarly priced to the other places in Midtown ($6.25) before you start adding stuff like cheese and french fries (and tax & tip), but I ignored all this in favor of the Patty Melt- my favorite kind of hamburger, and a stand out on any menu.  The Patty Melt is pretty basic when you think about it… it’s just a cheeseburger on rye bread with grilled onions- but difficult for many places to make, because you need rye bread, and a griddle- something that many of the new specialty burger places don’t have (Burger Joint, GoodBurger, etc.).  So for a good old fashioned Patty Melt, you need a place like Burger Heaven.

The Patty Melt, and +/- after the jump… Read more »