Midtown Lunch

I hate people.  Maybe hate is a strong word… but I don’t really like talking to people I don’t know.  That can be a positive and a negative when it comes to Midtown Lunch’ing.  On one hand, I can just get it in and out of a new place- eat my food, and take a few quick pictures, without getting influenced by a super nice cashier, or an overzealous manager trying to sell me on what they have to offer.  It can be all about the food!

On the other hand, if I asked a few questions and made a few friends I probably would get some useful information about the place I was writing about.  Here’s a perfect example of how a little friendliness will go a long way.  A few weeks ago I wrote about the fried calamari sandwich at Tuscan Square Marketplace.  I wrote that it was a good sandwich, but a little pricey ($9)- and only available on Tuesdays.  It also could suffer a little bit depending on when you got there- because the sandwich comes pre-packaged and you don’t know how much time has passed from fryer to counter.

The sandwich came recommended to me by Joann, a woman who works with my wife-  but the sandwich I ate, and the sandwich you might have eaten on the Tuesday after I wrote about this, was not the same sandwich she eats.  She gets a special sandwich.  And that sandwich is available any day she wants it.  And I’m pretty sure her sandwich has more calamari.  How does she do it?  She’s nice.  And she made friends with someone who works there.  And here’s the best part… you can have that sandwich too!  The “special” sandwich, and how to get it- after the jump. Read more »

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There are no shortage of expensive sandwiches in Midtown.  Lenny’s, ‘wichcraft & Cosi have designed entire franchises around them, and all the upscale delis have followed suit.  Some use fresh baked bread to trick you into thinking it’s worth it, some use fancy ingredients, and some just jack up the price because it’s Midtown, and quite frankly- where else are we going to go?  It’s half the reason why I don’t even bother writing about most delis (that and the by the lb. buffets, which are always dangerous for us fatties.)

Occasionally though, I will come across one of these expensive sandwiches that deserves mention.  Something so unique or delicious, that maybe- just maybe it is worth that expensive price tag.  The Fried Calamari Sandwich at Tuscan Square just might fall into that category.  It’s actually a very simple concept, but most of my lunchmates couldn’t quite grasp it at first (“fried calamari what?”).  That’s right.  Fried Calamari, between two pieces of bread (hence the term sandwich).  Genius!!! 

A picture of the sandwich, and +/- after the jump… Read more »

City 75 is not usually the type of place I eat at (or write about), but after last week’s Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Andre said it was home to the best Philly Cheesesteak in Midtown, I figured I should check it out.  City 75 is like an upscale version of all the generic delis in Midtown, but with one difference…  If you make it through the girly overpriced fancy buffet by the pound in the front- there is a pretty spectacular “Man Bar” in the back left hand corner.  Naturally the Philly Cheesesteak was there, along with burgers, fries, onion rings, pizza and grilled sandwiches.

Now, before you email me with “I’m a woman, and I eat at the ‘Man Bar’!!!”, I want to say this- I’m sure a lot of you women eat at the “Man Bar” in City 75- but you also read this blog… and those two things put you in the minority of Midtown Lunching Women (When I say “most women”, I’m talking about your annoying co-workers.  If they are not reading this blog, they clearly have no taste in food).  The simple fact is this… if the “Man Bar” wasn’t there, most men would not set foot into City 75 (it’s way too fancy, and expensive).  And if the rest of the place disappeared, and City 75 was only the “Man Bar”, and nothing else, most Midtown Lunch’ing women wouldn’t eat there.  It’s the perfect blending of the two that makes a nicely dressed business woman (with every intention of eating a salad) willing to eat a steak and cheese sandwich, and a guy like me willing to eat at a place like City 75.

Pics of the food, and a +/- after the jump… Read more »