After settling on my “chicken scampi” lunch the other day from the Magdy’s Cheesesteak cart (on Park and 46th), I stumbled across this random sign on what seemed like an otherwise standard street meat cart.  I was super curious, but already full- and vowed to return in my obligatory roll as Midtown guinea pig.  Luckily Lunch’er “Alan” beat me to the punch, and sent along this mini-review:

This Cart on 53rd & Park has been here for a month or two has recently added burritos to their menu. The cart appears to be run by a Mexican couple. For $3 the decent sized burrito included chicken or ground beef, rice, tomato, onions, cheese, hot sauce and sour cream. It was a pretty good burrito considering the options in the immidiate area. Really a great price for what it is, a nice change from your typical halal cart.

The photo of his burrito is after the jump…

Ok, so it’s not the greatest photo in the universe… but you get the idea. This probably is not going to replace the El Rey del Sabor cart (on 60th & 3rd Ave.) anytime soon, but if you work in the area and don’t have to time to trek up to 60th Street this could be a new, interesting option. I will definitely be hitting it up soon. If there are any other early adopters out there, feel free to comment below.

Last July I wrote about “Indian Fast Food“, a cart on Park Ave. & 53rd St. serving up styrofoam trays of Indian food for $4 and $5 (depending on if you wanted the meat).  The cart is super cheap, and great if you work in the area, but with all the Indian choices in Midtown, the quality is not good enough to go out of your way for. Thanks to a tipster, I was informed that there is now another cart serving Indian food for $4 to $5 in styrofoam containers, and it’s popped up on the same block!!!

What this new cart is serving, how it was, pictures and a +/- after the jump…

While it may appear to be new to some, “Indian Food Express” has actually been around for over six months.  The cart was located on 53rd and Lexington, but due to construction was forced to move West on 53rd, putting it within 50 yards of the “Indian Fast Food” cart.  At first glance the carts seem practically identical.  Your choice of a chicken dish or veggie dish, served with rice, dal or chickpeas, a little salad and bread.  If you order the vegetarian dish it’s $3.99, chicken it’s $4.99.

I asked for a combo of both and the lady at “Indian Food Express” was happy to oblige, giving me a scoop of Chicken Tikka Masala (the chicken dish of the day), a scoop of Saag with potatoes (the vegetarian dish of the day), rice, a scoop of chick peas and a piece of chappati (flat Indian bread).  It’s hard to pin down a cart, especially one like this where the dishes change every day, but I think the quality at “Indian Food Express” might be a little better than “Indian Fast Food“.  It was definitely spicier, more flavorful, and most of all the chappati (while not the freshest ever) was much better than the stale pita bread kind of thing I got from “Indian Fast Food”.

But here’s the problem.  When you go it might be totally different.  I’ve heard all sorts of stories about these carts, so keep a few things in mind.  The “Indian Food Express” cart supposedly gives you a choice between naan and chappati.  She didn’t give me a choice, so I don’t know what the naan is like.  Bread is always tough at carts like this, so it very well may be a stale piece of pita bread (just like “Indian Fast Food“).  When I originally posted about that cart, a commenter swore the bread I got was chappati, but it definitely was not- leading me to believe that sometimes that cart has chappati as well.  And according to my original tipster from the area, ”Indian Fast Food” has been serving the stale pita bread that I got on my original visit, more and more these days.  Maybe you have to get their early for the chappati?  Or specifically ask for it?  Not exactly sure…

There is also the matter of the “pickle”.  Listed as one of the items you get with your lunch on the menu, neither cart gave me the Indian relish- or offered it as a choice.  They do offer it to some, but if you definitely want it, make sure you ask for it.  All in all, both carts are so strikingly similar that it will probably come down to what each is serving that day to help you make up your mind.  But based on my two experiences, I have to give the edge to the new cart on the block “Indian Food Express”.  But neither is probably worth walking too much out of your way for… unless you have a severe addiction to carts (like me!)

THE + (what people who like “Indian Food Express” would say)

• Super cheap (you can’t beat a $4-5 hot lunch in Midtown)
• On my visit, the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Saag were more flavorful (and spicier) than the “Indian Fast Food” cart
• Neither cart has fresh bread (it’s a cart), and apparently the bread they serve changes day to day (and depending on what time you get there)- but the Indian Food Express chappati is much better than the “Indian Fast Food” pita thing.
• Great variety (she was more than happy to give me a little bit of everything for $5
• There’s a vegetarian option
• I love eating at carts!!!

The – (what people who don’t like this place would say)

• No matter what bread you get, it’s not warm or fresh
• There’s much better Indian food in Midtown… and worth paying an extra buck or two for quality and freshness
• If you don’t like spicy food, Indian Food Express is spicier than I remember Indian Fast Food being
• Sometimes they will leave out the bread or pickle, and you have to ask specifically for it
• Not worth traveling too far out of your way for

Indian Food Express, Normally at 53rd & Lexington, right now at 53rd btw. Park+Lex

The other day, I ventured out of my way (based on a suggestion from a reader) and tried the Indian food vendor cart on 53rd & Park.  While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend walking too far out of your way to eat at this cart- it could possibly be one of the greatest deals in all of Midtown for anyone who works close to it.

Ordering is really simple.  You have two choices, the vegetarian meal ($3.99) or the chicken meal ($4.99).  Each day, both entrees will change- but the menu doesn’t.  It’s either the vegetarian choice, or the chicken choice.  Both entrees come with rice, dal (lentils), bread and salad (which is just some lettuce).  On the day I was there, the vegetarian entree was mixed vegetables, and the chicken, was Chicken Tikka Masala.

What I ordered, pictures and the +/-, after the jump…

I went with the Chicken Tikka Masala which was served in a styrofoam container with dal, lettuce, and bread (as advertised).  The flavor of the chicken was fine, and not too spicy.  The dal was also fine, and the rice did it’s job as well.  Nothing spectacular, but for $5, it was tasty and filling.

Now for the downfall.  Bread is one of my favorite things about eating Indian food.  I usually can down a whole order of Naan by myself, and lord help me when there’s all you can eat bread at an Indian buffet.  I’m also a big fan of paratha (like the kind at Kati Roll).  What I’m not a big fan of, if a half a slice of plain (borderline stale) pita bread.  Not with Indian food anyway.  Give me a thing of hummus, and that might be ok- but with Indian food, I want the real deal.  I understand as a cart, you may be limited- and maybe good naan or paratha needs to be made fresh, but that doesn’t put the bread in my stomach!

I enjoyed my lunch, and I love eating at carts like this.  It’s fun, and tasty and cheap… but they’ve gotta do something about the bread if they’re going to get me to venture out of my way.  There’s too much good Indian food in Midtown… although in their defense, none of it costs $3.99!!!

I got an order of Samosas as well, which were perfectly fine- but nothing to write home about.  At $1.99, it brought my lunch to a whopping $7.00 for plenty of food.  Good lunch (not great) if you’re on a budget, and work in the area… but not worth traveling too far out of your way for (more then once anyway).

THE + (What people who like this place would say)

• It’s super cheap.  $3.99 for a vegetarian entree, dal, rice, and bread is a steal!
• It’s fun to eat and support carts like this.  It’s a two woman operation… don’t know if they’re there every day, but they seemed real nice, and made you want to come back.
• Different entree every day makes it a nice surprise… you never know what you’re gonna get
• Not too spicy (if you like that sort of thing)
• Great, if you’re on a budget, and work really close

THE – (What people who don’t like it would say)

• There’s much better Indian food to be had in Midtown
• The bread is just a half a piece of pita bread (no Naan or Paratha)
• Only two options
• Not worth going out of your way for
• Not spicy enough (some people like it hot!)

Indian Fast Food Cart, 53rd st. & Park (SE corner)