Midtown Lunch

“The Arepa Lady”. “The Dosa Man”. “The Dragon”. New Yorkers love their street food… and while most carts toil away in anonymity, there are a few street food vendors that have achieved legendary status. Singled out by magazines, posters on Chowhound and the Vendy Awards, these “destination” carts draw people across borough lines for some of the best food the city has to offer.  Like most of the great food in New York, most of these special carts are outside of Midtown, but there are a few we can brag about.  Hallo Berlin, Daisy May’s BBQ, and of course the Famous Chicken & Rice Cart on 53rd St. & 6th. (The one with the line at 2 in the morning.)

Now, we have one more to add to that list. The Jamaican Cart. While it may take a lot of time for most carts to build up a following, there was a line 15 people long on the second day The Jamaican Cart appeared. Serving up jerk chicken, and stewed meat, word spread quick and the lines never seemed to go away.  Unfortunately, it didn’t take a genius to realize the lines were more from the slowness of the service, than anything else… but it was still a line. And if people are willing to wait 45 minutes for food from a cart, then it must be good, right!?!

What they serve, food porn and a +/- after the jump… Read more »

Tomorrow is the big day.  It is the One Year Anniversary of Midtown Lunch.  On June 7th, 2006, it all began, and the next day my first restaurant posting went up, about Hing Won on 48th btw. 5+6th.  At the time, Hing Won was my favorite place for Chinese food in Midtown.  Authentic Chinese food on the right, Steam Table “Chinese Food” on the left.  The best of both worlds.  Which means everyone in your office can enjoy it- from the guy who only eats Beef and Broccoli to the more adventurous eater, looking for an authentic Chinatown style lunch. Cheap, authentic, fresh, and delicious.

But more than the good food, Hing Won showed me there was a better way to Midtown Lunch.  While other people I knew were eating crappy Chinese food (Manchu Wok, I’m looking at you), my wife had showed me a place that most people in Midtown would ignore (because of the crappy exterior), if they even noticed it at all.  So with much excitement (I’m so busy looking for new places I don’t usually get to have lunch at some of my favorite old places), I returned to Hing Won- the place that one year ago was worthy of being the very first Midtown Lunch.

What I got, and the obligatory food porn, after the jump… Read more »

Medium Size Katsu
Posted to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Group by Roboppy

It’s May 31st, so today is the final day to enjoy any size dish of curry for $5 at Go Go Curry (38th St. btw. 7+8th Ave).  Starting tomorrow, every item will be its normal menu price ($7.00 and up).  On the plus size, you’ll be able to finally take food to go,  and toppings will finally be available, which include Raw or Boiled Egg, Rakkyo (a Japanese pickled shallot), natto (fermented soybeans), or cheese.  PLUS you’ll be able to use those Free Topping Cards you’ve been hoarding over the past month.  But that’s all tomorrow.  Today, it’s $5 curry!

Next Thursday (6/7), Midtown Lunch turns 1 year old- and I can honestly say no restaurant, no article, no food or news has has been bigger on this site than Kati Roll.  I wrote about the “Indian Burritos” the first month of the blog, and that page has been read more times than any other piece on this site. 

In a lot of ways Kati Roll sums up the Midtown Lunch experience.  It’s interesting, delicious (obviously), not too expensive, and most importantly it’s only two blocks away from my work, next to one of the more popular places in Midtown (Margon), and yet most of the people I worked with, had never heard of it.  Kati Roll was and still is a testament to the laziness of most Midtown Lunch’ers.  Every day, on the way to boring soups and sandwiches Midtown workers walk blindly past some of the best food in Midtown, without even noticing.

Well- it took a year, but finally Kati Roll has got some competition.  And it comes in the form of a cart!  For a long time this cart toiled annonymously in Midtown, serving up the typical lamb or chicken and rice- just like countless other carts not really worth mentioning.  I first noticed it a little while back, when they hung a hand-made sign on the front that said “Chicken Biriyani Special”.  I made a mental note, but never found time to go back.

Apparently, it has gotten popular- because now the Chicken Biriyani sign is professionally printed, and takes up most of the front of the cart.  In the past few weeks I had started to get emails telling me how good the Wednesday & Friday Chicken Biriyani (or Biryani if you prefer)special is- so this past Friday I headed over to check it out.  Imagine my surprise and delight, when I discovered the even newer sign selling “Chapati Rolls”, clearly a Kati Roll knock off, just a few hundred yards away from the crowd of people waiting for their Kati Rolls to be ready.

Pics of the new Kati Rolls on the block, and a +/- after the jump… Read more »

Another big window sign went up this weekend…

House of Pita, the Kosher Falafel and Bourakas window on 48th btw. 5+6th is opening a new, larger location in the space formerly occupied by Yoshinoya on 46th btw. 5+6th.  Based on the language of the sign (“Another Location”), one could assume that the original 48th St. location will remain open (although grammar is not the strong suit of many Midtown signs).  They will also be adding Panini and Wraps to the menu, and will offer delivery.

No word on when it will be open, but as soon as I know, you’ll know.  Thanks to smgard for the tip.  If you have any news or tips, email me at zach@midtownlunch.com  

Thanks to tipster Tom J. for pointing out the big news posted on A Hamburger Today on Friday.  Goodburger will be opening a new location on 45th St. btw. 5+6th Ave.

Over the weekend, I dug up a little bit more intel… They were hoping to get the location up and running by June/July but due to some construction setbacks, it is now looking like it will more than likely open July/August.  It couldn’t be in a more perfect location… there are no quality fast food burgers in the 40s on the west side.  I can’t wait for this one!

Not familiar with the goodburger.  Here’s my write-up on the Lexington location from November.

I think 41st St. btw. Madison & 5th might be my favorite block of Midtown.  It’s no secret that I love Asian food, and this particular block is home to three of the best cheap and quick Japanese lunches in the city.  Even though they all serve Japanese fast food, they are all very different- each with its own niche, and price range.  Moderate, Cheap and Cheaper.

I’ve written about the “moderate” Chiyoda Sushi, which serves very creative little Japanese dishes as well as the regular assortment of bento boxes, pre-packaged sushi, and a small selection of rice balls.  It is the most expensive of the three places, and usually not too packed (although they certainly do a healthy business).

Cafe Zaiya, on the other hand, is a mad house.  In the middle in price as well as location on the street, they have a much larger selection of pre-packaged rice balls, bento boxes, and pastries (including Beard Papas!, the cream filled puff pastry).  It’s slightly cheaper than Chiyoda, and there is a larger selection, making it the most popular of the three.

Finally there’s Yagura, the bastard child of 41st Street.  Unmarked (the sign is propped up sideways against the wall inside the door) and with no windows, Yagura is actually a pretty sweet Japanese grocery store, that happens to sell soups and bento boxes out of a window in the front.  It’s not as bustling as Zaiya, or as nice as Chiyoda- but it’s got one thing that they don’t.  The food comes out freshly heated up.

What I got, and the +/- after the jump… Read more »

I finally made it out to the Midtown branch of Mandler’s Sausage Co. which finally opened a few weeks ago (after numerous delays).  I love it when new places open in Midtown, and it’s especially gratifying when that new place is a transplant from a better lunch’ing area of Manhattan.  If Midtown is good enough for the Mandler family, than maybe it will be good enough for Mamoun, or David Chang or any of those people who make cheap Banh Mi in Chinatown!

And now… for the first time ever- I present a Midtown Lunch +/- in pictures.  Who needs my terrible prose, when you can just see the food for yourself!

THE + (what people who like Mandler’s would say about it)

(+)The selection.  With 11 different kinds of sausages, 12 different toppings, schnitzel, crepes, breakfast and more- there is something for everyone.  There’s also a Kosher sausage, a turkey sausage and a veggie sausage for people with dietary restrictions.

(+)The Mustard Bar.  If you are a fan of the dipping sauce (and quite frankly, who isn’t), then Mandler’s may be your favorite place in Midtown.  A whopping 6 different mustards (plus ketchup and mayo), and it’s self serve- so you don’t have to be embarassed asking the cashier for 17 sauces.  Horseradish, Vermont Maple, Roasted Garlic Dijon, Amber Ale Honey, Three Peppercorn Dijon & Smokey Garlic Dijon.

(+) The combo meals (and side dishes that come with them).  There’s something very comforting about a combo meal.  Even if it only saves you 50 cents (or zero cents, like at some places), I like it when places offer an option that *forces* you to eat more.  And the best part about Mandler’s is the side dishes that comes with the combo meals.  It makes it easier to forgive the $9 price tag when you are getting these sides!  With your choice of sausage, you can get regular fries (seen above)… or delicious zucchini fries! (seen below)

You can also get your sausage with a cheese, zucchini or potato pancake (seen below)

Or the greatest side dish of all time…. after the jump Read more »

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 »

You might be surprised to realize that I have never actually given Sophie’s a proper +/- on MidtownLunch.  There was a mention of the Lexington location months and months ago, the reporting about the new 56th St. location, and then the live-blogging of the Grand Opening, but never a proper page that people could refer to for locations and a real +/-.  So… here it is-  in pictures (the best way to enjoy a place like Sophie’s).

An inside shot of the Lexington location. You have two dining options at Sophie’s.  You can sit at a table and order from a waitress (on the left), or get in the cafeteria style line and order directly from the steam tables.  If you get in the line, you have to take your food to go.  This is especially confusing at the 56th St. location, where the tables are in the very back of the restaurant.  If you want to sit and eat, you must bypass the crowds at the steamtable, and head directly to the back to order from the waitresses.  The menu and prices are the same when you sit and order (but you do have to tip, making it a little more expensive.)

The back of the 56th St. location.

Two plates of food fixing to go out, at the 56th St. location.

More food porn, after the jump… Read more »