The out-of-bounds Leon Bakery (9th Ave. btw 47+48th), one of the greater Midtown area’s premiere purveyors of tamales (not to mention their selection of baked goods), is currently closed for renovations. From what I could see of the interior, the changes are extensive and the space will probably look much different. As long as there is still a barrel of tamales in the back, I’ll be happy. One of the workers told me they should reopen in the next few weeks. Can’t wait!

I’ve had Shih Lee on my radar for a while now but can never seem to make it over to their pretty far out of bounds location on 45th btw 1+2nd.   But finally the other day I had to run some errands around 2nd Ave and decided to use it as an excuse to finally hit up this fast food Chinese steam table place. We know that their noodle soups are pretty damn good but I was more curious about their lunch combos.

It seems like the last time fellow Lunch’er Kayoko reported on Shih Lee, the price for a combo lunch (2 items and rice) was $7. Oh but guess what? It is now $6.75! A whole quarter less. (Or maybe she rounded up in her report? I guess we will never know!)

While in line, I was going through their lunch menu options and noticed they serve tripe and beef tendon. Sadly there was no on that day tripe but they did have beef tendon, so I went with that, ox tail and rice.

The Chinese way of preparing tendon is my favorite way to eat it. Braised in a mixture of sugar, soy sauce and ginger and cooked till tender and smooth. The version from Shih Lee did not disappoint. It was soft and delicious, and the taste of ginger helped cut through the heaviness of the sauce which was great on the rice.

The ox tails were excellent as well with big chunks of meat barely falling off.

Shih Lee may be out of bounds (way way out of bounds) but it’s definitely worth the trek. So far it’s the only Chinese restaurant in the area I know that serves beef tendon and tripe (when they have it) for lunch..

Shih Lee, 311 E 45th St (btw. 1+2nd), 212-867-0318

First the good – during the weekdays, they run $6.95 lunch special of a protein of your choice over rice (white or yellow) and beans (pinto or black). They also had a commendable variety of dishes available – pork ribs, a fish curry, two different styles of stewed beef, and two different types of stewed chicken, all served out of gleaming clean hotel pans.

But the food, for the most part, was bland and lacked ‘oomph’. And as it was, my pork ribs were dubiously diminutive and sinewy tough. On the other hand, there was enough gravy present to cover up some of the mistakes, and it made for a nice moistening binder for the flat-tasting rice and beans. A side of hot sauce (only served upon request), had about as much heat as an R.A. Dickey knuckleball. Although the $6.95 plate of food is a fair deal and more than filling, the food on paper is much more interesting than in reality.

For the lunchers relegated to the far west side, OUT will certainly fill the void for those craving a cheap plate of Latin food. However, I’d recommend that the rest of you stick to a tried and true taste of Latin food at Margon or Sophie’s/Tina’s.

Out Latin Food, 710 9th Ave (btw. 48+49th), 212-246-0867

Turkish food is a mystery to me. I know my Chinese food, I know my Japanese food, I know my Italian food but if you ask me what sort of food they serve in Turkish restaurants, I would draw a blank (or I would just check the internet). So to change that I decided to go eat at a Turkish restaurant.

The (apparently very opinionated) Chef and owner of Sip Sak, Orhan Yegen, recently opened a new spot called Bi Lokma (on 45th btw 2+3rd). It’s a tiny Turkish restaurant with a very ambitious menu for a where all the food seems to be made in advance. There are soups, salads, desserts, over a dozen appetizers and over a dozen main courses. And the best part about the menu is that almost everything on it is under $10 with the exception of 3 items.

Trying to figure out what I wanted to eat was no easy task. I found myself staring (for a long time) at the menu. I seriously could not decide what I wanted to eat, they all sounded so good. Lamb doner platter, chicken kebab, baked lamb meatballs, baked chicken with vegetables, musakka, oh mine.

Bi Lokma is a fast causal restaurant. You walk up to the cashier, place your order, pay, grab a seat and wait for your food. All of the foods are already prepared so the server (on the day that I went it was the chef himself doing the plating) simply needs to scoop the foods onto the plates and serve them. Quick and simple. Also there’s a basket of bread on the counter that is self-serve- and who doesn’t like free bread?

I ended up ordering the lamb doner platter (I think Zach will be happy to know that the lamb was cooked on a vertical spit, thumbs up!) For $9.50 you get a tin box with lamb doner, rice, a side of red cabbage, bread (not in photo), cacık and a tomatoey sauce. I have to admit, it’s not a lot of food for $9.50 and I was still hungry after I finished it. But it tasted really good especially when you mix in the cacık and tomato sauce. The lamb was great and the rice was light and fluffy.

Not really satisfied with the platter, I made a return trip and got the lamb doner gyro ($7.50). This here was a different monster. Just a little shorter than my forearm, the gyro had only 2 things in it the flatbread and the lamb doner. If you are the kind of person that thinks that vegetables are usually just in the way this gyro is for you. Nothing but tender delicious lamb wrapped in a soft and warm flatbread.

Meat meat meat nothing but meat.

Ultimately it is slightly on the expensive side (or maybe I’m just a pig and that platter is actually enough for 1 normal person) but they have so many things to choose from- and from what I have eaten, the food is fantastic. I think it’s worth the extra steps out of bounds to try it. And for the cheap people (like me) since you pay in the beginning you don’t need to leave tips.

The + (What somebody who likes this would say)

• Pretty quick at getting my food.
• Glad there is no veggies in my gyro.
• Meat on a spit, can’t go wrong with that.

The – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• It’s a little too expensive for the amount of food you get.
• I’ll just stick with street meat, thanks.
• I’m sorry but I like a balance of veggies and meat in my gyro.

Bi Lokma, 212 E. 45th St. (btw. 2+3rd), 212-687-3842

Ask the simple question, “Where’s the best Mexican food in New York City?” and you’ll likely be met with exasperated sighs, an eye roll, and the fierce proclamation that New York Mexican cuisine could never in a million years rival that of California’s (at least until California is swallowed by the Pacific). Part of me agrees. I’ve had the pleasure of eating at the clapped out taco trucks in random parking lots around Salinas and Fresno, CA – gleefully shoveling down $1.50 tacos meant for the local day laborers, now being elbowed out by DSLR toting hipsters.

But we shouldn’t be so self depreciating, for there’s perfectly acceptable Mexican to be had at Tehuitzingo Deli and Grocery (10th Avenue between 47th & 48th st) – well out of reach of Midtown, but accessible for the lucky lunchers that work on the western edge of Midtown, or those with very lax lunch breaks (they also deliver as far east as 6th ave).

Over the years, the blog-o-sphere has caught on to Tehuitzingo’s culinary refuge, despite its unassumingly modest storefront, earning words of praise from Grubstreet, the guys at Immaculate Infatuation, or our very own Philadelphia correspondent, Jamie (back when she worked in Midtown West). Despite being ‘outed’, they’ve kept their heads down and stuck to a menu of street food favorites, divided into quesadillas, sopes, tortas and tacos of various flavors.

They cook their tacos with simple honesty and integrity. Walk towards the back of the grocery store, past the dry goods, the coolers of Jarritos soda and Dos Equis, and place your order with the lady manning the small counter. Pick a filling, perhaps a braised heap of luscious and pleasantly funky goat meat ($2.75), and they slap it onto two warm corn tortillas, sprinkle a bit of cilantro and onions, and present it without any unnecessary flourish. The way it should be done. Add a squeeze of lime and a swipe of their homemade salsa, take a bite and you’ll remember why you schlepped to BFE for a taco.

The single menu item that gets me hustling over to 10th Ave (or call up Tehuitzingo on speed-dial) are their tortas. At $6, it’s a hefty sandwich, with crusty and fresh rolls wrapped around your choice of proteins – ham, chicken, salted beef, chorizo, and the like. My go to is the torta de pollo, which comes as a fistful of tender chicken, melty fresh quesillo, an appealing smear of avocado and fiery hot pickled peppers. This $6 sandwich reliably leaves me with a few beads of sweat on my brow from the spice, thoroughly full, and rapturously happy.

It may not be the best Mexican food in the States, or even New York for that matter, but for being accessible to the Midtown luncher, it’s pretty damn good. Great even. With that reality in check, cast aside the self-consciousness and roll with what you you’ve got – that is, Tehuitzingo is arguably the best Mexican food near Midtown, and definitely worth a visit.

Tehuitzingo, 695 10th Ave (btw. 47+48th), 212-397-5956

Part of my weekly produce pick-up at the slightly out-of-bounds Dag Hammarskjold Plaza involved checking up on the little house on the 1st Avenue side. A former home to burgers and shakes, it changed hands in the fall with signage going up that promised a new place called  “Eat & Go Istanbul”. The last we’d seen of Eat & Go was in Bryant Park during the ‘09 holidays, and I was a little excited to have a new place to try out in Midtown East. Obviously there are bonus points for the park location (spring will be here, one day.)

When I finally got the chance to pop inside, I was underwhelmed by the menu. Most of the columns involve normal American foods: Gyros, Tuna, Cobb Salad. I disregarded those sections of the menu and went for something I’d never heard of before, Sucuklu and Yengen. Sucuk/Sujuk is Turkish sausage that reminded me of salami or pepperoni, while yengen apparently means that it comes with cheese. I couldn’t figure out what kind of cheese this was, I was told Yengen, but it tasted similar to a provolone or gruyere. In essence I was eating the Turkish take on the prosciutto and mozzarella panini. For $5.75, the price seemed about average for what I was getting.

Dessert-wise, Eat & Go is serving some damn good baklava. At $1.50, you get a square of their fresh pistachio baklava, a sweet treat that’s hard to find good examples of. The phyllo was flaky, the filling super nutty, and it was all soaking in delicious honey syrup. This little square is just enough, anymore and it would get cloying within a few bites.

Eat & Go Istanbul, Dag Hammarskjold Plaza

It was a sad day when Piece of Chicken closed: The last vestige of the New Orleans style restaurant Jezebel. The small take out window provided west-siders with $1-2 fried chicken, livers, collards, waffles and mac & cheese. It was a godsend after a few pitchers at Rudy’s bar (or many of the 9th Avenue dives) and was also a great inexpensive lunch option in Midtown. However, when one door closes another opens, and Smiler Gourmet Deli (on 9th Ave at 45th) located on the opposite corner of the former POC has begun to promote their “Crunchy Chicken,” taking advantage of the locals need to grab something satisfying that is both fast and easy. The special is four pieces for $2.99. That is even cheaper then POC! I had to check it out.

I asked one of the managers behind the counter if it was a new item, only added now because Piece of Chicken had closed, he laughingly said yes. Smart move if you ask me.

The chicken is kept warm under a heat lamp -understandable given this is a market not a restaurant, and available starting at 11am until it’s gone.

The drumsticks were big and meaty.

The meat was moist enough, and the crispy coating was salty and well seasoned. Certainly not the same as POC, but good for fried food from a market. I’d put it just above the $1 chicken you get at 2 Bros.

The deli counter has a ton of sides like coleslaw, roasted veggies and potato salad. Add a couple of sides and this is hungry-man sized meal at a poor man’s price.

Smilers Market & Deli, 637 9th Ave at 45th, (212) 582-5550

The denizens of Midtown have been eagerly awaiting an update on the return of the Hallo Berlin cart, which closed last October after the sad passing of co-owner, Rolf Babiel. I recently stopped by the express location to inquire about the cart, and ending up sticking around for lunch when I noticed that they are now offering $10 combo lunch specials. But first, some news on the cart – the manager on location was unable to commit to a firm date on the cart’s return, but mentioned that it should be launching sometime next spring. She also mentioned that the cart will be located in its original spot on 54th and 5th Ave. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on news of the cart’s comeback as we get more details.

In the meantime, check out Hallo Berlin Express’ lunch specials after the jump.

There’s ten different lunch combo options of $10 and under, though I opted for the D2 combo ($10) of two wursts with German fries, sauerkraut, onions, and crusty white bread. Like the meals I’ve had at Hallo Berlin in the past, it’s a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs plate of food with a lot of flavor and little finesse. Now at $10, it’s a pretty good lunch bargain, as I was barely able to finish the heavily loaded plate of meat and carbs. It’s a recommended pick for those looking to bulk up and warm up for winter, and I’ll definitely be back to try some of the other lunch plates – the smoked pork chop looked really intriguing. And hopefully next time, we’ll get a better update on the status of the cart.

Hallo Berlin Express, 744 9th Ave (btw. 50+51st) 212-333-2372

Usually 9th ave is out-of-bounds from an ML perspective, and the opening of a new Thai restaurant in this area of town is hardly sensational – in fact, there’s no less than 15 Thai restaurants within a 4 block radius of the newly opened Pure Thai Shophouse. But after reading Grub Street’s opening report, and learning of the pedigree of Chef David Bank, who previously worked under Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the Mercer Kitchen, I decided that this would require an out-of-bounds journey. And boy am I glad I made that trip.

A meander down 9th ave in search of Thai sustenance can be overwhelming. One Thai restaurant might cater to customers who prefer to dine amongst garish bubblegum pink décor, while the next Thai venue offers an exclusive ‘secret’ menu to the knowledgeable few with an old copy of the Zagat guide or access to Yelp.com. All serve the same highly fungible crowd pleasing dishes of pad thai, drunken noodles, and curries in various earth toned colors. However, if you’re ever in doubt as to which Hells Kitchen Thai joint to pick for lunch, I’ll suggest that Pure Thai Shophouse is perhaps the only Thai restaurant worth visiting on 9th ave.

The restaurant coyly purports itself to be humble street food – the walls are lined with rustic but handsome wood planks, and the tables are similarly austere. Diners squat on practical plastic stools and absorb a background soundtrack of Thai pop music and an atmosphere so unpretentious it wavers on avant-garde.

Pure Thai’s prices overall are a buck or two lower than their competitors in the neighborhood, though the portions are restrained – think of it as motivation to compose your lunch with multiple items from the menu. Given the portions and prices, you can eat very well and remain under the $10 mark.

I kicked off my lunch with an order of chicken satay ($2.50) from the “Snacks” menu, which came as a duo of diminutive but tender, smoky, earthy chicken. The dish also comes with a dainty bowl of nam chim taeng kwa (cucumber relish), which provides a sweet and sour counterpoint to the chicken.

Another appetizer of chicken curry puffs ($2.50) was perhaps the least successful dish of the meal. More bready than flaky, more flat than flavorful, the clunky puffs needed a good dab of sambal oelek and a generous drag through the accompanying cucumber relish.

The “Pure Thai Noodle” menu is the thing to try if you dine here. These dishes stray from the popular Thai noodle combinations (pad thai, et al) and are more representative of the Chef’s fine dining pedigree. Tender, ethereal ribbons of handmade egg noodles make their way into assertively flavored pork broth in a bowl of Sukhothai pork noodle soup ($6). Sweet slices of roasted pork are nestled amongst crunchy long beans and crumbles of ground pork. And if it couldn’t get any better or porkier, the dish is lavishly topped with crispy pork cracklings. Despite the dizzying amount of complex flavors and textures, the dish is remarkably clean on the palate – It’s a nearly flawless bowl of noodle soup.

The Nakorn Sawan ($6) is definitely not your average bowl of chicken noodle soup. The broth is soy based, and subtlety flavored with Chinese 5 spice. Two meaty chunks of bone on dark meat chicken provide body to the soup, and crunchy bean sprouts and escarole provide texture.

A measured portion of Ratchaburi crab and pork dry noodles ($7) is visually striking, pleasantly porky, and surprisingly refined for a bowl of noodles. Crunchy scallions and bitter yu choy work well with the fluffy sweet crab meat. However, my beloved egg noodles suffered mightily in transit (I took this lunch off-site), turning into a gluey clump of starch – I would recommend that this dish be consumed on-site, or a different noodle be substituted.

There’s pad thai ($6) to be had at Pure Thai, though it’s shuffled towards the rear of the menu as if an afterthought. I would encourage lunchers to stick with the more exotic fare and those dreamy egg noodles, but if pad thai must be consumed, then the version here is as good as any. Large swathes of puffy tofu with thoroughly juicy interiors replace the dried out nubs of tofu that most Thai restaurants get away with. And again, the flavoring strikes a delicate balance without being overwhelmed with fish sauce or tamarind.

In keeping with their past successes at Land Thai and Recipe, the Pure Thai Shophouse team outperforms their peers on almost all measurable attributes, whether you’re judging the price, décor, service or flavors. And even though Pure Thai Shophouse is a newcomer to Hells Kitchen, the food is mature and focused, and certainly ambitious for the neighborhood. Reflecting on my past several meals here, I don’t think I ever want to eat at any other Thai restaurant on 9th avenue again. If that endorsement isn’t enough motivation to go out of bounds for a bowl of Thai noodle soup, then I don’t know what is.

Pure Thai Shophouse, 766 9th Ave (btw 51+52nd), 212-581-0999