Midtown Lunch

“The Worst Table in Midtown?” Posted to Flickr by NYCBlondieandBrownie
I wonder if you can eat your Utsav takeout there? That would make it the best table in Midtown!

• If you want your choice at (the out of bounds) Piece of Chicken, you have to show up at Noon [Eating In Translation]
• The out of bounds and formerly known as Tony Luke’s- Shorty’s makes the best cheesesteak in “Midtown” [NYC Food Guy]
• For all you N’awlins-o-philes, the out of bounds “Bourbon St.” on Restaurant row has opened [Eater]
• Meet the rare, only as a special, “mint chocolate trucker” [Blondie & Brownie]
• It’s waaaaay out of bounds, but my friends at the Brooklyn Kitchen are doing another butchering demo on Tuesday. This time it’s a whole sheep. (Who doesn’t like mutton!?!) [Brooklyn Kitchen Blog]

The newest member of the Hallo Berlin Family was supposed to open today on 9th Ave. btw. 50+51st, but it’s (not surprisingly) been pushed back a week while they wait for the inspectors.  Normally 9th Ave. is out of bounds for Midtown Lunch’ing purposes, but I’ve been know to break the rule for something schnitzel- er, sorry… I meant special. 

Hallo Berlin Express will live in between their famous cart (5th Ave.), and their proper beer garden (on 10th Ave.), both from a location and a conceptual standpoint.  All your favorites are there, including (slightly more expensive versions of) the 5th Ave. Combo (Any 2 wursts for $10), and the Dr. Atkins Combo ($12).  Plus all of the promised additions, and more.

Check out the full menu after the jump… Read more »

Day off from work + no line at Amy Ruth’s (116 & Lennox in Harlem) = Very Happy Zach. I love President’s Day!!!The camera phone photo didn’t come out so hot.  A much better looking one, after the jump… Read more »

Normally they give away free topping coupons the day after Hideki Matsui hits a homerun, but why should we be punished because it is the Yankees’ offseason?  Problem solved.  Today is free topping coupon day at Go Go Curry on 38th St. btw. 7+8th. 

The new House of Pita on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th finally replaced the Mandler’s Sausage sign.  They smartly decided to keep the H.O.P. name, and only add the “Chicken Bar” part to the sign underneath.  I guess they “discovered” that Chicken Bar already exists.

Kashmir Express, the Indian take out place on 8th Ave. btw. 38+39th, has converted to a by the pound buffet.  Looked pretty good, although having to pay for my lunch by the amount it weighs is always a scary proposition.  The $4.99 price tag is not bad, but Indian food can get heavy!  And it forces you to break the #1 rule of eating at buffets by the pound… go easy on the rice and bread.

A shot of the buffet, plus Piece of Chicken’s shocking new menu changes, after the jump… Read more »

This may surprise you, but over the weekend I don’t eat lunch in Midtown. (Why would anybody???) I do however feel the same hunger on Saturdays and Sundays that I feel during the week, and my tastes don’t change either (fat man likey good food). So, I’ve decided to share a few of my weekend lunches that would fit the very high Midtown Lunch’ing standards (namely- cheap, fresh, authentic and delicious!)

If you love Dim Sum, aka Chinese brunch where small plates of dumplings and other steamed and fried goodies are served off of carts that roll around the restaurant, it stands to reason you’ve been to the Manhattan Chinatown.  If you are serious about finding the best Dim Sum in New York, you’ve probably made the trip down the 7 to Flushing in Queens.  And for the most hardcore of fans, there is Sunset Park, the strip of 8th Ave. known to most as “Brooklyn Chinatown”. 

But as I found out this weekend, the best Dim Sum in the city may not be in any of those places.  It might just be three stops past Sunset Park on the N line, at a little place called World Tong.  Formerly home to Joe Ng, who was lured away to the very upscale Chinatown Brasserie in Manhattan, World Tong has been a favorite of hardcore Dim Sum aficionados for awhile, but the train ride (combined with the fact that Joe isn’t there anymore) has kept it mostly under the radar.  Hoping to avoid the Chinese New Year crowds, we headed out this weekend to check out what many have called the Best Dim Sum place in New York City. 

Dumpling porn, after the jump… Read more »

Big news hit the Midtown Lunch Inbox this morning, courtesy of Lunch’er Emily who forwarded along this photo, taken on 9th Ave. (btw. 50+51st), of the window of what I believe used to be Keni Pizza.  Apparently Hallo Berlin will be adding H.B. Express to their empire, which currently includes a beer garden on 10th Ave. (btw. 44+45th), and of course the famous cart on 54th & 5th (which won Best Cart in our Midtown Lunch readers poll earlier in the Month).

A call to the number on the sign yielded no extra information, just a voicemail message from (what could only be) Wolfgang or Rolf, urging you to leave a message or send a fax.  One can only assume that it will be similar to the take out counter they have at the front of the beer garden on 10th Ave.

Strangely enough, the Hallo Berlin Cart wasn’t in its regular spot on 53rd 54th & 5th today, just after Noon.  I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one…

It’s just outside of the “official” Midtown Lunch Boundaries, but I’ve been meaning to make it up to Katagiri for awhile- hearing for months now that it’s a pretty sweet Japanese Market on 59th btw. 2+3rd.  When I finally made it up there, I was surprised to find that the sushi and bentos available for purchase during lunchtime, are actually supplied by Chiyoda Sushi, one of the Trinity on 41st btw. Madison & 5th, and a Midtown Lunch favorite.

I have already written a ton on Chiyoda, not only about the actual store on 41st, but also about their super fantastic online bento ordering service, and their “delivery guy” who sells them on the street (50th St. btw. 6+7th) during lunch.  Well, Katagiri is now the third place in the area you can buy Chiyoda stuff, and is a great option for anyone working on the Upper west hand corner of Midtown.

Photos after the jump… Read more »

It looks like Banh Mi has finally come to Midtown!!!  Well, sort of.  It’s on 2nd Ave., which is technically outside of the Midtown Lunch range but- come on!  It’s Banh Mi.  If you’ve never had Banh Mi, it’s a Vietnamese Sandwich made with some sort of meat (usually pork) and pate, topped with shredded carrots and cilantro, and served on a french bread type of roll.  They also make vegetarian versions that usually come with glass noodles.  Really delicious, and possibly worth the trip to 2nd Ave.  Here’s the early word on this place from tipster Dan:

“Just wanted to let you know about this new Vietnamese shop that just opened on the east side of 2nd Ave between 42nd and 43rd. They boast some pretty great Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches, with a bit of a twist. I ended up getting the banh mi ga, which had chicken and arugula rather than pork. They also allowed you to make your own sandwich, bowl, or burrito type meal, but i didn’t pay much attention to that because i went there for one reason.

The Banh Mi was good, and when i brought it back to my office people were asking about it because of how good it smelled. I just don’t know if it was $7.50 good. The staff still seemed to still be fairly new at it and the space is really empty– no tables or anything, despite the fact that there’s room for at least a few. hopefully they’ll get their act together.” 

$7.50!!!  Isn’t that just a bitch.  Leave it to Midtown to take something cheap and amazing (they are usually between $2 and $3 in Chinatown), and turn it into something “chic” and expensive.  I guess I can’t say I’m that surprised.  I’ll probably still check it out… while secretly praying that somebody opens a cheap Banh Mi cart in Midtown proper!  Here’s the menu.

Boi to Go, 800 2nd Ave (btw. 42nd & 43rd).  212-681-1122