Midtown Lunch

Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week’s midtown lunch’er is Steve, whose photo alone gives him instant cred in my book. (That’s him eating grilled beef hearts on the streets of Peru.)

Name: Steve (aka “steveroller“)

Age: 28

Occupation: Legal Ninja

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Next to the Times Square Ball

Favorite Kind of Food: Phew, this is tough. My favorite cuisines show the convergent evolution of ingredients like chiles, lime, and cilantro. Occupying the most treasured spot in my unhealthy heart is Mexican food (Chile Verde, Cochinita Pibil, Moles Poblano to Manchamatel, Birria, Seafood Veracruzano). I’m a strong advocate for Al Pastor WITHOUT Pineapple, and Chile Relleno just stuffed with cheese, please. Speaking of Al Pastor, I’m a huge fan of things served off of weapons, even if the only things being injured are my insides. Perhaps this is traceable to the fact that like old Jerusalem, or Chaz (née Chastity) Bono, I am one-quarter Armenian. So I love Shish and Lula kabob, but also the lamby Bukharan kabobs around town, Xinjiang-style “shwar,” Peruvian anticuchos, and döner. On the other side of my family I’ve got a Mancunian grandmother (Sorry Rudy) who instilled in me a love of oxtail anything (Jamaican Dutchy’s isn’t bad). I also like most stuff that comes out of the Levant (can I challah at the Semitic ladies?). Resultantly, I’m a big fan of just plain hummus and falafel. I said in the comments here once that I’ve seen more small kosher balls than a mohel, and I’m sticking to that. My veins run with hot sauce and I love spicy food (any chili paste, amba, harissa, Taco Bell fire sauce, the Tabasco rainbow). After some time spent in China I’d do a long march for good Hunan and Sichuan food, especially Dan Dan noodles, and its estranged Japanese cousin Tan Tan Men. I love pan-cultural and sometimes pan-fried dumplings (Shanghai “fried tiny buns,” pelmeni, Argentine empanadas al horno, momo, and my aunt’s Spätzle). Basically I’m in favor of any meat stuffed in dough up to the Pillsbury dough-boy being sent to federal prison. Just randomly now: I pine for pinenuts, any moldy cheese, any bitter green, Eastern European mushroom soups. Capers! (Piccata, Putanesca, Great Muppet). I am like the Bubba Gump of avocados, having grown up down the street from avocado packaging plant. In butter-pear heaven they are just sliced, with salt, pepper, lemon, and chile. My last major “food” group is probably alcohol and I love Oregon IPAs, the many faces of vodka (esp. Salty Dogs), tequila (esp. Vampiro shots), and a Yukon Jack snakebite. I drink a lot of black coffee for reasons discussed in the previous sentence. When all is said and done my favorite food is the specialty of wherever I am, so takoyaki in Osaka, lablabi in Tunisia, or Kwik-Meal on 6th Ave.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m a committed omnivore, so there’s almost nothing I wont eat. Exceptions might be penis stalk and primate (I changed a baby Chimp’s diapers once and after staring in its wise eyes I don’t think I could ever eat one). But otherwise I’ve eaten whale sashimi, pig uterus, chapulines, durian, love gizzards, and eat most things under the sun or under a rock. I’m not huge on the mineral (to me) taste of cooked beef liver, and find I prefer it raw. I’ve not been impressed with natto when I’ve tried it. I prefer my beans without a head-cold. Typically I try not to pass judgment on whole cuisines but I don’t love Scandinavian food, and think it’s sad when a lingonberry sauce is the apex of your cuisine. If I were a Viking I would have been upset too.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I already mentioned Kwik-Meal. I love their chicken with rice with as much of that radioactive green hot sauce as they’ll give me, even if it looks like Shrek’s body fluid. My favorite food street in Midtown is probably the stretch of 38th st. with Go Go Curry (chicken single with fukuzinzuke pickles); Ying Du for morning buns, and Djerdan for Ćevapčići. I’m sort of a Ćevapčići addict, once even having a Peja Stojakavic themed grilling party at my house. For relatively authentic Chinese I think the Grand Sichuans have a goldilocks Dan Dan Mien that strikes a nice balance between the Sichuan peppercorn heat of Szechuan Gourmet, and chili heat of Wu Liang Ye. There’s a delicate melon soup at Evergreen Shanghai (on 38th btw. Mad+5th) I enjoy. For Midwesterner Chinese food Main Noodle House‘s lunch special (on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th) could (and probably does) feed a homeless person for a week for $8, and their General Tso is fried crispy, winning the battle against potential sogginess. I actually probably do more midtown dinners than lunches and frequently hit the Indian at Utsav at night. They actually advertise a ML priced lunch to-go special, but I’d also order their Lasuni Gobhi a la carte since it’s the apotheosis of cauliflower, the closest that vegetable comes to candy. I could mention a hundred places which have been covered ad naseum here but let me travel slightly out of bounds to mention El Deportivo (on 9th Ave. btw. 48+49th) for Latin-Caribbean. It has good chicharonnes de pollo washed down with better sangria and mojitos made by bartenders who look about 15. Also, Gazala’s Place (on 9th Ave. as well) is a great BYOB Druze place, where at least the burek are in ML price range. Who knew heresy tasted so good?

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week’s midtown lunch’er is Dana, who actually sent this profile in a month ago- so she is now a full fledged law student.  But we couldn’t let her leave Midtown without her moment in the sun!  (Plus she sent in two photos, which you know we love. The “risque” one, which she was afraid made her look naked, is after the jump natch.)

Name: Dana

Age: 29

Occupation: Nonprofiteer (for two more weeks)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 48th & 5th

Favorite Kind of Food: Ramen. Lobster rolls. Japanese pickled things. Dosa. Bacon. Dan dan noodles. Beets. Cured meats in general. Pizza (I’m currently eating my way through the New York Magazine top 20 pizza list). Dumplings (especially soup dumplings). Burgers. Side bar: I was raised as a vegetarian, and then I ate a burger 6 years ago and it was all over. Since then it has been my personal mission to eat as many burgers as possible. Five Guys is my reining Midtown favorite, although I still need to try the black label burger at City Burger (ed note: sorry Dana.  City Burger closed!) Mmmm…burgers.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m not sure I understand the question.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pampano Taqueria (on 3rd btw. 49+50th) for the pescado and carne asada tacos (with the combo). Menchanko Tei (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd) for shoyu ramen. Katsuhama for chicken meatball udon soup. Spicy miso soup from Chiyoda Sushi (on 41st btw. Mad+5th) …that soup has changed my life. The prepackaged meats from Murray’s Salami (I love the Magical Animal). Chicken katsu with sauce at Café Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th). Everything at Bombay Bistro’s all-you-can-eat buffet (on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd). And I love the bacon / white bean soup from ‘wichcraft.

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. I grew up on cheesy 80s hair metal, so I’m pretty excited for this week’s Profiled Lunch’er.  Meet Maisey, part of the cast of Broadway’s “Rock of Ages”.  She likes Asian food, savory crepes, and she’s got 3 pairs of tickets to Rock of Ages to give away at the end of the profile…

Name: Maisey

Age: Old enough…

Occupation: Performer-Actress/Singer —currently playing “Justice” in ROCK OF AGES

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Brooks Atkinson Theatre (on 47th btw. B’way+8th)

Favorite Kind of Food: Asian- Chinese/Japanese/Thai

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m really allergic to Shrimps

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: For sushi I like Aoki (on 48th btw. B’way+8th). I always sit in front of the waterfall wall and have the spicy trio-tuna, yellowtail & salmon tartar with caviar and a quail egg. Fabulous!! Room Service a glam/chic but very affordable Thai Restaurant on 9th and 48th is awesome too- I always order the pad see-eu with Duck and their insane pumpkin flan dessert… warm and yummy with a kiss of coconut!!

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown.  A few weeks ago we profiled Elizabeth, half of the team that runs the website The Skint- a great blog dedicated to the daily listing of free and cheap food, events, and other stuff around New York City. This week we profile Chris, the other half.

Name: Chris

Age: 38

Occupation: Web consultant/event lister/former corporate retail director

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Varies, but usually 38th & Madison.

Favorite Kind of Food: Thai, Korean, Indian, Mexican, olives (especially garlic-stuffed and kalamata), pickles, falafel, grilled vegetables, anything with rosemary or thyme, my mom’s Italian sauce.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Haggis, tripe, pre-packaged sushi, anything very spicy, meatloaf

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown:The chopped chickpeas sandwich from ‘wichcraft, especially when the weather’s good enough (and I have enough time) to sit in Bryant Park. Also excited about the reopening of Le Bonne Soup (on 55th btw. 5+6th). For my fried fix, I head to Popeye’s (on 40th btw. 7+8th).

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. Last week we did a feature on the ladies of Queen Frostine, an all female collective of Midtown ice cream truck drivers. Well, not only does one of the drivers (“Miss Softee”) sell ice cream in Midtown, but she also eats in Midtown! Here are her favorite spots…

Name: Chrissy, but you can call me Miss Softee

Age: My grandmother always told me that a lady never tells three things: her age, her weight, and how much she paid for it.

Occupation: I serve ice cream from a Mister Miss Softee Ice Cream Truck in midtown. And, as you might have read last week, in addition to the traditional menu I also make a special cone everyday. It all started when I was driving and bunch of waffle cones fell off a shelf and broke. Since they were still wrapped in plastic, I figured I could use them as a special topping for the day. People went nutso! After experimenting with the broken cones, my first special was an almond biscotti crumble and it was a biiig success! Everyday I try to take into account the general mood, day of the week, special requests, and the weather to come up with a different cone. I post them on my twitter so people can check what the special cone is before they come to the truck. Most popular (so far) have been: Gimme S’more, Frosted Flakes, Cinnamon Bun, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cake Batter, and Salty Sweet.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: I do a lunch spot every weekday by Bryant Park and the New York Public Library on 40Th and 5th Avenue during the day from about 1-6:30PM and then I do a nightspot at 47th and 6th Avenue. At the nightspot, I put up an after-work happy hour menu with special deals from 7-8:30PM, followed by a nighttime menu for late night snackers.

Favorite Kind of Food: I like just about everything! When it comes to lunch, I’m a sandwich fanatic. Two pieces of bread, something in the middle, and a little dressing. That’s all I need to be totally happy in life. Recently, I’ve also been having a passionate affair with Naked Green Machine since I spend so much time on the truck. It gives me tons of energy without caffeine and fills me up as an afternoon snack. When I’m cooking at home, I usually stick to traditional Italian food — like my mama used to make — or, I go for some new fusion blend that strikes my fancy. Recently, I tried making Mexican sushi and it was goooood. Yellow rice, cooked chicken, avocado, tomato, a leeeeetle onion, and some sour cream in a seaweed roll.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m actually allergic to capsaicin, so no spicy food for me! I know, I know. How do I live without spicy food? Simple. I’ve never had it really. I’m also really lactose intolerant, so as much as I love to make people happy by serving them ice cream, I can’t really eat it myself. I try a bite of the special everyday to confirm its goodness and that’s about it. Other than that, I don’t think there’s much food I don’t like!

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Oh boy, I could go on forrrrrever here, but I’ll tell you about the places I’ve been frequenting by my work spots recently:

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Joe, a theater guy who wants to let you know about the show his company is putting on this week in Midtown West (also known as “the theater district”.)  More important than that, the show includes $1 beer!

Name: Joe

Age: 27

Occupation: Ruthless Theatrical Tyrant (actually, the producer of the nascent theater company called Big Rodent)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Right now we’re putting on a production of William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure at Theater 3, at 311 W. 43rd St (at 8th avenue). So I’ve basically lived my entire life there for the past couple weeks, including a few 6am-2am days. SHAMELESS PLUG #1: Tickets to the show are $20, but use the code NYCFOOD for $10 off at NYCmeasure.com. Plus we have $1 beer! In Midtown! After work!

Favorite Kind of Food: Tex-Mex. I was born and raised in Orlando, FL, so the lack of local Tex-Mex in NYC greatly disturbs me. Thankfully I’ve started to find a few acceptable places, but none in midtown yet. Taco carts are not enough for southern appetites.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I will seriously try everything. The only thing I can’t stand is when I have to eat the same food every day.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Very tough choice, but I believe I’ll have to go with Island Burger (on 9th Ave. btw. btw. 51+52nd). Top notch cow, both in meat and shake, sways me. The Tijuana burger is my favorite: bacon, jack, guacamole, onion. And of course, the no-fries thing is rather charming, and good for the heart. I don’t usually work in midtown so it’s rare I get the pleasure to eat there (but I always check this site when I do)

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Elizabeth, half of the team that runs The Skint- a great blog dedicated to the daily listing of free and cheap food, events, and other stuff around New York City.

Name: Elizabeth

Age: 36

Occupation: Hired pen/content jockey (and half of the team behind The Skint)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Depends where assignments/meetings take me, so pretty much all over.

Favorite Kind of Food: Vietnamese, French, Chinese, Szechuan , Colombian, Mexican, seafood, cheese, ramen; anything pickled or smothered in garlic

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything from a steam table or buffet (with the exception of City Bakery)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Tantan-men at Sapporo (on 49th btw. 7th), wonton noodle soup (with duck) at Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th), fried fish at Happy Well Being Cart (R.I.P.), and I’ll cobble together a picnic when the greenmarket comes to Rockefeller Plaza.

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Kathy, a Data Analyst who wants an answer to the age old question:  are any Midtown Restaurant Week lunches worth it?

Name: Kathy

Age: 26

Occupation: Data Analyst at an Ad Agency

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Madison in the 40s

Favorite Kind of Food: This is a toss-up among Mexican, Viet, and Thai. I love sour, bright, fresh citrus-y, and spicy flavors and I think these ethnic cuisines do it best.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Generic Italian, like meatball parm sandwiches, lasagna, especially those really heavy alfredo cream sauces, and gnocchi. And though I wish I liked cheese, I really don’t (smells and tastes like feet mixed with butt–it’s true) which makes me dislike generic Italian even more.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The Lunch Special #10-Braised crispy tofu with chili-spiced pork at Szechuan Gourmet (two locations), anything at Chipotle (multiple locations), the Green Sauce at Sophie’s Cuban (multiple locations), the beef croquettes at Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th), Chiyoda Sushi hodgepodge (on 41st btw. Mad+5th), Wendy’s chili, and Tiffin Wallah $6 Lunch Buffet (Vegetarian on 28th btw. Lex+Park)

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Jessica, a Midtown sales/marketing lunch’er who can cook a meal on the streets of NYC for under $12.

Name: Jessica Hartley

Age: 26

Occupation: Sales Development/Marketing (I also have a blog called Hartley Confections, and I’ll be starring in a webisode called the $12 Challenge on Food Network’s new blog, Food 2 in the next few months. Essentially its a cooking and dating show where you compete to win a date with a foodie by using your culinary skills to prepare a fabulous meal given $12, two hours and the new york city streets as your kitchen.)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Midtown East

Favorite Kind of Food: Hamburgers, Lasagna, & Mexican Food

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Korean

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Gourmet 53 (on 53rd & 3rd) for their salad assortments. You get a salad, homemade pita chips, & a cookie for $5.50. I also like Zarela’s for special occassions. It’s my favorite Mexican restaurant in the city! Plus Asian Station (on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd), PJ Clarke’s (on 3rd & 55th), Thai 51 (on 51st btw. 2+3rd), and Yama 49 (on 49th & 2nd.)

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Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Adam, an IT Manager who loves to eat spicy Indian food (when he’s not commenting on Midtown Lunch.)

Name: Adam

Age: 35

Occupation: IT Manager (who doesn’t have a food blog!)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: A French Investment Bank (on 57th St.)

Favorite Kind of Food: Anything spicy, particularly Indian. My favorite “Americanized” Indian restaurant is India Passage in Bay Ridge but my overall favorite is Dakshin in Stamford because of the more interesting menu (I heard they have NYC restaurants, but I’ve only been to their other restaurant in
White Plains, Coromandel). The Midtown Indian restaurants are quite fine: Bay Leaf, Utsav, Jewel of India, Baluchi, and especially Minar (on 46th btw. 6+7th) for a cheap lunch. I’m just as fond of Middle Eastern Kebabs, Shawarma, Falafel, etc (Turkish, Persian, Afghani, and Israeli are what I’ve tried and liked). On the home front, American BBQ (dry rub, not sauced), a grilled rib-eye or roast prime rib with creamed spinach, good pub food (burgers, wings, shepherd’s pie (turnip topped), fish-n-chips), any slow roasted meats, and seafood (shellfish, mollusks, white flesh fish (salmon is the fishiest I can tolerate, and that’s a recent phenomenon). Americanized Chinese food is a staple at home. Growing up in an Italian-American home, I’m partial to home-cooked Italian food and almost never enjoy eating at Italian restaurants (save for osso bucco, sometimes). In general I like most European cuisine (though I could take or leave French food). If I’m going out to dinner, my go-to restaurant is Ipanema (on Brasil Row, 46th Street) and I’m either having the Bife Portugesa (Steak in garlic-wine sauce topped with a fried egg), Vatapa (Bahian Fish Stew), or Carne de Porco Alentejana (Pork and Clam Stew).

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I don’t like Japanese food. I’ve tried it many times and I’m never happy with it. (Let the flames begin!).

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The famous cart on 53rd & 6th (my go-to now that they have kofta), Carnegie John’s on 56th & 7th (the idea of rib-eye from a cart was scary at first but I’m hooked), El Rey del Sabor (two locations), Bay Leaf for the buffet, the sombrero cart (on 50th btw. 6+7th) , Biryani Cart for Kati Rolls (on 46th & 6th), Certe on 55th btw. 5+6th (the only upscale lunch shop I’ll ever eat from), the cuban place on 56th (Tina’s?) is a new favorite (though it doesn’t top Manhattan Heroes on 26th and 7th if that’s still there).

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