Midtown Lunch

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. Today, I am totally honored to turn the site over to David Pasternack, Chef of Esca, and co-author of the new cookbook “The Young Man & the Sea” (w/ Midtown Lunch friend and Serious Eats grand poobah, Ed Levine).  Esca is one of the best seafood restaurants, not just in Midtown- but in the entire city… and is a must try if you love Italian food, and fresh fish.  (It also helps if you have a corporate account.)  Esca is on 9th Ave. & 43rd St., so here are Dave’s picks for lunching in that area- plus I have 5 signed copies of his cookbook to give away the end of the post.

Name: Dave

Age: 43

Occupation: Chef

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 9th Ave. & 43rd St.

Favorite Kind of Food: I mean, i like everything- but my favorite is ethnic food. I find it more intriguing. I’ve worked in fancy restaurants for 25 years, but my favorite foods are still Chinese, Thai, Indian… pretty much everything.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Fancy.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pakistani Restaurant on 38th & 9th. Cheap and interesting food with really good flavors and great homemade naan.  I also really love Grand Sichuan, but the one near Esca is closed now. The smoked tea duck and dried green beans were two of my favorites. They would also make this fresh killed chicken dish, with bamboo shoots & szechuan pepper. It was fucking hot, but one of the most tender dishes you’ll ever eat. I also love korean bbq but I haven’t been in awhile. I think the place I used to go to is Han Bat (35th btw. 5+6th). The kimchee is killer and the spicy fish soup is perfect for when you have a cold. Comes with this egg custard on the side. Finally, there’s a neapolitan pizza place on 46th btw. 8+9th. called Trumonte Tramonti.  It’s great, and the real deal.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Usually we’ll eat lunch here at the restaurant. Or I’ll send someone over to Shorty’s (9th Ave. btw. 41+42nd). It used to be Tony Luke’s but the owner couldn’t afford to keep the name, so he dropped it. The food is still exactly the same.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Right where I am.  New York is the food mecca of the world right now.  There are different places you can travel to… like I was in Tokyo a few years ago, which was really interesting.  But after all my traveling, I realize how many great ingredients we have compared to the rest of the country.

Esca is expensive, and the fish is the best quality. Do you have any favorite cheap seafood dishes in Midtown you could recommend?  There’s no such thing as good cheap seafood.

Touche.  I should have known better than to ask that question.  That being said, I still enjoy the fried shrimp from the Halal & Seafood Cart, and the $3.50 Fried Fish Sandwich at Kim’s Aunt Kitchen Cart.  Of course, anything fried tastes good (and it masks how cheap the fish is!)  That being said, given the choice between the Grilled Octopus & Giant Beans with Preserved Lemon I had at Esca, and the fried calamari sandwich at Tuscan Square- I think it’s pretty safe to say, I’d go with Esca. 

What’s your favorite seafood dish in Midtown?  Cheap, expensive… it doesn’t matter.  Post it as a comment below, and you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of David Pasternack’s new cookbook “The Young Man & the Sea”.  Don’t have a favorite in Midtown?  Post something that proves you deserve the book.

Don’t like seafood?  Then you probably don’t need the cook book… although, the book is so beautiful, it might convert you.  And the recipes are so easy to make, even I can do it.  The Linguine w/ Pancetta & Clams that I made last night, from “The Young Man & the Sea”, after the jump… Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. My grammar and spelling is pretty terrible, but if there are any typos in today’s (or is it todays?) post there is something seriously wrong.  Meet Lisa, a copy editor who will not eat anything that “comes with a stomach”.

Name: Lisa

Age: 32

Occupation: Copyeditor (but my true love is photography)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 48th and Broadway

Favorite Kind of Food: Breakfast is king. Give me some cinnamon whole wheat french toast and crumbly crunchy bacon and I will love you forever. Cuisine-wise, the cuteness of Japanese food just kills me. Everything is so little and perfect looking, like art that you can eat.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I won’t eat anything that comes with a stomach. This means no lobster, mussels, clams, shrimp or sardines. I’ve never liked mustard. I’m not a fan of peaches. Sea urchin, oh my. That was bad. French food doesn’t agree with my system in the same way fried food doesn’t.  (So… I’m guessing tripe is out of the question?  Technically it doesn’t *have* a stomach, because it *is* stomach. -zach)

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I have not had the ultimate lunch experience in Midtown. Please don’t be too disappointed. I wander the streets every day at 12:30 trying to find it but it just hasn’t happened yet. On a bad day I go to smelly old Food Emporium, buy groceries and make something. Yes, it’s that bad. I would sample more MidtownLunch picks but I’m trying to eat better and want to find the healthier lunching options this city has to offer. I think some must exist.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Thalia Kitchen (50th btw. 7+8th). They have fresh, healthy and generous salads and sandwiches and homemade yogurt. The ladies behind the counter are nice and it’s sort of a secret spot. Shhhh.

Place you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch: Chiyoda and Azuri Cafe. Wowee Zowee. Thanks! I’ve been meaning to try Sophie’s Cuban. Oms/b, too but it’s pretty far from where I’m at.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? In NYC: Flushing so I could have more cheap and delicious food options — banh mi or sam bo fan for $5 or less! In the World: Japan so I could collect adorable bento boxes and fill them with supercute foods

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Where do you go when you want something healthy? Besides sushi or salad after salad does this even exist in midtown?

Where to begin.  You don’t like fried food.  Why do you read this blog?  You won’t eat shrimp and lobster.  How do you expect to beat the buffets and Mongolian BBQs?  Looking for something healthy?  You have come to the wrong place.  Coincidentally enough, I did have my go-to “healthy” lunch yesterday.  Check it out after the jump… Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown.  I never imagined Midtown Lunch had any Vegetarian readers… but leave it todays profile to prove me wrong.  Meet Lia- the first Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er who doesn’t eat anything that comes from an animal.

Name: Lia

Age: 26

Occupation: Banking

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 50th & 6th Ave.

Favorite Kind of Food: I’m vegan so that means I don’t eat any meat or dairy products. My favorite kinds of food are Thai, Indian, and since I’m Italian I think my blood might actually be marinara, so I also eat a lot of Italian food to keep homeostasis.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m kinda over sushi, but everyone I know is obsessed with it, so unless I want to eat alone, I am forced to go to Haru at least once a week. I usually order the house salad and an avocado roll. But a light lunch like that requires a mid afternoon snack.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I really like going to Zest on 41st and Broadway. They have a tofu scramble in the morning and a vegan whole wheat salad pizza by the pound for lunch. It’s just really overpriced for what you’re getting. You could easily spend $15.00 on lunch and a tea and still be hungry. So if any of you readers have deep pockets I’m not above someone treating me. My favorite lunch spot when I’m paying for it is probably the $3.00 tofu cream cheese bagel at Cafe Metro on 6th ave. Who doesn’t like carbs right?.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Bocca on 50th btw. 6+7th. They are quick and it’s right across the street from my building. They have a cheese-less fresh tomato slice for under $4.00. Even though that’s expensive for one piece of pizza, it’s a pretty big slice and it’s more than enough. Also, they have pasta plates for $7.00 and they make it in front of you, so for a vegan it’s perfect b/c you can monitor the cheese-less status of your meal as they cook it.

Place you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch: Minar (good tip, always call ahead to save a lottttt of time as the lines can get really really long), Yum Thai, & Kosher Deluxe.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? East village, just b/c there are a lot of affordable veg options. Atlas on 2nd ave has a vegan chicken, avocado, and artichoke sandwich which is amazing and pretty big. With a soda, everything comes to $7.00. Also the desserts they have there are really insane, cheesecakes, brownies, and shakes that are all non-dairy. Don’t knock the soy chicken until you’ve tried it. Seriously!

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Besides Zen Palate on 9th Ave. & 47th, does anyone know of other vegan-friendly places around here? I have been to Zenith (48th btw. 8+9th) but I wasn’t that impressed. Has anyone tried Green Symphony on 43rd btw. 7+8th? I’ve read about it but I’ve never gone.

I gotta say, for all my talk of pork, street meat, fried chicken, burgers, and more pork- I can’t imagine how any Vegan could read most of what I write, without being totally grossed out.  Seriously.  How do you do it?  A picture of me eating Rack of Lamb alone, could literally be used on a poster to disgust people into never eating meat again. 

I guess what I’m saying is, I’m probably not the best person to recommend any Vegan or Vegetarian options in Midtown.  Nothing against it… I’ve actually eaten at Zen Palate before, and enjoyed it.  Although I did unintentionally wear my Cochon shirt, which features a picture of a pig with exposed ribs.  I’m sorry.  I just love pork too much.

Anybody have a recommendation for Lia?  Feel free to post it as a comment below.  And as always, if you have any news, suggestions, or you want to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er- email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. Today, it’s Evelyn- an HR person looking for some good pizza…

Name: Evelyn

Age: 29

Occupation: HR

Where in Midtown do you Work?: McGraw Hill Building (49th & 6th)

Favorite Kind of Food: I’m pretty open to trying most things at least once. How are you supposed to know what you like or dislike without trying, right? But if I had to spend the rest of my life only eating certain things, I’d choose noodles, pasta, sushi, chicken tikka masala w/ basmati rice, dumplings, shellfish, stews, couscous, dessert (mmmm)… okay, too many foods to choose from.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I definitely don’t like Ethiopian cuisine after trying it just once. There are a lot of vegetable I dislike eating, especially okra & squash. I try to avoid too much fried or greasy foods and I shy away from anything that’s too spicy.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I love going to Hing Won to get their sauteed udon with chicken. The noodles are cooked perfectly tender and the flavor isn’t too salty. My new favorite place to go is Minar to get my fill of yummy Indian food.. the best is the chicken tikka masala. It’s creamy and they don’t make it all that spicy. I also love their combination plate lunches… For just $7.25 I always get double chicken and the spinach with rice. Both places definitely fit the bill for me… cheap, fast & tasty.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: We frequent Cafe Metro all the time because it’s right there in our building! We also love it because we can use the Go Mobo website to order our food right from our computers or cell phones so we don’t have to stand in that ridiculously long line. Yup, we’re lazy AND impatient. (Funny you should mention that.  GoMobo is offering Midtown Lunch readers $5 off your first order this week, if you use the promo code “midtownlunch”.  Enjoy! -zach) 

Place you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch: Minar… finally, cheap Indian food! Also, thanks for the recommendation about the Bulgogi sandwich. Too bad it went up to $2 though. 

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Midtown is great but I’d love either the East Village because it’s got some great cheap places or somewhere close to Chinatown for what else… great Chinese! Otherwise, someplace close to the ocean for some fresh seafood everyday.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? There are so many pizzerias in this area.  Do any of them stand out as having the best thin crispy crust?

Interesting you should ask about pizza, the day after Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck opened their 6th Ave. location right outside our building!  I know where you’ll be eating lunch today.  Anybody else got any other suggestions for Evelyn?  Post them as comments below.

And as for the Bulgogi Sandwich, it’s up to $5 now, and it’s served on a large roll.  I don’t even know if they have the little pressed bulgogi sandwiches on white bread anymore.  The new, larger sandwiches are alright- but they put yellow cheese, lettuce, tomato and cucumber on them.  I think they are trying to make them more “American”, not realizing that all we want is some good authentic Korean food!!!  A pic of their amazing creation, after the jump… Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. Today, it’s Ian Jackman, author of the book “Eat This! 1001 Things to Eat Before You Diet”. The book is pretty sweet, and is now top of my list of things I wish I had written. It’s one story after another of amazing food from all around the country, including some of our very own Midtown Lunch’ing favorites. I’ve got 5 copies of the book to give away at the end of the post…

Name: Ian Jackman

Age: 43

Occupation: Writer

Where in Midtown do you Work?: I used to work at Random House when it was on East 50th St.

Favorite Kind of Food: My book lists more than 1,000 foods or individual dishes and it’s impossible to pick ten even. I love red and green chile over anything in Santa Fe; I love fresh fruit in season–cherries, yellow and white peaches, blueberries, raspberries. They have to be fresh. I think lamb is a very underused and underappreciated meat in this country. Greek places do wonderful things with fresh lamb. Very simply cooked–grilled–it has a lot of rich flavor. As I get older, I get a bigger kick out of ice cream. Had a couple of chocolate Brown Bonnets from Carvel this past weekend. Hard to beat. I’m glad Pinkberry is establishing a presence in NYC. I love gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato. Basil, Black Mission Fig, Toasted Sesame…

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: A South of the Border Burger at Islands Burgers and Shakes (9th Ave. btw. 51+52nd); a bauernwurst on a hard roll with sauerkraut, red cabbage and onions at the Hallo Berlin Cart (54th and 5th); anything with lamb at Molyvos (7th Ave. btw. 55+56th); the chopped salad at Patsy’s (56th btw. B’way+8th).

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: I don’t have any co-workers anymore, but when I did, we would go to Zarela (2nd Ave. btw. 50+51st) sometimes for some excellent Margaritas… but I guess that wasn’t lunch.

Midtown Lunch places that you wrote about in “Eat This!”: Burger Joint, Brother Jimmy’s BBQ (There is one in the Grand Central Food Court), Cabana Carioca (which is now closed), Ess-a-Bagel (3rd & 51st), Gahm Mi Oak (32nd btw. Bway+5th), Han Bat (35th btw. 5+6th), & Hallo Berlin.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Somewhere overlooking the Mediterranean with my family, eating fish straight out of the sea. Why? Because we must be doing okay if this is the case.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? What is your favorite food to eat from your hometown?

My favorite hometown food, plus a chance to win a copy of Ian’s book- after the jump… Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. Today, it’s Conrad Logic.  A Rapper/Attorney who loves street meat.  I think I can let this one speak for itself.

Name: Conrad Logic

Age: 30 Plus

Weight: Rolling Heavy

Occupation: Rapper/Attorney  (For more, go to http://www.gentrifyordie.com/.  Btw- that’s his rapper website- not his Attorney Profile)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Rock Center Baby

Favorite Kind of Food: Anything prepared by a cart monger. Currently, I’m in a strong Halal chicken and rice zone. Props to Midtown Lunch for dropping the science on the 53rd and Sixth cart having a branch location across the street. No wait, same great sauce!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Not sure it’s out there; I’m down- from sweetbreads to the funky chicken claw yakatori.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Until recently it was the tasty marinated lamb at the Kwik Meal cart, dude’s full chef outfit lets you know he is a class act through and through. I’ve moved on to the burger and fries at the Burger Joint, just call ahead and walk in to pick up your sack of sweet burger lovin.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Starbucks, sometimes you need the hookup a few times a day. Plus my girl packs me a lunch a few days a week.

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: OMS/B (which is also graffiti crew based out of shibuya); a couple of the Set As makes for a nice snack before a prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella sammy at Milantz. Additionally, I’m a strong advocate of the Stalin special at the Hallo Berlin cart. Rolf’s wurst slicer is a true technological innovation.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Singapore, they got this ridiculous market of street vendors in “Chinatown” where you can score top notch street food and bottomless snacks in many styles including the local char kway teow, Chinese cha shao fun, Indian murtabaks, Malay rotis and nasi lemak, and top notch Indonesian satays.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers?: What’s your favorite purveyor of fine coffee in midtown vicinity?

Wow. I’m going to leave this one up to you guys. I’m speechless.

If you have a coffee suggestion for “Conrad”, leave it as a comment below- and as always, if you have news, suggestions, or you want to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er- email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. Today, it’s India- a fish taco obsessed, soon to be grad student who has a pretty great photo for us.  In the past, some commenters have requested a date with the Profiled Midtown Lunch’er.  Let’s see who gets more date requests today.  India or that big hunk of meat she’s standing next to.  (I’m eyeing the meat… no offense India)

Name: India

Age: 24

Occupation: Paralegal at a Midtown law firm… but I’m about to move to San Francisco for Grad School

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 43rd & Lexington

Favorite Kind of Food: I don’t know if there is a particular “cuisine” that I don’t like. It all depends on my mood. Right now, I’d have to say that South Indian food is my favorite…. can’t get enough of those rava masala dosas!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Overpriced, mediocre chains in Midtown… I’m thinking specifically of Pax and Cafe Metro.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Grill 44 on 44th and 2nd. I always order it when I stay late at work. Their Mediterranean platters are huge and they always hit the spot. And you can’t go wrong with a shepherd’s salad with the sea bass or salmon kebab!

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Dishes on 45th and 5th. It’s a little pricey and gets crowded around lunch time, but they have something for everyone there.

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: I always walked past Oms/b, not knowing whether the rice balls were worth trying. I’m certainly glad I did! I also love the little appetizers they have in the window of Sophie’s Cuban, especially the yucca croquette and the pork tamale. Sometimes when I’m walking to work hungover I get them for breakfast!

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? In New York, I’d love to work in Carroll Gardens. There’s a fantastic selection of reasonably priced restaurants on Smith Street. If we’re talking about the world, I would have to say Manhattan beach, CA so i could get fish tacos every single day!

Good point about the fish tacos.  We need a Wahoo’s Rubio’s or Sharkey’s out here!  Fried chunks of fish in two corn tortillas topped with shredded cabbage.  It’s good stuff.  Lucky for you we have plenty of your other favorite in Midtown.  A picture of my favorite Masala Dosa in Midtown- after the jump… Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random Midtown worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown. Today, it’s Ana- the Geekanerd who was first to the Kwik E Mart scene yesterday.  She’s a little west of the Midtown Lunch boundaries, so hopefully this will be helpful for those of you on the western outskirts of Midtown (or for people who like to take extra long lunch excursions.)

Name: Ana

Age: 23

Occupation: Filmmaker.  And founder/co-writer of Geekanerd.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Brainstorm Inc.  A production house on 35th & 9th

Favorite Kind of Food: Sushi, legit Mexican (I have a Mexican dad), smoothies, BBQ and paradoxically, vegetarian stuff

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything at a diner that’s not breakfast

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Daisy May’s is unbeatable for BBQ sandwiches, particularly the pulled pork. I can only eat there once a month because the experience is so intense that I need 30 days to recover. I go to the mothership location on 11th ave and 46th instead of the cart, since I live near by. Special notice should also go to the Starlite Deli on 44th between 7+8th, which has my favorite sandwich in New York: the Star Lite Vegetarian. I should make it clear that I am not even a vegetarian, and this is my favorite sandwich. That’s saying something. It features breaded eggplant, fresh mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, crunchy salad, in a pita. It was one of the first things I ever ate in New York, on my first trip to the city almost seven years ago.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Burgers and Cupcakes (9th btwn 35+36th). Right down the street from the office, SUPER good and suprisingly cheap. The only downside is the burgers are small, but I am too so it’s not an issue. All their burgers, including the salmon and veggie options, are outstanding. Also 99 Cent Pizza on 42nd & 9th, but that is more an after-work snack than lunch. I eat there several times a week, which means I’m probably going to die in a year.

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: A bunch…my girlfriend swears by Midtown Lunch and is always making me break my set routines. Tehuitzingo definitely passed my stringent Mexican food authenticity standard, and Cafe Azuri did a great falafel with cool atmosphere. We also visited the now closed Ressie Mae’s and Mandlers, but my favorite has been Market Cafe, which did the best gnocchi I’ve ever had for just over ten dollars! (Note: I don’t think I ever wrote about Market Cafe, but it is a great place for dinner.)

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Washington Square…I went to college down there, and it’s great to be able to choose between the East and West Village for lunch. I like eateries where you can order at a counter and eat at a table without being waited on – I haven’t found many of these in Midtown, but there are tons in the village: Blue 9 Burger, Chickpea, Dojo’s, BB Sandwich Bar, Mamouns, Velselka, Momofuku Saam Bar…an embarrassment of riches!

I’m glad you mentioned the 99 Cent Pizza being an after work snack.  My wife and I have this ongoing argument regarding that very place.  She says, a slice of pizza is a meal for many people, and under no circumstances can it be considered a snack.  Granted, she’s really only arguing for my well being (pizza as snack may be dangerous)- but that shouldn’t be taken into consideration when arguing semantics!

I say, if something costs $1 it is automatically a snack, no matter how big or small it is. In other words, price determines what a snack is, and will simultaneously limit the size of said food item.  The Devil’s Advocate responds- “What if an entire pizza only cost $1?  Would it then be a snack?”.  My response would be- an entire pizza would never cost $1.  The price will limit the size, therefore making anything that costs $1, a snack. 

What do you think?  What determines a snack?  Price or size, and is it relative (5 hamburgers may be a snack for a 600 lb. man) or absolute.  Sound off in the comment section below.

And, as always, if you have news, suggestions, or you want to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er- email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random Midtown worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown.  Today, it’s Chris- a Sales Development Manager who sits around and dreams of street carts and all the things they could possibly serve.

Name: Chris

Age: 30

Occupation: Sales Development Manager

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Field & Stream/Outdoor Life on Park & 33rd

Favorite Kind of Food: Chicken Parm

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Liverwurst

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The Chicken Parm Hero at Bella Napoli (30th+Madison)

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: I often visit Mercury Bar (33rd and 3rd). Anything on their $5.95 lunch special menu is a great value for the price and the portions. Prior to moving down to Park Ave, my favorite lunch spot was the 696 Deli (3rd Ave btw 44+45th). Great sandwiches and hot food. Especially the “Thanksgiving Sandwich”… Hot Carved Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce.

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: Nothing yet, but I want to check out the Hallo Berlin Cart, the Jamaican Dutchy and the Bulgogi Cart. I’m a big cart food guy (I hit up Rafiqi’s once a week for the lamb and chicken in a pita).

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Aruba. But unless I hit the lotto that’s not happening. In NYC, my dream job location for lunch purposes would have been atop the construction beams when they were building the skyscrapers in the city- like that famous picture.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? What food/features would your dream lunch cart entail?

Dream cart, huh?  Well, for me that’s easy.  They already exist (albeit very very far away).  Pictures, after the jump  Read more »

Every Tuesday I turn over Midtown Lunch to a random Midtown worker, for their favorite places to eat lunch in Midtown.  Normally when I get a picture like this, I’ll ask for a replacement… something “Midtown’ish” and more zoomed in.  Unfortunately, Vivian told me this is the only picture of herself she had at work.  I’m assuming she meant on her computer at work, and not- this was a picture of her “at work”.  Either way, if this is the pic she wants posted, who am I to stop her. 

***PICTURE REMOVED***

Name: Vivian

Age: 29

Occupation: Education Coordinator

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Vanderbilt* btw. 44+45th  (Oooh!  You work on Vanderbilt. That’s exciting. -zach) 

Favorite Kind of Food: Thai

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Eel.  I love Japanese food, however I tried eel once and I didn’t like it.

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: For sit-down, Park Italian Gourmet on 45th btw. 5+6th. They make the best Italian heros, but also offer hot Italian fare. For take-away, a falafel sandwich from Moshe’s cart on 46th & 5th or the Golden Krust kiosk in Grand Central.  (Another vote for Park Italian.  I will get around to writing about this place eventually… -zach)

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Cucina & Co., but only because it’s across the street!

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: Hing Won. Finally, authentic Chinese in Midtown!

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Chinatown- fresh, quality ingredients prepared super fast at amazing prices, what more could a ‘luncher’ ask for!

*Vanderbilt is that little street that runs between 42nd & 47th between Madison and Park… next to Grand Central, and home to Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck (47th & Vanderbilt).  Speaking of Jiannetto’s, I’ve got some news for you- after the jump… Read more »