Midtown Lunch

Hard to believe, but Two Boots’ outpost in Grand Central has been around for 10 years-far outlasting the one in Rock Center. For their anniversary celebration they debuted the No. 6 last week, which includes pecorino, provolone, capicola, sopressata, peperoncini and roasted peppers, and I can vouch that it’s got a spicy kick to it. But that’s not all! They also launched some ‘Fat Tuesday’ specials last week: the Swampwich pizza (yes, alligator sausage is involved), the Stromolaya (or a jambalaya stuffed stromboli), 2-for-1 Hurricanes (how Mamacita and I will pre-game before tomorrow’s happy hour), and copious amounts of no flashing required Mardi Gras beads. Maybe all this will make up for how bad their muffuletta is.

Related:
Two Boots (stands for what???)

The new, just out of bounds, Two Boots on 9th Ave (btw. 44+45th) is now open, which is great news for all the folks in Midtown West who really miss the now shuttered Rock Center Location. Even though they are already open, the official “Grand Opening” party is tomorrow night (6/18), with music and free pizza from 6-8pm.

Related:
First Look: Lebowski’s Two Boots is 2-3 Weeks Away

Wow… today has not been good for the Midtown Lunch’ing news.  This just in from Lunch’er Jill: “Two Boots under Rockefeller Center is closing!  Today is their last day. They are opening a new place at 9th and 45th.” And confirmed on the Two Boots website:

And it was one year ago this month you guys voted this best slice in Midtown. The end of an era… and a big loss to the lazy lunchers of 30 Rock who hate leaving their building.

I love New Orleans and it seems to come up a fair amount here on MidtownLunch.com.  My wife and I were married there, I’ve written about it a few times, and 3 of our Profiled: Midtown Lunch’ers mentioned it as a place they’d rather be (Liz, Elizabeth  and Nick).  But for some reason, it didn’t sink in- until recently- that Two Boots was part Cajun.  That’s right.  The NY pizza chain with the strange decor and the weird, slightly overpriced slices of pie is actually half Italian, half Cajun… hence “Two Boots” (Italy & Louisiana).

Now, I’m sure some of you “smart” “observant” people, who don’t walk around with your “head up your ass” might be saying to yourself- “Gee Zach… what are you an idiot?”  And to that I say, “Yes.  Yes I am.”  Alright, so I’m not that quick.  I’ve gotten pizza from many of the various Two Boots locations around the city, and in all that time I never really noticed the Po’Boys or Jambalaya on the menu painted on the wall… just the pizzas in the glass case.

I’m not sure who clued me into the whole “Two Boots” thing, or the fact that they have things other than pizza… but as someone who is constantly on the lookout for quality New Orleans style food, I figured it was time to give the non pizza boot a try.

What I ordered, a run down of the pizzas and the +/- after the jump…

Read more »