Midtown Lunch

Ying Du, on 38th btw. 7+8th, has reopened since being shut by the Department of Health for a second time, but the roast pork and duck station in the front window of the store is gone. They are saying it will be back on Wednesday, but my sense is that is more wishful thinking than guaranteed action. Not sure exactly why it’s gone… it may have something to do with their DOH violations. Ying Du is not nearly as good a lunch option without it- although there was one item on the steam table that caught my eye as a possible replacement…

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From the Midtown Lunch inbox this morning: “Just as a heads up, I went to grab breakfast this morning from Ying Du (on 38th btw. 7+8th) and it was closed… AGAIN. They said something in “english” about construction in the basement or something and will be closed for about 3 days… Where will I get my grimy Chinese food fix?” *Sigh* No word on if this is related to their DOH closing last month, but there is only so much abuse I’m willing to put up with before I stop going back. Who am I kidding. I’ll always go back.

It’s been over a week since Ying Du on 38th btw. 7+8th was shuttered by the DOH, and no “live animal present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas” or “evidence of rats” is going to keep me away from my favorite take out Chinese place in the Garment District. Ok, so maybe I would have felt different if I had looked at the restaurant inspection before I went… but it doesn’t matter! Clearly they’ve fixed the problems if they’re back open, right? And my $5.50 order of head on salt and pepper shrimp and roast pork over sauteed noodles was most excellent.

Alright.  We get it.  The best fast food chinese places in Midtown are dirty.  It’s ok.  WE DON’T MIND. Right?  I found this sad scene at Ying Du yesterday (on 38th btw. 7+8th) one of my favorite chinese places in Midtown.  It was certainly not a surprising sight (we all know it’s dirty), but it’s still kind of upsetting. Anybody who eats at Ying Du (or Hing Won for that matter) kind of knows what they’re in for.  We’re adults. Maybe we should move to the L.A. system of putting letter grades in the windows. If you are clean, you get a big A.  If you’re not, you get a B or a C (actually, I don’t know if I ever saw a C).  Then, let the consumer decide.  “How much of a risk do I really want to take eating lunch at this place?”  I guess what I’m saying is, can’t the Department of Health just let Ying Du be? Unless there was evidence of roaches in the food area.  Were there roaches? That’s just gross.

Lunch’ers who ventured over to 38th St. btw. 7+8th today expecting a plate of roast pork over rice from Ying Du, or a plate of katsu from Go Go Curry were greeted by this scene.  Both restaurants were closed today, and converted into sets for “All Good Things” a new Kirsten Dunst/Ryan Gosling movie filming on the street. 

Ying Du as the “Times Square Deli” and Go Go Curry as a “Body Rub Parlor”, after the jump… Read more »

Awhile back I posted a “Where to get Bubble Tea” Ask Midtown Lunch post, which yielded a few responses: Dishes (which is supposedly terrible) and Hing Won on 48th btw. 5+6th, which is not that bad. You can get in Koreatown on 32nd btw. B’way and 5th, but for those of us working in the heart of Midtown Lunch, there’s not much. I did however noticed the other day that Ying Du on 38th btw. 7+8th (formerly the 38th St. Restaurant and Bakery) is now serving bubble tea. For $2.50 you get a decent size cup, and the regular black tea version I had was pretty darn good (especially in the ridiculous heat,) and definitely better than Hing Won.

If you’re heading over to Go Go Curry today for your 3 free toppings coupons, you might want to check it out- it’s right next door.  Anybody else have a bubble tea suggestion?  Feel free to put it in the comments below…

There are a lot of reasons to travel.  Some people travel to see sights, experience different cultures, meet new people.  I travel to eat.  To me there’s nothing more exciting than visiting another country and experiencing the food.  Get to a museum and find out it’s closed… eh, no big deal.  Force me to waste a meal on bad food, and you will see one pissed off traveler.  It helps that I’m pretty much willing to eat anything, so the language barrier is not a huge issue.  If it looks like it tastes good, and people are eating it- I’ll eat it too.  Pig intestines in Bali, anything off the street in Thailand…  bring it on.

Last week, I found a place for lunch that made me feel that way, without leaving Midtown.  It’s Chinese, and in the Garment District, and eating there made me feel transported to a different country.  I’m not saying the food was the best, most authentic Chinese food I’ve ever had (far from it).  I’m saying that this place was a dirty hole, packed with people speaking a different language. I had no idea what I was ordering, sat at a cramped table with three people I didn’t know (who also didn’t speak very much English)… and I loved every minute of it. 

Just like most eating in Foreign countries, this place is not for everyone.  The food is hit or miss, the place is real dirty, and you don’t necessarily know exactly what you’re eating.  But the price is right (it’s super cheap),  and if you like meals to be adventures, this is as good as it’s going to get in Midtown.

Pictures, what I ate and the +/- after the jump… Read more »