Midtown Lunch

It’s been a long time since we’ve checked in with Sea World the non-theme park home of every fried aquatic creature imaginable. When last I ate there is was because they had an all-you-can-eat buffet for the low, low price of $7 but I think most people shunned that and kept on ordering up fried seafood to go. When I walked by I noticed that not only was the buffet gone (!), but in its place they had added a rotisserie for chicken and some other non-fried options. As a consequence, they’re now calling themselves Sea World Rotisserie & Grill & Fried Seafood. I went in to get the amazing combo of rotisserie chicken and lo mein, but was told there was no chicken that day. Since I was there and hungry I forged ahead and ordered up a sandwich of epic proportions.

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We’ve been hearing about the constant headaches of food trucks trying to find parking in midtown, with entire areas deemed off-limits after repeated kicking out by the police who have been ramping up enforcement of metered spots after a court ruling. One consequence was that the trucks started spending more time in Soho and the lower part of the Financial District meaning blocks that maybe had a couple of trucks a few days a week are now saturated every day.

First, a popular stretch of Hudson St. was the scene of trucks being asked to leave due to complaints from nearby businesses, but that simmered down. The latest trouble spot is a one-block stretch of Hanover Square that not only houses two or three trucks on any given day, but a couple of popular carts like No. 1 Banh Mi as well. On Monday and Tuesday, trucks were being told they couldn’t park there anymore due to complaints from more than one source.

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As is customary here on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we’ll profile a different lunch’er and get their recommendations for places to eat in Downtown NYC. This week, we have Simon, who works in an expensive neighborhood so he seeks out lunches in a different one.

Name: Simon Portnoy

Occupation: Event coordinator

Where you work: Spring & Varick streets

Age: 29

Favorite kinds of food: There’s just too much good stuff out there to pick favorites but I do prefer the ethnic eats! Tripe tacos, sweetbreads, sushi, shellfish, brisket, and my mama’s cooking.

Least favorite foods: Fast food, pre-packaged anything, over-priced, over-hyped food trucks and lame corporate renditions of New York classics like Papa John’s pizza.

Favorite lunches downtown: Lunch can get expensive on Spring St. so I spend the majority of my time in Chinatown. I go for the roast pig at Wah Fung #1 Fast Food on Chrystie (btw. Grand & Bowery), and the fish balls over rice noodles with peanut sauce from the street cart off of Grand & Bowery. I love the hand pulled noodle soup from Sheng Wang on Eldridge (btw. Canal & Berry) or the cumin lamb burgers from Xi’an Famous Foods (Multiple Locations). Take the money you save on lunch and buy some gum ’cause you’ll need it after a couple of those lamb burgers.

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In honor of National Wafel Day tomorrow, the Wafels & Dinges truck is gearing up for the annual festivities and crowning of Mr. and Miss Wafel and they want you to be a part of the celebration taking place at Hanover Square. There be free (you guessed it) wafels in exchange for artistic expression, and you can sign up to take part in the contest to crown the winners. You have to do so by 4 p.m. today and full details can be found on their blog. Click through for more information on how to get free food at the event and see what the prize is if you win.

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