Last year, I was lucky enough to travel to Portugal for vacation (and lots of eating). One of the most ubiquitious dishes I discovered is the pastel de nata. This is basically a sweet egg custard tart topped with cinnamon and powdered sugar. It’s served all over Portugal as breakfast, dessert, or a snack with an espresso.
Eater reported that the popular food delivery service Maple (which counts David Chang as one of its investors) has just expanded to south Midtown. And while I expected this to be an over-priced fancy schmancy delicery service, it sounds like it could be a true Midtown Lunch option if you’re willing to splurge by just 2 bones.
Every day, you can choose from a list of chef-prepared dishes like shrimp biryani and cumin-roasted chicken breast. The food will be delivered to your office (assuming you work in the delivery zone) for $12 total. Tax, tip, and delivery fees are included and they guarantee a 30 minute delivery time.
The added delivery zone is between Eighth Avenue and Park Avenue anywhere between 14th and 42nd Street, but I imagine that will expand in the future. There are also desserts available from Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi and Ample Hills ice cream. Check out the website and app by clicking here.
I think it’s fair to increase the ML budget to $12 for this, but what remains to be seen is if the food is worth it and the portion sizes match the price. Anybody have a chance to check this out yet? Leave feedback in the comments below.
Over the weekend, I noticed an unusual thing. There was no line at the normally mobbed Chick-Fil-A. Turns out it’s because they’ve been closed since Christmas. That was when the Department of Health stopped by and gave the fast food chain 59 points (which warrants a C grade) due to things like filth flies and food not protected from potential contamination. They decided to voluntarily close to make changes, but were supposed to re-open yesterday. According to Grub Street, they will remain closed until further notice. Now where will Midtowners with too much time on their hands wait in line??
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to eat less gluten, you’re in luck. The uber-popular Baked by Melissa cupcake company that has many locations around the city including one on 7th Avenue between 38th and 39th Street has opened a second location right next door. But it’s completely gluten free.
It must be a Christmas miracle! Luncher joer alerted us in the comments to the fact that Penn Station will be getting a new legitimate food court early next year. It was reported in the New York Post and on Eater. This is not an Urban Space run venture – it’s overseen by caterer Mary Giuliani – so you can expect a refreshing set of new and familiar food options. Most exciting for us is that this will be a permanent location for the much-missed Cinnamon Snail. Also expect The Lobster Press from Marc Forgione, a second location of healthy The Little Beet, and a soup and sandwich spot by Mario Batali called Mario by Mary.
It will open in the former Borders location facing 7th Avenue and there will be plenty of seating (about 300) and a bar, but the whole venture will have the unfortunate name of the Pennsy. Either way, we’ll take it.
Posted by brianhoffman at 11:07 am, December 23rd, 2015 under Penn Station, The Pennsy.
Last month, I was super stoked to discover Sons of Thunder was serving Hawaiian poke in addition to burgers and chicken sandwiches. Over the weekend, I walked by a brand new spot called Pokéworks. It’s a company from California that just opened a location on West 37th Street last week. Are the trendy fried chicken sandwiches being replaced by raw marinated fish??
I was actually terrified to go check out the new food court in Macy’s. Not only am I allergic to shopping, but this is the holiday season and you have to battle a crowd of window-gazing tourists to even enter the doors of the department store. Oh, the things we do for food!
Posted by brianhoffman at 11:17 am, December 15th, 2015 under Chef Street at Macy's.
Biryani Cart is not going anywhere on 46th Street, but its second cart seems to reinvent itself every few months. For a while, you could try Chinese-Indian food and once upon a time it was Juicy Wings. But starting today, it has moved from the east side of Sixth Avenue and will be located right next to the original cart (on the west side) and selling their giant kati wraps. In addition to larger versions of their sweet chili chicken roll, you can also try a giant philly steak roll and a falafel combo roll. All for $5! The cart will be there every weekday until 7pm.
Uncle Sam’s, a fast food chain in China, opened their first location a few months ago just out of bounds. They are on Fifth Avenue just below 32nd Street in the midst of Koreatown. The chain didn’t gain as much excitement in the city as Chick-Fil-A, but they received some positive press and have lots of combo specials listed on their window to lure lunchers in.
Monday-Friday now through December 21, visit www.citi.com/desserts for locations where you can meet Mets players and score a free beverage (and sometimes sweet snacks) (if you show them your Citi card, debit or credit).
Right now, they’re parked outside 399 Park Ave (in front of the Citi branch there) with Dub Pies, Kimchi Taco, Red Hook Lobster Pound and… JOHN FRANCO!! New York City boy through and through.
I’ll be there! Will you?
Keep checking www.citi.com/desserts for when they’ll be near you – they’re going to be all over Manhattan including Union Square, Bryant Park, and perhaps farther downtown.
FREELOADERS ENGAGE.
Edit: check out pics from my visit at the trucks, after the jump!
