Midtown Lunch

I don’t think I have to say it- but there are very few destination restaurants for lunch in Midtown.  You know what I’m talking about… the place you can recommend wholeheartedly, without any concern for how far the person will have to travel to eat the meal your endorsing. 

The truth is, I write about places to eat lunch in Midtown every week, and some I even talk about like they’re the greatest ever.  But you know, and I know- they’re not REALLY the GREATEST ever.  They’re just good for Midtown.  That’s why almost every one of my postings is qualified with “This is not the best ___________ you’ll ever have, but it’s good enough for lunch in Midtown”.  Well- finally I can say I found a “This IS the best ____________ you’ll ever have”, IT’S IN MIDTOWN- and it’s called Oms/b.  Very exciting indeed. 

But don’t get too excited…  I’m not saying EVERYBODY will like the food at this place… there will be a +/-, just like every lunch I write about- but there will be no qualifier for Oms/b.  It’s pretty simple… if you like this kind of food, for this kind of price, in this kind of atmosphere- this will be YOUR NEW FAVORITE PLACE!  Don’t work in Midtown?  Toss the kids in the car, we’re going for a ride… because if you’re into it- this place is worth the trip (and not just from 49th st & 6th ave.)

Now that I’ve totally overhyped this place- check out the pics, the menu and of course, the +/-, all after the jump….

Oms/b is short for Omusubi, or to put it into English, a Japanese rice ball.  They come in many shapes and sizes, and can be stuffed or topped with things like spicy tuna, salmon, shrimp tempura, eel, seaweed, edamame, etc.  Some are triangle shaped, and wrapped in seaweed, others are round balls of rice, topped with something delicious.

Initially you may think it is like sushi, but there are some major differences.  First, there is no raw fish in any of the Omusubi I’ve seen here (I’m not sure if traditionally it can have raw fish- but here in New York, I’ve only seen it with cooked things, or vegetables).  Second, unlike Sushi, Omusubi is meant to be entirely portable, and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or a snack. 

It seems like these little rice balls are poised to become pretty popular in New York City.  I first saw them at Cafe Zaiya a few months ago, but since then they seem to be popping up all over the place… especially in take out sushi restaurants.  While I enjoyed the spicy tuna omusubi I had at Cafe Zaiya, Oms/b takes it to the next level.  The rice is fresher, the ingredients are better, the selection is larger and the presentation is pretty amazing.  As you know, I’m not big into describing how food looks, and I don’t think I ever talk about things like presentation- but man, when you walk into this place it’s pretty sweet.  All of the rice balls rolled up in a row is a pretty beautiful sight…. (does that make me a wuss?)

Alright… you get the picture- now onto the helpful information:  What and how to order?  Here’s the thing, Oms/b is pretty intimidating.  There are a lot of options, and it’s tough to order on your first trip.  Not to mention, it’s a pretty small place, so if you go after 12:45pm, there tends to be a line; and that line of people is not interested in waiting while you decide.  So with that in mind, I suggest doing as much research as you can before getting there, so you’re prepared.

The most popular option is SET A (from the set menu).  It includes any 3 rice balls you want plus soup for $7.50.  Initially, this seems like a great idea, because you get to choose whatever you want- but this option is only good if you are going to get what I refer to as the “big money rice balls”.  These are the ones stuffed with eel or shrimp or meat of some kind.  These are over $2.00 ala carte, and make the SET A worth it.  If you are interested in the vegetarian choices, it might be cheaper to order ala carte.  Look at the prices of the rice balls you are interested in before making your choice.

SET B is the vegetarian option, and the cheapest set menu.  3 vegetarian rice balls, an appetizer (which is pickled vegetables of some kind) and soup.  The set is pre-made, so you don’t get to choose- but if you are thinking of going all vegetarian, this might be the easiest and cheapest way to do it.

The Special Set is 3 rice balls, and appetizer (the same seaweed salad), and soup for $6.50.  Once again you don’t get to choose which rice balls you want, but it’s $1 cheaper then set A, and you also get the pickled vegetables.

In the end, as appealing as the Sets are, if you don’t care about the soup, but you really want to choose your own rice balls, it might be better to order ala carte.  But if you are looking for a deal, and don’t care so much about choosing, Set B & the Special Set are the way to go… and if there is a rice ball that looks particularly good- get it in addition to the set.  Your meal will still be under $10.

So to help you decide, here is a list of the top 10 omusubi, as posted on the wall of the restaurant: 

1. Spicy Tuna (it’s actually cooked tuna- like tuna fish-so if you’re expecting sushi, you may be disappointed)
2. Shrimp Pop Corn
3. Salmon (also cooked)
4. Eel
5. Lobster Salad
6. Salmon Roe
7. Shrimp Tempura
8. Football Rice
9. Hijiki
10. Cod Roe 

ONE IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you are used to stuffing your face (like I am), 3 rice balls and soup is probably not going to fill you up.  For this I have a few suggestions: #1. Get the Deluxe Set… or as I like to think of it- the “fat guy” Set.  4 rice balls, 4 kind of appetizers, and pickles, for $9.99.  If that seems like overkill, or too expensive, just add a few more things to your 3 rice ball SET.  An extra rice ball, or one of the appetizers.  They have all sorts of delicious things, like fried chicken, dumplings, tofu nuggets and croquettes.  Both ideas will still mean a lunch that is around $10.  Not the cheapest ever, but still in the reasonable range.

There are a few more important things in the +/-, so be sure to read it before rushing off to stuff your face with rice balls.  If the + outweighs the -, venture forth- because I can honestly say “This is the best omusubi place in New York City… it only happens to be in Midtown”

THE + (what people who like this will say)

• You’ve obviously got to love rice.  80% of what you are eating is rice… so if you don’t really enjoy rice, you might not be into it
• They are freshly made, and the selection is great
• The presentation…. they are pretty sweet looking 

THE – (what people who don’t like this place will say)

• Not a good value.  It’s mostly rice, and there’s not a ton of filling in each ball.
• I’d rather eat sushi.  There’s no raw fish.
• Not a lot of food.  After three rice balls, and some soup, I’m still pretty hungry. 
• The restaurant is really small and cramped.  There are very few tables to sit at, and they are not the most comfortable, so either get there early, or expect to take your food to go.
• Did I mention it’s a lot of rice?  If you don’t like rice… skip this place (seems like a no-brainer, but some people…

Oms/b, 156 E. 45th St. (btw. 3rd & Lex) 212-922-9788