Times Square Recession Deal Includes a $10 Muffuletta
Times Square Alliance, the ogranization known most notably for putting on the annual ‘Taste of Times Square‘, is promoting a month-long “Taste Bud Stimulus Package” where local restaurants offer discounts until the end of January. Just like the Taste of Times Square, the list of restaurants run the gamut from expensive, to crappy, to touristy, to expensive touristy crap (Applebee’s anybody?). And a few of the deals you can get at any time (i.e. the $10 beer and burger deal at House of Brews). But there were a couple that caught my eye… like 15% off at Empanada Joe’s (I still haven’t completely given up on that place), and there is a special $10 lunch menu at the just out of bounds Bourbon Street Grill on 46th btw. 8+9th (what can I say? I am a sucker for New Orleans.)
I headed over there yesterday to check out their muffuletta.
I know, I know. What could I possibly expect from a faux New Orleans joint, on restaurant row (quite possibly the most toursity stretch of restaurants in New York City.) But they do have some good happy hour specials ($5 hurricanes and 2 for 1 Abitas) and a decent red beans and rice… so I thought, maybe- just maybe it would be ok.
I suppose they get a few “cuteness” points for cutting the sandwich into four pieces… although the original Central Grocery version is cut into four pieces because it is massive. This sandwich was far from massive. It also was on tomato and cheese foccacia (not Sicilian bread) and heated (huh?) so the cheese was all melted. The original muffuletta is a cold cuts sandwich… emphasis on the cold. The olive salad- which they thankfully remembered- was decent, but not enough to save the poor meat selection, which appeared to consist of two layers of mortadella and one layer of a perpperoni-like salami. Potato chips were good.
Don’t get me wrong… the thing tasted fine. It just wasn’t a muffuletta. I did, however, find out that if you have a Times Square Alliance card (which I think you can get for free if you prove you work or live in the area) you get 15% off anything on the menu at Bourbon Street Grill, which would bring the $11 1/2 po’boy, 1/2 cup of seafood gumbo lunch special into the Midtown Lunch price range. I may have to try that… with low expectations of course.
Bourbon Street Bar & Grille, 346 w. 46th St. (btw. 8+9th), 212-245-2030
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:10 am, January 13th, 2009 under Cajun, Out of Bounds.
9 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
9 Comments
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@Will – Because if I did 9th Ave., then I have to do 2nd Ave. (for those who work on Park & 3rd) and then it becomes, “why don’t you do 10th Ave.” or 65th Street. So, I just keep it like this, and whenever there is something that specifically piques my interest out of bounds, I’ll go check it out. Sorry… I’m a weirdo who likes my stupid rules.
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I read that as “Taste Bad Stimulus Package”
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Empanada Joe’s – Zach 15% off is still not enough to wet my appetite … I don’t see this chain lasting the year.
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Zach, I like your stupid rules. Without the rules, there is chaos. What makes this blog great is its focus on a particular niche.
Will’s argument is that “there are so many great restaurants on 9th,” but the fact that there are great restaurants there does not make it part of Midtown. A valid argument would be: “There are a ton of office buildings very close to 9th,” IF it were true. (I have no idea, as I’ rarely go beyond 8th.)
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Just an aside, some of the legit NOLA places DO serve muffalettas warm, eg., Napoleon House…. But it isn’t the standard presentation, granted.
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@ ElHefe – yeah, but this had tomato and cheese melted into the top of the foccacia!
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Does that sandwich come with two young girls showing me their headlights? Where is Casa? She has a large headlight assembly. I like my headlights bright.
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ElHefe is correct, there are actually a number of places here in New Orleans who serve muffaletta warm — not hot, but warm. Actually, I am a native New Orleanian who prefers them that way (I also don’t care for Central Grocery’s version).
i still don’t get why the cut off for midtown lunching is 8th ave… there are so many great restaurants on 9th (some of which you have reviewed)… why not just make it official and change the cut-off to 9th?