Midtown Lunch

Like a heroin addict who can’t stay away from the methadone, my addiction to cheap Chinese food often manifests itself in my inability to eat at a mall food court without getting bourbon chicken. Sure, “technically” it’s not Chinese food- but who are they kidding? We all know bourbon chicken (and its many permutations) was invented so all the non-Chinese food spots could lure those with the same affliction as me away from the one Chinese food option in the food court. (Plus, it works as the perfect free sample.)

So you can imagine how excited I was to discover that the people who ran the “Cajun Cafe” in the now closed Manhattan Mall Food Court, have reopened their food court stand as a brick and mortar shop- replacing Pow Wok on 7th Ave. btw. 36+37th.

The front of the place looks like your generic Midtown deli, but the back is where all the magic happens. I had never tried Pow Wok so I don’t know if this is an improvement, so something to be bummed about. One meat, a starch, and a vegetable for $6.19. Not bad. I had already eaten a 3 slice of pizza lunch, so I didn’t get anything. (Believe me, I considered it.) But if you ever ate at the Cajun Cafe in the Manhattan Mall (and I had, obviously) you know what you’re getting.

The cajun rice and noodles are pretty terrible, and the veggies don’t look too appetizing… but the bourbon chicken.

Oh the sweet sweet bourbon chicken. It’s just too bad they don’t do a two meat combo. They had some nice looking roast pork on that steam table. I will definitely be back to house some of that. Bourbon chicken… you’ve been warned.

DC Fusion Cafe, 499 7th Ave (btw. 36+37th), 212-868-3883