PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Teresa”
Every Tuesday I turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Teresa, the girl responsible for the amazing Wah Mei Pork Chop Fast Food delivery story last week. I wanted to see what other tricks she might up her sleeve!
Name: Teresa
Age: 26
Occupation: QA Analyst (just started 6 months ago and still don’t really know what I do exactly).
Where in Midtown do you Work?: TheMarkets.com around 53rd and 7th
Favorite Kind of Food: So far, my favorite is street food in Taipei. The food is so tasty and cheap. Whenever I visit Taipei, I make sure to have noodles almost everyday. Also, they have their famous soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung. The dumpling skin is much thinner than what I get here in Chinatown/Flushing. This summer I’ll be visiting Japan, so I hope to find some new favorites.
Least Favorite Kind of Food: Mushrooms, sea cucumber, abalone, clams, oysters, mussels, most of the “exotic” seafood in a typical Chinese banquet.
Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Tonkotsu or Curry Ramen at Men Kui Tei on 56th btw. 5+6th (I found out sadly they don’t serve Mabo Ramen for lunch), Fried Chicken Curry Udon at Teriyaki Boy (on 7th Ave. btw. 48+49th), Beef Soft Tofu Soup at Cafe Duke’s (on 51st btw. 6+7th), and the unlimited salad at Stage Star (on 55th & 6th).
“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Cafe Duke’s, Bocca, China Gourmet (although I never eat there), Street meat at 53rd and 6th and the Crown Deli.
Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? NYC Cravings Truck, even though I wish I never had their unsatisfactory pork chop over rice. The $5 May Lunch Special at Shilla, which was very good. Szechuan Gourmet, but I have yet to try it
If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Tokyo so I can eat ramen everyday, Rome so I can have pizza, gelato and pasta everyday, or Taipei so I can have beef noodle soup everyday.
Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? My old job was close to Cafe Zaiya and Yagura (both on 41st btw. Mad+5th), so I miss the takeout Japanese food. Is there anything like this near 53rd and 7th? Cafe Duke’s does NOT count. If there are none, what’s the closest place to my office? I’m willing to travel.
Hmmm. Pro Hot Korean is kind of like the Korean version of Cafe Zaiya, and that’s on 56th btw. 5+6th. Not *as* good, (and the selection isn’t as large as Zaiya) but it’s good enough. And close to your office.
Anybody else have a recommendation? Put it in the comments. And as always if you’d like to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate), email me at zach@midtownlunch.com.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:45 am, June 30th, 2009 under PROFILE: Midtown Lunch'er.
51 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
51 Comments
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P.S. Teresa it’s not you I think your alot better then half the profiled lunchers profiled but people are getting a lil to PC. I come to ML to escape work even for a moment but with these rules I might as well go back to bothering tourists.
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D, who are you to judge which profiled lunchers are better than others? Who appointed you official luncher profile evaluator? If I ever need a luncher profile evaluated, I’ll be sure to give YOU a call – “LOL”
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wow, i’m a day late and so curious to see what rudy mcbagel wrote too! oh well.
teresa, i LOOOOVE din tai fung! if you are ever in southern california, they have a branch in a town called arcadia, about an hour or so east of LA (without traffic of course)
there is also a semi-decent place in chinatown on elizabeth street. you know where that tunnel underpass thing is that goes from elizabeth to the bowery? well it’s right near the tunnel across from that herbal medicine place. it says shanghai something outside and has pictures of dumplings in the windows. try it!
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Maybe a takeoff on the “Wayne’s World” theme next…..hmm……I mean, if anything is party time and excellent, it’s FotW
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BTW, is it wrong that I still get a big chuckle when I see that this blog is heavily sponsored (and by that, I refer to advertising presence) by Chipotle?
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Wow, it was hard to read through all 46 comments since 98% of them were not relevant to my question I asked.
@Dylan: Wow, sounds like Yagura. I’m tempted to trek there one day. Thanks for your suggestion.
@famdoc: Thanks! It was a surprise to read a nice comment in a sea of insulting comments.
@DDR: What kind of Asian cuisine? I usually stay away from Chinese food in Midtown because I know I can get something much better and cheaper in Chinatown. However, when I worked at SeamlessWeb, I did go to Evergreen Shanghai on 38th Street (between 5th and Madison). Also, the Wu Liang Ye chain is pretty good, but a bit pricey. When I worked near Grand Central, I’d go to Cafe Zaiya or Yagura on 41st Street (between 5th and Madison). I’m also a huge fan of the Tempura Udon at Aji Sushi in Murray Hill. I think they are owned by Chinese people, but their food is pretty decent. I can’t vouch for their sushi since I only eat cooked food at Japanese restaurants.
@casadelun: I’m an embarrassment at Chinese banquets. I give you props for eating all the foods I dislike. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t so picky!
@vjchin: I heard about the Din Tai Fung in Arcadia, but haven’t had a chance to venture out there. Din Tai Fung came to Flushing a couple of times and my mom was lucky enough to get a reservation when they took over the Sheraton hotel, so I was able to enjoy the dumplings for a huge markup. I haven’t tried this Shanghainese restaurant you speak of. Do you have at least a name I can go by? Thank you!
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Teresa,
Well played. -
it needs work, but attempt #4:
Bawitdaba da bang a dang Freak O Weeky Weeky said the boogy said up jump the boogy
Bawitdaba da bang a dang Freak O Weeky Weeky said the boogy said up jump the boogy
Bawitdaba da bang a dang Freak O Weeky Weeky said the boogy said up jump the boogy
Bawitdaba da bang a dang Freak O Weeky Weeky said the boogy said up jump the boogyAnd this is for the questions that only Zach knows the answers
The midnight snacks and the halal platters
The candied sweets, trucks packed with eats
The cart’s with the deals and the shops with freebies
The Northern edge and the Southern border
And it don’t even matter if the burgers are cooked to order
All the locals, the critics, the others
And all my heros who used to work at Lehman Brothers
All you bastards at the DOH
For the cart-nazi cops and the Bulkie W&D ate
For the shots of jack and the MamaC’s dives
Half pints of Stella and the fifths of Stout
For the pa-losers eating rice in Bryant Park
And for my hoods of the boroughs not included
I said it’s all tasty and it’s all in fun
Now get outta Cafe Metro and try to love your lunch! -
with apologies of course to Kid Rock
Ladyboy Ladyboy Ladyboy……..Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy