Midtown Lunch

I had wanted to try Kabab & Grill (on 36th btw. B’way+7th) long before I read about their funky goat stew on the blog Food and Mouth. Anytime there’s cheap Indian (or Pakistani) food being sold out of steam tables for under $10 I’m going to try it.  Throw in a Latin food steam table, which is where the goat came from, and now pizza, and it becomes a pretty typical “how could I pass this up?” Midtown Lunch.  I finally got a chance to sample the Indian/Pakistani food from Kebab & Grill last week, and while it may not win any “best of” awards, it’s a perfectly good (and cheap) Indian food option for that area.

What I tried is after the jump…

Read more »

For those who remember such things, back in September of last year MaxWell Medical hired a Mister Softee looking truck to give out free ice cream in an effort to promote their free medical massages. Well, they’re back again today! From 12:30 to 2pm there will be free ice cream (and free medical massage flyers) on the NW corner of 53rd and Madison Ave. (Make sure you grab a massage flyer before you get on line, I think they might require you to have one to score the free ice cream.)

By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the law student, turned cupcake truck owner behind the Cupcake Stop Truck.  Originally they were planning on parking the Herald Square Area, but fame is a fickle mistress- and aside from a few TV appearances, where they handed out free minis to passersby, Midtown has been completely Cupcake Stop free.  Until today.  The Cupcake Stop Truck is selling cupcakes today on 47th and 3rd from now until 6pm tonight (barring any “problems”.)

They were parked near my apartment on Sunday, so I decided to “sample” a box of mini cupcakes.  Check ’em out after the jump…

Read more »

And now a Public Service Announcement from Captain Obvious:  “Asian sandwiches are blowing up people!”  And it seems like they’re all attracted to the outskirts of Midtown Lunch’ing. First, Baoguette brought the almighty banh mi to Lexington btw. 25+26th.  Then last week Mantao hit us with the mantou Chinese sandwich on 53rd btw. 2+3rd.  And now welcome the latest upscale Asian sandwich joint to (almost) land in Midtown: Xie Xie (pronounced Shay Shay), which will open on 9th Ave. btw. 45+46th today. Last night they had some sort of “let us know what you think by filling out these comment cards” soft opening that was by invite only, and “unless the place blows away overnight” it should be open to the public today at 11:30am.  So if you’re one of those “I want to be the very first ones to eat this thing that everyone will be writing about in a week”, and don’t mind the hefty price tag for a sandwich, today is the day.  (I’ll probably stop by… I’m sorry, I can’t help myself when Asian sandwich are involved!)

The 5 sandwich menu, which they were handing out on the sidewalk last night (and appears to be unchanged since Grub Street posted it last month, minus the wine)- can be seen after the jump…

Read more »

Serious Eats New York has full coverage of the giant Ina “Barefoot Contessa” Garten kitchen in the middle of Rock Center this week, a big fat who cares if you ask me (unless there’s free food… is there free food?)  Apparently I’m not the only who thinks so. (Sorry I can’t help but post this…)  According to this lunch’er, it was more exciting to see me yesterday than Ina Garten.  They must have meant it was more exciting to see me, than this poster of Ina Garten.  (People see me eating lunch in Midtown every day… and trust me, it’s more gross than exciting.)

Photo Courtesy of Danny from Food in Mouth

“Saw this after work yesterday on 32nd. The truck was right next to wichcraft, and there was a No Standing sign there. That cop was just stern as hell. Wrote up the truck and didn’t want to hear it from the ice cream guy. The ice cream guy was so disgusted.” –Lunch’er Danny

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 Kathy, a Data Analyst who wants an answer to the age old question:  are any Midtown Restaurant Week lunches worth it?

Name: Kathy

Age: 26

Occupation: Data Analyst at an Ad Agency

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Madison in the 40s

Favorite Kind of Food: This is a toss-up among Mexican, Viet, and Thai. I love sour, bright, fresh citrus-y, and spicy flavors and I think these ethnic cuisines do it best.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Generic Italian, like meatball parm sandwiches, lasagna, especially those really heavy alfredo cream sauces, and gnocchi. And though I wish I liked cheese, I really don’t (smells and tastes like feet mixed with butt–it’s true) which makes me dislike generic Italian even more.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The Lunch Special #10-Braised crispy tofu with chili-spiced pork at Szechuan Gourmet (two locations), anything at Chipotle (multiple locations), the Green Sauce at Sophie’s Cuban (multiple locations), the beef croquettes at Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th), Chiyoda Sushi hodgepodge (on 41st btw. Mad+5th), Wendy’s chili, and Tiffin Wallah $6 Lunch Buffet (Vegetarian on 28th btw. Lex+Park)

Read more »

I completely dropped the ball on this one (thanks to Apikoros for pointing it out in the forums), and completely neglected one of the more interesting parts of last week’s New York Magazine’s Cheap Eats issue: their online only list of 82 Most Notable Hamburgers in New York City. I counted 12 of them in Midtown (although admittedly there may have been more): Bar Americain, Beacon, Burger Joint, Carnegie John’s, City Burger, DB Bistro Moderne, Five Guys, Flip, Good Burger, La Cense Burger Truck, Pop Burger, and Prime Burger.  Props to NYMag for including Carnegie John’s, but La Cense?  Too soon my friends.  Too soon.  See the complete list here>>

Related:
Burger Joint Offers Early Bird Special Thru Thursday