Midtown Lunch

It looks like Variety Cafe (the giant generic Midtown Deli on 48th btw. 5+6th) has been closed by the department of health for the second time in 3 years. According to somebody on the scene they hung a sign in the window claiming the infractions were minor (like “leaving the cap off the orange juice”.) The sign had already been taken down by the time I got there.

In a stroke of brilliant marketing though, Channel Four (the pub next door that is famous for selling the “bacon explosion”) put one of their young lasses in front to hand out Channel Four flyers to all the confused Variety Cafe fans. You know it’s all fun and games until the DOH comes after you…

Related:
Tale of Two Signs: Variety Cafe Closes for “Repairs”
Original Variety Cafe Post (6/27/2006)

The New York Post weighs in on the new fancy street food trend, and does what they do best: attack for the sake of attacking. The article laughably attacks Le Gamin, Schnitzel & Things, and the newly launched Bistro Truck, despite admitting that the food is pretty delicious.  But my favorite part is where the author blames food trucks for her own slovenliness…

“Who wants to wait 20 minutes for fancy restaurant fare from a cart when half of it is going to wind up stuck in your computer keyboard?”

Uh… and that’s different from eating a plate of old school halal street meat or take out from a brick and mortar restaurant- how?  (Teachable moment: Don’t eat your food over your keyboard, no matter where it comes from!)

Oooh- and it wouldn’t be a proper anti-trend piece without a twitter insult or two…

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I think Mister Softee has gotten a bad rep on Midtown Lunch.  Sure some of them screw over their customers, get into fights, try to intimidate mobile bakeries, and yes, even sell cocaine.  But they’re not all bad!  Take the ladies of Queen Frostine, a new collective of female ice cream truck drivers who have taken it upon themselves to bring some of the fun back to soft serve. We mentioned Miss Softee last week, but at the time I didn’t realize that there are more of them. And they all park in Midtown!

Meet them all, after the jump…

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After taking the entire month of July off, the Hallo Berlin cart returned to their spot on 54th and 5th Ave. on Monday.   I also noticed (and I’m probably totally late to the game on this one) that the photos they use to promote their Democracy & Dictator Specials have changed again…

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Great news from the new Szechuan Gourmet (on 56th btw. B’way+8th).  Remember how their menus promised free szechuan pickles with every lunch special, but when they opened the lady at the counter said it was a misprint?  Apparently they’ve changed their mind.  From Lunch’er Grace: “Just ordered pork/leeks from the newest branch of Szechuan Gourmet and am proud to inform you that the pickles have arrived! I received a nice portion with my delivered lunch and it’s nice and crunchy and salty!”

Related:
Pork Belly w/ Chili Leeks Still Good at the New Szechuan Gourmet
Szechuan Gourmet: Day 1 as a NYT 2 Starred Restaurant

Just because so much has been written about street vendors verbally threatening other street vendors doesn’t mean that people should get the impression that it never gets physical. In fact earlier today two ice cream vendors got into a fist fight over the corner of 6th Ave and 50th Street. The cops were already on scene when I walked up, and an ambulance showed up shortly thereafter (although it looked like only one vendor was hurt, and it was just a black eye.) I’m not sure exactly what happened because both the Police sergeant and the vendors pretty much refused to talk to me- but it looked like the vendors were given the opportunity to press charges and both get arrested, or make up with each other and just receive tickets. It looked to me like they both chose citations (natch), and the ice cream truck left pretty soon thereafter.

As contentious as you normally hear the relationship is between cops and vendors, this interaction looked pretty civil. I guess the cops mind less when the vendors are beating up each other.

One thing everybody involved can agree on is this: Don’t say anything to the short fat guy with a camera asking questions.

Lucky for us Lunch’er Rich was on the scene when the fight broke out and emailed in a first hand report…

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Here’s what lunchers are talking about right now in the forums…

• The Treats Truck is shilling for Visa *and* American Express!?! [Miscellaneous]
• I’m looking for a $4 milkshake near Grand Central. Anybody? [Midtown Eating]
• I don’t hate all generic Midtown delis [Midtown Eating]
• Best place for tuna salad? [Midtown Eating]
• The spiciest street meat can be found on 39th and 7th [Midtown Eating]
• Food related dating deal breakers [Miscellaneous]