Midtown Lunch

Unlike most normal Midtown Lunchers, I don’t usually eat at a place I’ve already eaten at, and order the same thing I’ve already tried (it’s a hazard of the job.) But I do have a few go-to lunches that I can’t help but eat every once in awhile. The sauteed udon noodles with pork from Hing Won, and the fake shrimp from Cafe Duke come to mind. Added to that list yesterday was Baja Fresh. What can I say? The Baja Chicken Burrito was my go-to lunch when I lived in LA (along with Panda Express), why should things be different here?

So yesterday, when a friend and I were looking for a place to eat near his office- I couldn’t help myself but suggest the Baja Fresh (on Lex btw. 45+46th). And it was partially spurred on by a comment posted to the site yesterday by Lunch’er Jeff. It wasn’t really applicable to me (I always order the baja chicken burrito), but I took a liking to his obsessive and meticulous examination of Baja Fresh from a first timers perspective.

Check it out after the jump…

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The annual summertime Rock Center Greenmarket opened for business on Wednesday.  It’s located on Rockefeller Plaza between 50th and 51st and features all sorts of fresh fruit, produce, bread, and cheese.  Plus Blondie and Brownie are reporting that Katchkie Farms (the same farm that is in at the Port Authority Greenmarket on Thursdays) will be at Rock Center every Friday (i.e. today) selling sandwiches and lasagna (?!?)  The Rock Center Greenmarket will run every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8am to 6pm through September 4th.

Related:
A Look at the Rock Center Greenmarket from Years Past

I don’t know what I’m more surprised about… that Wu Liang Ye might be paying their employees slave wages, or that the popular Szechuan restaurant is owned by the Chinese government?!? Either way, workers staged a protest yesterday in front of the Wu Liang Ye on 39th & Lexington handing out flyers that condemned the restaurant for paying their workers as little as $1.10 an hour, and stealing credit card tips. They also claim that after a number of workers filed a lawsuit against Wu Liang Ye last year, the company retaliated by firing “the most vocal workers and even assaulted workers for speaking out.”

The entire flyer, including a list of demands from the protesters, is after the jump…

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I don’t know if any amount of money could get me to willingly enter the NBC Experience store inside 30 Rock, but froyo fans will be excited for this news. Red Mango has opened inside the small cafe on the second floor. So now you have two options for your Midtown Red Mango fix. Walk to the location on 8th Ave and 45th, or fight your way through hordes of tourists waiting in line for the NBC Studio Tour. Good luck and Godspeed. (Thanks to Lunch’er Lila for the tip.)

From the looks of things 55th and Madison has become one of the most interesting street cart corners in Midtown.  On the NW corner you’ve got the liver sandwich from Charcoal Grill.  On the NE corner, there is a cart that serves grilled hot dogs, chili, and chicken sausages.  And on the SW corner there is the “Fried Chicken Cart”, which Lunch’er Bossman reported on back in October.  I finally made it over there to check out their fried chicken… and it was good.  Although I’m not sure styrofoam containers are the best vehicle for fresh-out-of-the-fryer fried chicken.

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Man these massage people are going nuts with the free ice cream. For the third time in 9 days, they’ll be hiring a Mister Softee truck to hand out free ice cream on the NE Corner of 52nd and Park today from 12:30 to 2pm.

Typos on carts is a pretty common occurance, but there is something about this one I just love.  Maybe because of how big it is?  I don’t know.  It’s just awesome.  (I think the cart is on Park Ave. somewhere, but can’t remember the exact location.)

“Midtown Snapshots” continues after the jump, with roast pig, kati rolls, KFC, and your first look at the “Colonel’s Heart Attack”

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