Midtown Lunch

I don’t know if this is a coincidence or not, but two days ago we were having a conversation in the ML forums about where to find good khao soi (a noodle dish that is popular in Chiang Mai, Thailand), and then yesterday I got an email about Talent Thai Kitchen- a newish Thai place on 34th btw. 2+3rd that specializes in “Northern Thai Noodle Soups… like khao soi.”  It’s technically outside the Midtown Lunch boundaries, but their lunch specials are only $7.95 and I will go an extra 1/2 an avenue to get my khao soi on. If it looks anything like the photo of khao soi after the jump, you will see a very happy Zach.

Read more »

Despite my original warnings, and the “hot dog cart incident” two weeks ago, it looks like the Street Sweets Truck has worked out the issues with their spot on 53rd btw. 5+6th.  After some negotiating (and a little help from the cops) they have been “cleared” to park in that spot every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from now on.  As for the other two days a week, they’ve had a problem free day today parking between the 100% Halal & Healthy Cart and the Papa Perrone Truck, on 55th btw. Mad+Park.  The owner says that barring any other problems, they hope to make that their permanent spot on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Papa Perrone welcomed them with open arms, telling me that “if they bring people to this block, it just means more business for me.”  If only all street vendors saw it that way… right?

But what about the actual sweets!? (They’ve pretty much taken a backseat in all the Street Sweets coverage thus far.)  I figured today was as good a day as any for a little Street Sweets vs. Treats Truck chocolate chip cookie battle to the death!

Read more »

Considering its track record, I don’t know if you would want your first White Castle experience to be at the Midtown location on 8th Ave. btw. 36+37th… but that’s exactly where Robyn Lee from A Hamburger Today enjoyed her very first White Castle slider (and order of chicken rings!) last week. In true Serious Eats fashion the post includes cross sections of everything they tried, and the photos are pretty amazing looking (a testament to her photography, considering how gross White Castle looks in person.)  In other words, if you’ve never been to White Castle and are considering the Midtown location as your first forray- don’t be fooled by the photos.  You might want to read what she wrote instead. [A Hamburger Today]

Related:
What Happens When Things Get Rowdy at White Castle
Office Lunch Club: Fantastic Fast Food Friday at the Midtown White Castle

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 Adam, an IT Manager who loves to eat spicy Indian food (when he’s not commenting on Midtown Lunch.)

Name: Adam

Age: 35

Occupation: IT Manager (who doesn’t have a food blog!)

Where in Midtown do you Work?: A French Investment Bank (on 57th St.)

Favorite Kind of Food: Anything spicy, particularly Indian. My favorite “Americanized” Indian restaurant is India Passage in Bay Ridge but my overall favorite is Dakshin in Stamford because of the more interesting menu (I heard they have NYC restaurants, but I’ve only been to their other restaurant in
White Plains, Coromandel). The Midtown Indian restaurants are quite fine: Bay Leaf, Utsav, Jewel of India, Baluchi, and especially Minar (on 46th btw. 6+7th) for a cheap lunch. I’m just as fond of Middle Eastern Kebabs, Shawarma, Falafel, etc (Turkish, Persian, Afghani, and Israeli are what I’ve tried and liked). On the home front, American BBQ (dry rub, not sauced), a grilled rib-eye or roast prime rib with creamed spinach, good pub food (burgers, wings, shepherd’s pie (turnip topped), fish-n-chips), any slow roasted meats, and seafood (shellfish, mollusks, white flesh fish (salmon is the fishiest I can tolerate, and that’s a recent phenomenon). Americanized Chinese food is a staple at home. Growing up in an Italian-American home, I’m partial to home-cooked Italian food and almost never enjoy eating at Italian restaurants (save for osso bucco, sometimes). In general I like most European cuisine (though I could take or leave French food). If I’m going out to dinner, my go-to restaurant is Ipanema (on Brasil Row, 46th Street) and I’m either having the Bife Portugesa (Steak in garlic-wine sauce topped with a fried egg), Vatapa (Bahian Fish Stew), or Carne de Porco Alentejana (Pork and Clam Stew).

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I don’t like Japanese food. I’ve tried it many times and I’m never happy with it. (Let the flames begin!).

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The famous cart on 53rd & 6th (my go-to now that they have kofta), Carnegie John’s on 56th & 7th (the idea of rib-eye from a cart was scary at first but I’m hooked), El Rey del Sabor (two locations), Bay Leaf for the buffet, the sombrero cart (on 50th btw. 6+7th) , Biryani Cart for Kati Rolls (on 46th & 6th), Certe on 55th btw. 5+6th (the only upscale lunch shop I’ll ever eat from), the cuban place on 56th (Tina’s?) is a new favorite (though it doesn’t top Manhattan Heroes on 26th and 7th if that’s still there).

Read more »

Do you hate Twitter, but still want to know where the Treats Truck is every day?  Are you on Twitter, but don’t want your feed sullied by what the Wafels & Dinges Truck is doing at 7pm every night- once you’re already left work?  Well, we’ve got the solution.  By popular demand, we’re proud to unveil the “Midtown Lunch Twitter Tracker”.  (And yes, I will be happy to pay royalties to the Tonight Show. Call me, Conan!”)

Essentially the Midtown Lunch Twitter Tracker is a new page on the site that collects all the twitter messages sent by your favorite Midtown Lunch spots, and puts them in one place for your viewing pleasure.  It’s the perfect solution for all you twitter haters that secretly wish you had an account for the sole purpose of stalking the NYC Cravings truck, or finding out about the next Goodburger milkshake deal. You can find the link to the ML Twitter Tracker on both the left hand, and right hand columns of the site.  And the page updates in real time.

Check out the Midtown Lunch Twitter Tracker>>

Photos courtesy of Food in Mouth

I’ve always wanted to try that Bento Nouveau place (on 39th and Broadway), but after reading this review on Food in Mouth I might pass.  They have inexpensive pre-made sushi and udon noodle soups, but Danny went for the beef sukiyaki, which doesn’t look too appetizing- and that’s saying a lot because his photography usually makes the ugliest food look great. Overriding theme of the post: you’re better off going to Woorijip (on 32nd btw. 5+B’way.)

Anybody else eaten at this place?  If there is anything worth trying, post about it in the comments.

Since the city arrested those guys involved in the vendor permit black market, and vowed to crack down on the vendors using illegally obtained permits, it’s no surprise that the Street Vendor Project issued this statement yesterday supporting the actions, while calling for the city to increase the number of permits offered ever year. (There is a bill being debated by the City Council now.)

“More than 9,000 New Yorkers are eager to be sidewalk chefs, but there are no food-vending permits available – so instead they’re languishing on a waiting list, hoping to secure one of about a dozen permits that free up every year.

The city only allows 3100 pushcart peddlers to sell curbside cuisine. By setting the cap far below vendor supply and public demand, the city unintentionally creates a thriving and exploitive black market, where aspiring vendors “rent” permits from illegal middlemen for more than $8,000. Other vendors are driven underground, where they’re unlicensed and unregulated.”

Read more »

About 2 and a half years ago, when I first ventured into the basement food court of the building on 3rd btw. 52+53rd to write about Fusion Grills (a typical Chinese/Japanese food court establishment), I got loads of emails recommending its neighbor Gourmet 53.  It might look like a typical generic Midtown deli, people would tell me, but it’s a really good deal- and the food is great.  Most  people recommended their coconut shrimp special (what can I say, the longtime readers know me so well!) and even though I put it off for way too long- I finally made to Gourmet 53 last week to see if all the hype was warranted.

Read more »