I’m Leaving At the End of Next Week… Where Should I Eat!?
So… as much as it saddens me to say, next week will be my last week of full time lunching in Midtown. It’s not really goodbye, and I will definitely be back for Street Meat Palooza, Choice Eats, the Vendy Awards, and some random lunching, but after next Friday I won’t be the full time voice of Midtown Lunch anymore. Since I announced a few weeks ago that I was moving to L.A. there have been some “sky is falling” comments and emails saying that things won’t be the same. Not that many… but a few. And I just want to assure those 7 concerned people that nothing is going to change on Midtown Lunch when I leave. Not just because I’ll still be overseeing the site, and would never let that happen- but also because the site has never really been about me. It’s always been about finding lunch.
In just under four years Midtown Lunch has grown into an enormous community of like-minded eaters, converging in one place to share news, tips, and opinions about the best hour of our lousy work day. Everything I write about on this site originates from you, whether it’s an email, a photo, a comment on a review, or a post in the forums. Nothing comes out of thin air… everything comes from you guys. What I’m trying to say is, on Feburary 1st I’ll just be handing over the site to the people who have always run it… you guys.
Sure, there will be official (and unofficial) contributors… and they will all be names you should recognize from the comments, and Friday link round-ups. After all, somebody has to stuff their face every day for the good of the site. But they will depend on you guys, just as I have depended on you, to let them know about new openings, closings, specials, amazing lunches, and just to generally keep them honest. As a group they are definitely more attractive, and less fat than I am, but don’t hold it against them.
So after next week, I hope all of you will continue to contribute to this amazing community… in the comments, in the forums, and with tips and photos (which can still be sent to me at zach@midtownlunch.com, if for no other reason than to make me jealous of what I’m missing out on.) I also hope you’ll follow my west coast lunching, through the new Los Angeles section of Midtown Lunch… which will launch shortly after I arrive in L.A.
Anyway, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the more important task at hand! (For me anyway.) My final week of Midtown Lunch’ing. I was kind of inspired by this post in the forums to do a Farewell Tour of sorts, hitting up all the Midtown Lunch spots I will miss the most in one whirlwind week. So… where should I go? No rules… except it’s got to be under $10 (no “splurge” lunches), inside the Midtown Lunch boundaries, and no Mexican food. As much as I love the El Rey del Sabor Cart, I’m moving to L.A. Clearly I’m not going to miss NYC tacos where I’m going. Also, no chains. I love you Five Guys, but I’m guessing you’ll be in California soon enough (if you’re not already.) So there it is. 5 lunches left. What should they be? Add your suggestions to the forum post>>
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:45 am, January 22nd, 2010 under Uncategorized.
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55 Comments
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Either something uniquely from NY or that Walgreens sandwich. lol
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Walgreens samich
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“As a group they are definitely more attractive, and less fat than I am,”
There’s your problem, right there.
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I disagree with the Walgreen’s sandwich rec for Zach’s last week of NYC lunches.
Zach, pick up a Walgreen’s sandwich in Times Square. But take it with you to LA. It’ll keep. ;^)
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Whatever…. Im one of the 7
Zach, I think you bring a hands on passion for all things midtownlunch. You have a zeal that will be hard to recreate.
The lyrics for “I believe in you” from “How to succeed in business without really trying” applies to you:
“You have the cool, clear
Eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth;
Yet there’s that upturned chin
And that grin of impetuous youth.I hear the sound of good, solid judgment
Whenever you talk;
Yet there’s the bold, brave spring of the tiger
That quickens your walk.To see the cool, clear
Eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth;
Yet, with the slam-bang tang
Reminiscent of gin and vermouth”I don’t think this site will be the same without your midtown hands-on presence, but I hope its close.
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If I were moving to LA (and thank goodness I’m not) I’d get one last Obama Special at Halo Berlin, kati rolls from Biryani Cart, a plate of arroz con pollo from Margon, a chicken parm sub from anywhere good, and chicken wings from Mad for Chicken. I might also think about venturing out of bounds to Katz’s Deli for a pastrami/corned beef comb and Luke’s Lobster for a lobster roll. Take care and godspeed, my friend. Thanks for all you did for my afternoon appetite and to help keep my cardiologist’s kids in private school.
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Why not make it easy Zach? The top 5 choices (or your top five favorites) from the last Street Meat Challenge?
I’m sure you’ll be able to find all types of awesome ethnic foods of same variety out in LA (or maybe not) but as far as I know, there is no street meat out there.
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No korean food. You’re going to LA, for cryin’ out loud!
You should just do a deli buffet tour.
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Zach, what will change is that I won’t be running into you and Harry at random locations — usually carts/trucks. Good luck out there!
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Go to Popeyes on 40/7:
“Leg or Thigh for $.99, 4pm – closing”
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I emailed you this before, but now that you’re leaving you MUST try Tadka on (53 btw. 2nd and 3rd)!!!
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All kidding aside – pick a day and time and a public place and invite every MTL reader (excepting DocChuck, Rudy, and myself naturally) to bring a portion of their favorite MT eats to that spot and everyone can then have a MTL “pot luck”. Naturally, certain things should definitely be there – halal plates, asian soups, kati rolls, general tsao’s chix, chicken parm sandwiches, and 99 cent slices, for example – and someone should be assigned to each of these must-haves. Everyone else can bring whatever. Blondie and Brownie should bring desserts, since that seems to be their forte; while Sara brings the veggies and Mamacita brings the beverages on the same basis. Amnesty should be extended to all except DocChuck, even NYCFoodGuy aka GSM.
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A Walgreen’s sandwich should also be present
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To Goats I assign – curried cilantro. No mayo, because Mamacita don’t like mayo.
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30 minute old schnitzel burger. GO GO CURRY
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Haha! You got it Fred.
My 2 cents: Outside of Midtown or in, Zach should enjoy a big Italian meal for dinner and splurge! (screw ML under $10, this is your last supper!) and a Jamaican meal (Islands in Brooklyn). Those are 2 I would never be able to get in LA. -
Considering he eats other meals other than Lunch, I would assume he’d be splurging then :)
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1. Jamaican Dutchy-jerk chicken(best cart in midtown)
2. Famous Halal-combo plate (you MUST have street meat)
3. Ma Peche – Bahn Mi (come on, no momofuku in LA)
4. Men Kui Tei -Tonkatsu Ramen
5. Hmmm – go go curry or cubano from Margon, or maybe the Food Week truck that debuts next weekGood luck, you’ll be back – LA sux, NY rules!
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The only thing ‘Fred’ eats is BigBear — preferably very rare and hard.
Hungry, I find it hard to believe that nowhere in LA does a steak like NYC. It’s not like we grow the cattle out here…