Midtown Lunch

Last week, we covered the re-design, menu revamp and subsequent price increases at the Bapcha cart (formerly known as Bulgogi & Kimchi, on 49th btw. 6+7th), though we neglected to mention the re-design of the adjoining noodle cart extension. Like big brother Bapcha, the noodle cart has received a matching make-over, though the menu and prices emerged relatively unaffected. The most note-worthy difference, however, is the food.

In my inaugural once-over of the noodle cart, I was lukewarm on the quality of the food. Admittedly I hadn’t returned prior to last week, a decision based entirely on one plate of food- a hot mess of merely adequate jjajangmyeon with truly alarming green soba noodles.  And yet, over the past few months, I’ve noticed with increasing frequency the appearance of Bapcha Noodle Cart ramyun on my co-worker’s desks and the unmistakable whiff of jjampong (spicy seafood noodle soup) around the office. After overhearing a trusted foodie (and Korean) co-worker effusively gush over her order of spicy tuna kimbap, I decided it was definitely time for a revisit.

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Thanks to Lunch’er Emily for passing along this info…

“I heard [via Twitter] that Robicellis was selling their cupcakes in midtown starting yesterday. Happened to be near me, so I went and got one. They’re being sold for less than $2 (I think it was $1.65?) at Lily O’Brien’s chocolate shop (on 40th btw 5+6th) right across from Bryant Park, obviously. I don’t know if you report on cupcakes, but these are my favorite in the city, so I thought I would share. (A million times better than Crumbs.) This is their Butterbeer cupcake-butterscotch through and through (or their description: butterscotch soaked cake with butterscotch buttercream & edible gold dust.)”

In related (?) news , or not, a women is suing Lily O’Briens after being kicked out of the store for breast feeding. As a result there is now a sign in the window saying that breast feeding is ‘welcome’.

Like sand through the hourglass… another day, another fight between food trucks. Apparently the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck decided they wanted to test out 48th & 6th today, a spot that Frites N Meats has been cultivating on Tuesdays and Fridays for awhile now. The result? Security from the Fox News Building called the peddler unit of the NYPD, and everybody got kicked out (and according to FnM owner Vadim, the word permanently was used.) This spot on 48th has seen its fair share of trouble in the past, but clearly the trucks worked things out with the building who doesn’t seem to mind the trucks (Cravings is there on Mondays, Frites N Meats is there Tuesdays and Fridays. Eddie’s Pizza is there on Wednesdays, and Schnitzel is there on Thursdays) as long as it’s only one per day. I guess we’ll see what happens tomorrow when Eddie’s Pizza shows up to the spot. As for the trucks today? Rickshaw has settled on 52nd and Lex, and Frites N Meats has settled on 52nd and 6th, although you’ll probably want to check the ML Twitter Tracker just to be safe.

More after the jump…

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Every Tuesday we 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 George, a Knowledge Manager (?!) who loves spicy Indian food and Chicago.

Name: George

Age: 43

Occupation: CRM Knowledge Manager and Blogger behind George and Julia Eat Manhattan

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 6th Ave btw 46+47th

Favorite Kind of Food: Spicy Indian is always my first choice. Give me a glowing vindaloo on a bed of rice with fresh naan for dippin’ and I’m in heaven. A close second, is fancy Mexican food. I blame top chef winner Rick Bayless and his 27 ingredient mole. I also regularly enjoy Turkish, Thai and this city’s great Pizza. My sweet tooth favors ice cream, Pinkberry and cookies. I love it when the peanut butter/chocolate combination is applied to any dessert.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: With all due respect to my Colombian chums, I am fond of their coffee but not their food. I also steer clear of hard-to-identify seafood. I am generally so picky about seafood, I will often avoid it altogether. I realize I am missing out on so much and I am gradually adding underwater creatures to my diet. Knowing this, you may be surprised to learn that I am a sushi fan. Go figure.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Though not in the under $11 category (closer to $12-16), St Andrew’s (It’s Scottish!), on 46th btw 6+7th, has an amazing Maryland Crabcake Sandwich and a unique Salmon BLT (standard Scottish fare?) When I need a dose of Indian, I get it at Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th). Could be a dosa but more likely, I’m having the Indus 2 meat/1 veggie combo. This comes with bread or rice (not both). Bread and Olive (on 45th btw. 5+6th) is also up there for its fantastic Mediterranean. I make my food choices before I get there (with back-ups). You see, Bread and Olive’s presentation/lay-out/menu confuses me, they are often out of things, and they are not always patient with me. The quality of the grub is worth the humiliation and confusion. If I’m eating at my desk, the best deal in town is still Moshe’s Falafel Cart (on 45th and 6th) 4 balls, 2 bucks. It might be $2.50 now.

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So what if you’re walking by the Trini Paki Cart one day (on 43rd and 6th), not knowing what to do for lunch… and you pick up a small chicken biryani. Then you happen to walk by Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. 5+Mad) and see some pastries… and then what if you decided, “Hey, let me put it together.” I know soba sandwiches exist in some Japanese bakeries, but what about Biryani sandwiches? After that thought popped up in my head, it was impossible to keep the beast in the cage. I had to find out if the marriage of Japanese bread + Street food with Trinidadian and Pakistani influence would be delicious.

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