Midtown Lunch

After I posted about the not so great $5 burrito I had at Mi Nidito last month (on 8th Ave. btw. 51+52nd), I got this email from Lunch’er Jill sticking up for them.

We had our office Christmas party at Mi Nidito a few weeks ago. I had suggested the place to my coworkers because, since Chipotle moved in next door, I have been worried that the restaurant would close and I wanted to provide some financial support. As I was sitting with the group, I glanced over at the bar and noticed a guy waiting for his takeout order. Wait, is that Zach from midtownlunch.com? It couldn’t be. He never eats here. Well, apparently it was you, waiting for your not-very-good food.

I was so sad to read your piece about Mi Nidito. (especially the face that Chipotle is having such an impact). I thought maybe since Mi Nidito served drinks their happy hour would tide them over financially. Apparently not. As a long time fan I have to suggest a few dishes that I think are really great and you should try sometime.

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Photo courtesy of @UrbanLobster

The Urban Lobster Shack’s Twitter account has been pretty active since they opened their new Midtown location. Just before New Year’s they took over the little take out space in the basement food court on 3rd Ave. btw. 49+50th, that used to be occupied by Yorganic, and since then they’ve been sending out messages about mascots, shrimp & mussels lunch specials, and of course the $10 lobster roll. In this world you always get you pay for, but the under $10 lobster roll has a special place in my heart. I wrote about the one at Fairway for Serious Eats, and always dreamed that eventually Midtown would get its own.

Did I expect beautiful big lumps of lobster meat, no filler, and a fully intact claw adorning the top? Of course not. I’d settle for a decent size sandwich, that tastes somewhat like lobster. (What can I say… for $10 you have to lower your standards.) Thankfully Urban Lobster Shack doesn’t disappoint.

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Got this message from Lunch’er “Michael” the other day: “A new cart opened on 53red and Park. Its an “international soup” and “halal” cart that offer 9 soups daily plus a special. 12oz = $4.50, 16oz = 5.50 32oz = 9.50. The guy running it was very nice and generous with the samples.” Turns out the cart is from a newish soup restaurant in College Point Queens called the Herb International Soup Factory. It’s got great reviews on Chow and Chowhound, and like Michael said they’re willing to give you a sample of any of the soups. I tried a taste of the pumpkin soup yesterday, which was really tasty and more of a savory squash soup than the sweet orange goop you’d expect. Super interesting, and a great change of pace from the red signed Hot Soup carts that have come to dominate the Midtown soup scene. It’s parked on the NW corner of 53rd & Park (where the Mexican burrito cart used to be.)

Wafels & Dinges isn’t the only truck in Midtown to make some New Year’s changes. The Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck (on 45th btw. Park+Mad) has added some new items to their menu for the first time in… well… as long as I can remember. The biggest news is, they’re now serving proper torpedo shaped chicken and meatball parm heroes. (The original versions were served on these smaller round rolls.) And, in a Papa Perrone twist of student schooling the teacher, they will make the hero on garlic bread for an extra $1. In addition to the sandwiches, they’ve also added a fresh mozzarella vodka pie, a chicken vodka roll, and a pepperoni roll.

Related:
Jiannetto’s Pizza Truck (Original Post 8/28/06)
Papa Perrone Will Put Any Hero You Want on Garlic Bread

The Wafels & Dinges Truck has decided to mix things up at the beginning of the new year by changing up their schedule.  Here’s where and when you can expect to find them in Midtown:

Tuesday: 58th betw Lex & 3rd
Wednesday: 52nd betw 6 & 7 / alternating with Financial District
Thursday: 46th betw 5th & closer to 6th (previous Thursday spot was on 45th)
Friday: Broadway & 60th

They’re also still serving their croque monsieur, which I tried just before the New Year… and let me tell you it is one big hot mess (in the best possible way.)  Check it out after the jump…

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If 2009 was the year of the food truck, 2010 might be remembered as the year of the food marketing truck.  Earlier this afternoon we reported that Daniel Boulud/NBC promotion happening on Feb. 8th, and now there’s this.  2010 Winter Restaurant Week kicks off on January 25th, and for added promotion it will include a NYC Restaurant Week Truck, which will travel around Manhattan during lunch “offering gourmet soup from various NYC Restaurant Week participants.”  Naturally, you’ll be able to track the truck on Twitter.  [via SE:NY]

Earlier today Eater broke the huuuuuge news that Bill’s Bar & Burger will be moving into the old Tuscan Square space (on 51st btw. 5+6th.)  I sampled their smashed burger craziness in the Meatpacking District a few months ago, and from my one experience fall firmly on the “love it” side. (There has been a vocal backlash since the initial great reviews.)  It doesn’t matter which side of the debate you fall on, when combined with the Shake Shack news from last month 2010 is already shaping up to be a burgerrific year for Midtown!  The new Bill’s is slated to open in “a few months”.