Midtown Lunch

The other week, we noticed that an ironically named dollar slice joint, In-N-Out, had popped up on 6th ave (at 39th St), and it appears that they opened for business at some point last week. Before I continue I’ll admit that I’ve never had a dollar slice before, but hunger and thriftiness can drive a man to do crazy things. Needless to say, my dollar slice palate is immature, so please let that caveat this write-up. And as with any new food group, no matter how strange, gross, or potentially detrimental to one’s health, it’s important to keep an open mind and keep things in perspective.
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Kwik Meal has arguably the best (yet priciest) lamb of all the food carts in Midtown. Certainly it’s the highest quality- he uses actual lamb leg meat instead of the processed gyro stuff. It’s tender, flavorful, and delicious, and I always felt like it overshadowed his passable chicken. He uses the dark thigh meat which I sometimes find a bit chewy and fatty.

Well, earlier this week a sign went up on the cart that lists a new menu item called “Chicken Breast Kabob”. Of course as popular as it is with some people, breast meat has problems of its own… the biggest being that it’s often overcooked, dry and bland. But somehow I knew Kwik Meal wouldn’t disappoint.

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The qualifying rounds have begun for the 3rd Annual Go Go Curry eating championship, and there’s great news for wannabe professional eaters.  For the first year ever they have divided the participants into two fields: professionals and amateurs.  You have 5 chances to qualify between now and the main event on May 28th, the first of which is tonight from 6-8pm. And who knows?  Now that Kobayashi has been removed from official Nathan’s wall of fame, maybe this will be the year he finally competes in Go Go Curry’s contest!  But wait… there’s more.

May 5th is just around the corner, and once again Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th) will celebrate their anniversary (they opened on 5/5 four years ago) by offering any size curry for just $5. Mark it on your calendars… this deal is a good one.

Ramen from Hide Chan. Posted to the ML Flickr Pool by Pabo76

• Hide Chan’s tonkotsu is one of NYC’s 15 best stoner foods [Eater]
• Daisy May’s serves the 2nd and 3rd best ribs in New York [SENY]
• The lamb korma you order off the menu at Minar is delicious [Feisty Foodie]
• The onion rings at Bill’s Bar & Burger are great [Food in Mouth]
• Another positive review for Cha Pa’s pho [Fork This]
• The banchan is just one of the great things about Kunjip [Fork in the Road]
• Tien Ho reflects on Ma Peche one year in [Eater]

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so every week our Happy Hour Correspondent “Mamacita” will post about a different bar in Midtown that fits the Midtown Lunch mentality: unhealthy food, not lame (unless it’s lame in a cool way), and most importantly… cheap.

I’m going to tell you about a blind date I recently had. It was with a guy named Charley O’s. His opening line of $5 Long Island ice teas, margaritas and cosmos, featured all day, was enticing enough and the word on the block was that Charley had been satisfying various lush needs since 1950. While some ladies might find this off-putting, some of us can appreciate what a more mature gentleman has to offer. I daintily ascended my stool with an open mind and heart. Little did I know the disappointment that awaited me. Some age like fine wine and some just…age.

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City Room noticed this amazing sign posted on 43rd Street and 6th Ave, and went so far as to interview the two different coffee cart vendors. The best part of the whole thing? They’re owned by the same guy, and serve the same bagels! Only in Midtown. [via @samsifton]

Today Robicelli’s is debuting “Pizza Grana” a cupcake take on the traditional Italian dish “Pastiera di Grano” or “Grain Pie” which is basically an orange-scented ricotta cheesecake filled with cooked wheatberries and a must for the traditional Italian Easter table. The cupcake is composed of Italian citrus cake, ricotta & wheatberry buttercream, pie crust shards. They’ll be delivering to Schnitzel & Things (the brick & morter on 3rd btw. 45+46th) and Joe GCT. Call ahead to Joe because of space they get a limited selection of the cupcakes, usually two of the four flavors.

Is this what you’d call an occupational hazard? My stomach hasn’t been feeling well lately (most likely all the crap I have been eating) and whenever I feel sick I always crave for cleaner foods. Nothing heavy or oily. Usually I would get kimbap and it’s great since most places give you free soup on the side.

Last time I was at Cafe R I noticed they had a kimbap station with a lady making kimbaps behind the counter so I decided to give it a try.

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Defonte’s (on 21st and 3rd) has been on my radar for a while now, but for one reason or another, I never quite got around to checking it out. This corner of Flatiron Lunch bounds tends to be just out of the way enough that I don’t make it out that often. But earlier this week, a good friend told me that they make an amazing roast beef sandwich that I should definitely try. This friend has never led me astray in food matter in the 20+ years I’ve known him, so I took him at his word and checked it out.

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