Archive for January 2012

ML Forums: Fahima Halal; Sushi Stop; JJ HK Cafe

  • Fahima Halal has moved to 37th & 6th [Midtown Eating]
  • Sushi Stop will open soon, but doesn’t look like a Midtown Lunch [Midtown Eating]
  • Has anybody tried JJ Hong Kong Cafe yet? [Midtown Eating]
  • The first ML happy hour meetup of 2012 is tonight at 6pm [Connections]

Get 50% Off Omar’s Kitchen & Bakery: Last spring brought the opening of Omar's, a Mediterranean joint on 55th street that served up a tasty and perfectly seasoned kaufta pita. Haven't made it over there yet? Now's your chance. Google Offers' current deal is $10 for $20 of Mediterranean fare & pastries at Omar's Kitchen & Bakery.

Mediterranean Grill Truck Has Gone Missing

Last month we got excited about a new Mediterranean Truck that started parking on 39th and 6th Avenue. But it’s seemed to disappear. A comment left by luncher stelloid indicates that the truck has not been in that location for a while. We all know the difficulties of parking a food truck in Midtown these days so it doesn’t surprise me that their location didn’t remain stable. Unfortunately they don’t have a Twitter account and I can’t seem to track down a phone number, so we’re just going to have to do things the old fashioned way and keep our eyes peeled. Anybody seen this big blue truck?

PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Joe DiStefano”

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 Queens cheerleader and World’s Fare editor Joe DiStefano reminisces about the time he spent working in Midtown.

Name: Joe D.

Age: 43

Occupation: Food Writer

Where in Midtown do you Work?: These days I live and work in beautiful Rego Park, Queens, and eat almost exclusively in Queens. For many years I worked at Rockefeller Center.

Favorite Kind of Food: Ethnic soul food, what I like to think of as grandma food. Food that has a very strong connection to culture and conmmunity. Stuff like eating crispy pata–fried pork leg–in a Filipino joint in Woodside’s Little Manila. Come to think of it I do have a strong affinity for pork.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Bad fried food. Bad Thai. It’s almost as if the operators of such places have this idea that “this is what we think you think Thai food is…you don’t know the difference any way. Eat up!” (Insert Mexican, or any other “ethnic” cuisine.)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pulpo salad, Cuban sandwich, and chicken at Margon (on 46th btw. 6+7th). Any thing at Tehuitzingo Deli (on 10th Ave. btw. 47+48th), particularly the pancita de chivo, a sort of goat blood sausage. Gyoza set at Sapporo (on 49th btw. 6+7th). Friekedele at Hallo Berlin.

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OBAO’s Pho Bo Is Michelin Recommended For Good Reason

I was surprised and kind of disappointed the other day when I went to OBAO intending to order their delicious pad see iew with kalbi, only to find that their menu had changed from the last time I was there. If I had to guess, I’d say my last trip was about six months ago, so I’m unsure when the updated menu made its appearance, but the beef pad see iew on the new menu no longer has any mention of the short rib. Major bummer. But, the good news for Midtown Lunch’ers is that there are still plenty of items $10 and under on the lunch specials menu, and if you dine-in, you get a free, chef-selected starter with your entree.

Anyway, while selecting a new dish, I noticed the four Michelin recommended items (fancy!), one of which was the beef salad Anna enjoyed so much in December. I ordered the recommended Pho Bo.

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Lillie’s Victorian Bar & Restaurant Comes to 49th St

Lillie's Midtown

The restaurant scene at 49th St and 8th Ave is getting more and more interesting. Following hot on the heels of E&E Grill House, Lillie’s Victorian Bar & Restaurant has recently opened just a few doors down. Although most of the menu is well above the $10 mark, there appears to be a few sandwiches that meet the mark, including a Welsh rarebit sandwich ($10) and a grilled ham & cheese, both served with hand-cut fries. Although we’ve yet to try this new Lillie’s the original version in Union Square has earned a ‘Critics Pick’ designation from New York Magazine, and a solid 4 stars on Yelp so the indicators are promising. Early adopters, please let us know what you think in the comments.

Lillie’s Victorian Bar & Restaurant, 249 W 49th St (btw. B’way+8th Ave). 212-957-4530

Get 50% off Previti Pizza: If you didn't look at our new deals page today you missed out on a pretty epic deal for the pizza voted Midtown's best in the past two readers' polls.  Luckily you still have a couple of more days to score the deal.  Get $12 worth of pizza at Previti for just $6. The gift certificate isn't good for their 2 slice special, or on Fridays from Noon to 2pm (presumably because they're too busy) but it's still worth it.  Do it.  Do it.

Crisp Coming Soon to Herald Square/Koreatown

Crisp K-town

Good news for Herald Square area lunchers in need of reliable falafel options. There’s a Crisp that’s opening on 32nd between Broadway and 6th Ave, just a block over from the edge of K-town. I took a quick peek through the glass, and it looks like the restaurant is nearly operational, so expect an opening soon…

Caffe Bene is Open for Business

Caffe Benne

Well that didn’t take long. The ambitious South Korean coffee chain, Caffe Benne, is now open for business at 49th St and Broadway. The massive venue boasts plenty of seating, a book nook, gigantic flat screen TVs, pastries, doughnuts, gelato, and pre-packaged sandwiches. Oh, and there’s coffee as well, which on my visit a bit flat, but inoffensive. Check out the drinks menu and a peek at the interior after the jump.

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MLers Automatically Get a Discount at the New Peter’s Since 1969 Today and Tomorrow

Last week we told you that a second location of Peter’s Since 1969 had opened on Lex btw. 55+56th (in the old Yummy Yummy space.) Well to celebrate their grand opening, they want to offer you guys a special deal. Just mention Midtown Lunch at the register today or tomorrow until 2pm and get 30% off the purchase of a single meal. Not good enough for you? If you’re willing to have a late lunch, the discount goes up to 50% after 2pm. Their credit card machine isn’t up and running yet, so it’s cash only for now. And there is a limit of one meal per person per day for the discount.  Plus the discount is only good at the new location (NOT the one on 9th Ave.)  But if you’re an eastsider who hasn’t tried Peter’s yet, this might be good incentive.

Peter’s Since 1969, 667 Lexington Ave (btw. 55+56th)