Midtown Lunch

Let me start by saying I love a good burger. But deciding where to go for said burger has become so overwhelming with the abundance of really good options in Midtown, that it’s almost easier to opt for something else. I hadn’t been to Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen (where they do a really nice burger) since their opening, but the other day, I stopped to read their menu and realized they’ve been offering a wider menu than I remembered from three years ago.

The crispy chicken sandwich ($8.99) was served on ciabatta with melted white cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, lettuce, plum tomato and Schnipper sauce. At the time, $9 seemed like a lot to spend on a sandwich, but when I unwrapped it and saw how large it was and then tasted it, all hesitation melted away.

First of all, anything fried is awesome. I appreciated that the fried white meat chicken is thin and covers the entire surface of the sandwich. You can tell they pay attention to details by the use of bright red plum tomatoes instead of those often mealy beefsteak ones you find at delis. In fact, I could taste each ingredient, from the melted cheddar to the Schnipper’s sauce. The BBQ sauce, however is almost — but not quite — too sweet. If you’re a mustard-based or spicy BBQ sauce kind of person, this particular tomato-y version might not be your cup of tea. Ciabatta was the perfect bread for this sandwich — it really held every in so that each bite includes a bit of each ingredient.

I feel confident in saying that days that require a chicken sandwich lunch would land me on the line for this one at Schnipper’s (it beat the pants of my recent chicken sandwich at STK OUT, and I liked that one!) from here on out.

Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen, 620 Eighth Avenue (at 41st), (212) 921-2400