Archive for December 2013

Best Midtown Indian: Readers’ Poll 2013

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

Midtown Lunchers appear to stay pretty faithful to their favored Indian restaurant, as the nominations over the last few years haven’t offered much in the way of newcomers. This should speak to the quality this year’s nominees are serving out on a daily basis. However, that’s not to say things have remained completely stagnant, as we have seen the transition of 44th Curry House into a new Minar location, something I’m sure we can all appreciate. Will having two locations give them that leg up on the competition, or will Mausam Curry N Bites repeat again? Here are the nominees for best Indian in Midtown:

Vote for your favorite after the jump…

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Best Midtown Dessert: 2013 Readers Poll

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

Desserts. Afternoon treats. Everything right with the world. Call them what you will, just as long as they’re delicious. Long gone are the days of terrible desserts in Midtown–we now have more cupcakes and cookies than we know what to do with. Baked by Melissa, Magnolia Bakery, Milk Bar & the finally open Lady M are definite standbys for fancier days, while Schmackary’s, Culture Espresso Bar and Gregory’s Coffee have the down-home treats we seek out for moments of comfort. And there are still Treats Truck and the reigning dessert champ (are there term limits here, Zach?) Wafels & Dinges roaming the streets for our affections. But only one can be the best of 2013 and here are this year’s nominees….

Vote for your favorite after the jump…

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Best Midtown Japanese: Readers’ Poll 2013

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

For the past few years, the Japanese contingent of the readers’ poll has only been represented by the ramen. But this year, we’ve brought Best Japanese back because Japanese is so much more than ramen! You’ve got curries, bentos, teriyaki, and my personal favorite, black sesame ice cream. With Dainobu expanding and Glaze still whipping up some of the best cheap teriyaki around, how could we not celebrate all that Japan has to offer. And the nominees are….

Vote for your favorite after the jump…

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Best Midtown Street Meat: Reader’s Poll 2013

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

This year, old school standby Trini Paki Boys finally won Street Meat Palooza thanks to their beef curry. But how does it stack up to the rest of Midtown’s chicken and lamb over rice according to you lunchers? Will you vote for Trini Paki’s Trini influenced tamarind sauce or for Uncle Gussy’s ethereal white sauce or Kwik Meal’s iconic tender lamb? And then, of course, there’s always the two competing Halal Guys on 53rd Street (the original and the imposter). Which is your favorite street meat?

Vote for your favorite after the jump…
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Best Midtown Hamburger: Readers’ Poll 2013

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

Hungry Midtown Lunchers know that when it comes to burgers, Midtown is a great place to be. Over the past couple of years, it has been no surprise that Shake Shack has held onto our readers’ hearts and stomachs. With their expansion into Grand Central this year — and the addition of hand-cut fries at that location — we wouldn’t be surprised if they took the top spot again in our readers’ poll. But who knows, maybe newcomer Clarke’s Standard will dethrone the king…

Vote for your favorite after the jump…

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New Chipotle Coming to Bryant Park

New Chipotle

Yes, you’ve read that correctly. A new Chipotle Mexican Grill is coming to 40th between 5th and 6th Avenue, right next door to Zeytinz. For those of you keeping track, this new location is almost directly across from the Chipotle on 42nd. If you’ve ever found yourself arriving at the Chipotle on 42nd, only to be greeted to a line stretching out the door, you will soon be able to zip across Bryant Park to the new location where you will probably be greeted with a similarly long line. Nonetheless, it should be open shortly. As you can see from the image, they appear to be making things happen rather quickly.

New Schnipper’s Opens Today in Midtown East: If you are a fan of burgers and work in Midtown East and you're stuck at work today here's a little bit of good news...the new location of Schnipper's, on Lexington btw. 50+51st that we told you about back in March, opens today. The menu is mostly the same, although there is a new burger only available at this location: the Schnippers Old Fashioned, an American cheeseburger with griddled onion and a classic pink sauce (which won last year's Burger Bash at the New York Wine & Food Festival.)

Best Midtown Pizza: Readers’ Poll 2013

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

The definitive street food/college student luxury of our time, pizza’s as big as ever on the streets and in the suites. We’ve got so much range to cover in our 2013 Reader’s Poll, and the best thing about this poll: you can click and walk at the same time if you fold your tablet to catch the grease! Well, okay, not really – no, please, don’t fold any electronics. But definitely sound off. We’re throwing ’em all in the ring: $1 slice, grandma slice, maybe even one or two gourmet uberpizzas. Toss and roll your favorite ‘za out as we submit to your our Reader’s Poll options for best slice of 2013:

Vote for your favorite, after the jump…

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Gingerbread Houses & the Annual NSFW Holiday Card

Looking to get into the Christmas spirit? City Harvest has teamed up with Le Parker Meridien for their annual Gingerbread House Extravaganza. Some of the cities top bakeries and pastry chefs have created gingerbread structures which are now on display in the lobby of the the Parker Meridien (on 56th btw 6+7th), and you can help fight hunger by voting for your favorite creations—each $1 donated counts as one vote and benefits City Harvest. The gingerbread houses will be on display until January 6th.

Speaking of holiday cheer, Rick’s Cabaret sent over their annual Christmas card and once again it’s not entirely safe for work.  If you’re into such things, we’ve posted it after jump.  Happy Holidays everyone!

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Best Midtown Chinese: Readers’ Poll 2013

It’s time for the 2013 Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year we’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

It’s been another great year for the Middle Kingdom of Low Delivery Minimums – Chinese food in Midtown continues its strong-as-hell presence. There’s options galore this year as always, along with some newcomers and surprisingly short lives (not to mention a notable collective good-riddance). While there’s no threat from the pan-Asian fast-cas onslaught, competition for the lunch crowd is as hot as decent ma po tofu, steamy as a fresh char shu bao, and as tangled as a good bowl of Shanghai noodle soup.

Vote for your favorite after the jump…

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