Archive for July 2014

Latin Kitchen NYC’s Huge Menu Includes Plantain Sandwiches

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Even though they’ve been on the streets for just a few weeks, the Latin Kitchen NYC truck has earned quite a following. I’ve gone by a few times at 47th between Park and Lex (their usual spot) to discover a huge group of people waiting for food. I finally visited when the crowd was manageable and the food didn’t take so long.

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Midtown Needs Taim Mobile to Visit More Often

On Sunday, at the Taste of Jewish Culture festival, Taim Mobile made an appearance and parked on the corner of 47th and Madison. They seem to park almost exclusively in the Flatiron most weekdays, which puts it way out of range for me (I’m in North Midtown-middle), and – on a personal note – I’ve tried a few times to go to their brick&mortar locations but apparently can’t keep my Jewish holidays straight – so when I saw the truck I got on line immediately.

Because FALAFEL.

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Melt Shop Answers My Prayers, Brings Back Buffalo Blue

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Melt Shop on 50th between 6th and 7th Ave

At the beginning of the year, I stopped by Melt Shop’s new location on 50th (btw. 6th and 7th) to check out the new digs. In my review, I made clear my disappointment at the removal of some of their old menu items, specifically, the Buffalo Blue. Well, on a recent visit to Melt Shop, the Buffalo Blue had returned as the Buffalo. It was clear that the return of this delicious grilled cheese was in direct response to my post, so the least I could do was give it a try and see if it was still good enough to hold the #1 spot in my heart.

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Frites’n’Meats Is Good, But Too Damn Expensive for Midtown Lunch

I’ve heard many good things about Frites’n’Meats, so when I saw the truck parked at 52nd and 6th Avenue it was the obvious choice for lunch that day.

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Hit Your V Spot – New Truck Brings Vietnamese Food Mobile

Last Friday, I spotted a new truck parked on the southwest corner of 53rd and Park – next to Brooklyn Grandma and across from Freddy’s. At 1:15 pm, there was a sizeable crowd outside the truck – exacerbated by how narrow the sidewalk is there (thus the very awkwardly angled photo of the truck). It seemed like everyone was waiting for their food, and a quick glance into the truck showed two people looking very harrowed as they scurried around the interior, presumably putting together orders.

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New Hole in the Wall Coffee Shop Lives Up To Its Name

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Starbucks really needs to watch their back. We now have a serious and credible coffee culture that just continues to expand. The newest addition to our java scene is aptly named Hole in the Wall nestled inside the lobby of 420 Fifth Avenue. It’s not the first Australian-owned coffee shop in the neighborhood nor the first one “secretly” hidden inside an office building lobby.

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Taste of Jewish Culture Comes to Midtown on a Weekend

While most of you probably don’t want to be in Midtown outside of work hours, this awesome street festival organized by good friend of ML, Noah Arenstein, actually sounds pretty awesome. On Sunday, July 27, from 10am to 6pm on Madison Avenue between 47th and 48th Street, the Taste of Jewish Culture will take place – and best of all, it’s free and open to the public.

A list of food vendors is after the jump…

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Luzzo’s Pizza is Launching A Cart and You Can Try it For Free Tonight

Eater announced yesterday that one of New York’s greatest pizzerias will be launching a cart today. Luzzo’s dishes up amazing wood-fired pizzas and is bringing those flavors to the streets. The cart will park downtown for the rest of the week and will announce their future locations soon. But we hear Midtown is on their radar. Before they’re added to regular rotation here, you can sample some of the pizza after work tonight for free. They’ll be handing out free pizzas at the cart in Chelsea near the restaurant Ovest, on 27th btw. 10+11th. It’s just a quick subway ride away from Midtown and worth it to try some amazing pizza… especially when it’s free.

Some Nominees Are Revealed For the 10th Annual Vendy Awards

It’s that time we at Midtown Lunch anticipate every year: Vendy season!! And while no famous celebrity did a live reading of the nominees (that’s how they do it at the Oscars), the Street Vendor Project revealed the lucky nominees in three of the five categories yesterday.

Rookie of the Year includes a few vendors that visit Midtown on a regular basis, like Dub Pies, Shanghai Sogo, and Big D’s new Khao Cart. The category is rounded out by GoGo Grill, a cart in Bowling Green that specializes in gourmet falafels and burgers, and Snowday, a food truck that employs fomrerly incarcerated young people and serves maple syrup-inspired dishes.

The nominees for Dessert of the Year are Craffles, Alchemy Creamery, Ricas Botanas Mexican (churros), Ice & Vice, and a huge favorite of the ML staff, Dough. In the Market Vendor category, the nominees are Bolivian Llama Party, Zha Pan Asian, Ssam BBQ, Chickpea & Olive, and the infamous Ramen Burger (I hope they don’t bring their line with them to the Vendys).

The nominees for the remaining two categories will be announced a little closer to the event on September 13. As always, there’s promise of lots of amazing food and the ability to support the important advocacy work of the Street Vendor Project. So, do not delay and buy your tickets now. Both General Admission and VIP Tickets are on sale here.

Clarke’s Standard is Worth Going Over $10

I really like burgers. My answer to the eternal question “Burgers or pizza?” is actually “BURGERSSS OM NOM NOM” to the shame of my New York heritage. So when someone pointed out that I’m reasonably close to Clarke’s Standard and Schnipper’s, I thought “um yes I want a burger RIGHT NOW” (unfortunately, a visit to Schnipper’s is NOT in the works – explanation at the end of this post) and walked the couple avenues east. What I got, and what I thought, after the jump…

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