Midtown Lunch

About a month ago, I posted about the Luckyim Thai truck finally making its way to Midtown. I besought the readers of ML if they’d tried it, to please let us know what they thought – and at first, no one would admit to it. But slowly, comments began to trickle in admitting that there were always lines, but people had eaten there… and had mixed feelings. Find out after the jump if I ever did go over there and check it out…

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Oh, Eggstravaganza; we knew ye way back when you were still a cart. It’s been a while since we posted about your dishes, so in case you forgot… here’s some of the deliciousness you can find at Eggstravaganza.

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When I discovered a brand new truck last week on 48th Street, I recognized a friendly face working the grill. In truth, he recognized me. It was Omar from Little Morocco, one of ML’s old favorites. Unfortunately, this truck does not sell Moroccan food and it seems that Omar is an employee/cook more than an actual influence into the food or a partner.

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The Vendy Awards are less than a week away. If you have not purchased your tickets, now is the time because they will sell out. Too late!  They’re gone…

After three weeks of street meat, sandwich, and spicy tours, we are dedicating our last offical week of the Lunch Rush Tours to current Vendy nominees and previous winners. Each day you will get to sample three tastings from honored carts and trucks, hear their stories, and learn all about the Vendy Awards and the Street Vendor Project (who get a proceeds of the ticket purchases).

Today’s tour is around 6th Avenue in the 40’s, Tuesday is on Park Avenue in the 40’s and 50’s, and Wednesday is in the Financial District. All tours start at 1pm and run just under an hour, so there’s plenty time to get back to the office.

This is a great way to whet your appetite for the Vendy’s 10th anniversary celebration on Saturday and a fun way to spend your lunch hour. While this week is the last official week of tours, we will be offering them in the future for private office groups. It’s an awesome team building event or just a fun way to get out of your usual lunch routine. Tickets for this week and more information on future customizable tours can be found at the Turnstile Tours website.

A Turkish chain called Simit Sarayi already has a big sign on Fifth Avenue (between 38th and 39th Street) announcing their arrival. No word yet on exactly when they will open, but it looks like they are pretty close.

As the name suggests, they’ll serve up simits, which are basically Turkish-style bagels – much thinner and crisper than the NYC dough bombs. Great for sandwiches. You can already get them at Mmm… Enfes a few blocks away, but now those on the east side won’t have to cross Fifth Avenue. According to the menus from their Turkey locations, we can also expect baked goods and meals like Turkish ravioli and grilled meatballs.

Simit Sarayi, 435 Fifth Avenue New York NY

I don’t know when it happened, but food truck prices have soared. Case in point: a brand new truck hit the streets called Schnitzi. They’re connected to a kosher restaurant in Coney Island. Based on the Brooklyn restaurant’s menu online, the prices on the truck are higher than at the restaurant!!

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I noticed a new truck on 46th Street between 5th and 6th last Thursday. It was pretty bare bones with a brown faux wooden facade and a scaled-down menu. It looks like it’s called Camión, but upon closer inspection it’s actually called Mike & Jen’s Camión.

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The Vendy Awards are almost upon us and yesterday the final nominees were announced. Competing for the Vendy Cup, are five very different vendors. An old time Vendy and ML favorite who has never won the big award is Cinnamon Snail, along with last year’s Rookie of the Year Nuchas; a previous regular in Midtown who now mostly vends in Soho and Brooklyn, Desi Food Truck; El Rey del Taco a family run business out in Astoria; and the legendary Lechonera La Pirana, a machete yielding meat man who specializes in Puerto Rican lechon. The competition just got real. Tickets are still available for the September 13 event and can be purchased here or you can enter to be a Citizen judge by sharing your food photos.

On my walk to Clarke Standard, I’d noticed a line that snaked out the door and curved around the building… and when I peeked inside, there was even more line to go! What was this amazing place that so many Midtown workers were spending precious lunch minutes waiting to consume? … It was Dishes. Yes, Dishes – so I continued on my merry way, except I noticed a cart outside this line that also attracted its share of people… the Mysttik Masaala cart, which boasts Indian, Tibetan and Nepali items. The menu and more after the jump

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Week three of our special food cart tours gets under way today with some spicy food. After Eat Street Meat and Sandwich Days, this week we will focus on high scoville levels from three different mobile food vehicles each day. Today, we’re going to Bring the Heat along Park Avenue (high 40’s/low 50’s), tomorrow focuses on fiery food options on 6th Avenue (40’s/50’s), and Thursday we’ll be in the Financial District. Expect Mexican, Korean, Jamaican, and Egyptian food that will scorch your tastebuds. We do incude a bottle of water, but I’m afraid a glass of milk is not included.

Tickets are available until 30 minutes before each tour at the Turnstile Tours website. Each tour starts at 1pm and runs just under an hour (wuth enough time to get back to your office before your boss realizes you’re gone). Percentage of the ticket sales are donated to the Street Vendor Project. So breathe fire for a good cause!