Midtown Lunch

Lunch’er Wayne was kind enough to send along this photo of the new location of Crisp which is coming soon to 40th Street btw. 6+B’way. While it looks like they may have a ways to go, the owner is saying they plan on opening up as soon as Passover ends (April 16 or 17th.) Don’t let the whole Jewish holiday thing fool you though, the original Crisp location (on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th) will be open all through Passover (unlike the Kosher falafel places, which will all be closed starting on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.)

Related:
Crisp: Abomination… Or One of the Best Falafel in the City
The Taj Has Been Temporarily Discontinued

Some bad news on the Midtown Lunch Sandwich Challenge front:

“The Taj at Crisp (on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th) is apparently discontinued. I called them yesterday evening and they said they’re not making it anymore. Maybe I heard it wrong and they just serve it for lunch and not dinner. Either way, I haven’t tried it yet and now it seems like I never will… -Tanman”

The owner says they could not continue serving the Indian style falafel without getting rid of another sandwich on their menu-  so, they are “trying to figure out the logistics” and will bring it back eventually. (And when they do, I’ll be there on day one- that sandwich was good!) This should also be a lesson to all of you… if a sandwich challenge entry sounds good, don’t put off trying it. These special sandwiches may not be on the menu for long.

Related:
Crisp: Abomination… Or One of the Best Falafel in the City

I think I’m finally ready to go out on a limb here, and say that Crisp is one of the best falafel places in the city.  That’s right.  The yuppie-fied, way overpriced, unconventional falafel place (on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th) is serving up some of my favorite falafel in New York City.  Is their bread as good as Olympic Pita (on 38th btw. 5+6th)?  No.  Is their menu as authentically Israeli as Azuri Cafe (on 10th Ave. and 51st). Uh… definitely not.  And yet, each time I go there I really enjoy trying the strange flavor combinations they create.  Sandwiches you cannot find anywhere else in NYC.  And for that they deserve some recognition.

Last week, they introduced their entry into the Midtown Lunch Sandwich Challenge. The Taj: Falafel with mango chutney, lime chili pickles, greens, cherry tomatoes, poppadums, and a cold curry sauce inside a traditional Israeli pita. I tried it on Friday, and it solidified my feeling that Crisp may be one of the best Falafel places in New York City.

Read more »

While many places are struggling to remain open, it looks like Crisp the overpriced (but admittedly pretty tasty) falafel place on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th is expanding.  They have a second location opening up in March on 40th Street btw. B’way+6th, in what seems like a microcosm of what’s happening more and more these days in Midtown. While this overpriced falafel place (which clearly has hopes of becoming a larger chain) expands, just one avenue away an old school Midtown falafel/kebab institution shuts its doors. If the current trend holds, it will probably be replaced by a Chiposimetromcpaxuropamanger.

Speaking of Crisp-the overpriced falafel place on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th that I reluctantly admire for its boldness and tastiness-they’ve done a little menu switcheroo this week. They’ve gotten rid of the Milan (a falafel sandwich with roasted red peppers and feta) and added two new sandwiches. The first is the CLT. At $5.75 it is the cheapest option, and made with falafel, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. I admire them for trying to add a cheaper option, but how can you have a falafel without hummus (or at least tahini.) And, if you are going to get a standard falafel, Crisp is too expensive. There are cheaper options, that are good enough… like at the Prince Deli on the same block. If you are going to eat at crisp, you should get one of their special combos- like the Mexican (falafel with corn and avocado) which I’m kind of into.

Which brings us to their latest creation… “The Exotic”. Falafel with coriander spread, eggplant, cabbage, pineapple, and wasabi vinaigrette. I shit you not. How could I walk away without trying this monstrosity?

Read more »

*Sigh*  Is it over?  Have I finally given in to the pressures of everyday lunch’ing in Midtown?  When Crisp first hung up their sign on 3rd Ave., I figured there was no way in hell I was going to find something redeeming about a place that calls itself Crisp.  From their saying on the wall (“Fast fresh food that syncs your taste with your conscience“) you automatically knew it was going to expensive, and worse case scenario- it would be expensive salads.  (I think between Just Salads, Chop’t and every single crappy generic deli in Midtown, we’re all set on the salads.)

When they finally opened, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that “crisp” actually referred to falafels, and the place was more like a midtownified pita pocket and hummus bowl kind of place.  Not terrible, but certainly nothing to jump for joy about.  With so many great (and mostly cheap) falafel places to choose from in this area, why do we need a place where the cheapest falafel sandwich is $6.75- thanks but no thanks. 

But then something happened.  I tried it.  And I have to say, despite my brain urging me to show hate and disapproval- there is one sandwich at Crisp that I think I can fully get behind.  Read more »

Photo by Kayoko from Umamimart

The plywood has come down at Crisp, the- not as generic as I expected it to be– sandwich/salad place, on 3rd Ave. & 43rd, and they are open for business.  Far from being another Chop’t or Just Salads, the all vegetarian menu (which can be seen on their now live website) consists of salads (of course), pita pocket sandwiches, hummus bowls, and a nice selection of homemade teas.  It’s typical Midtown prices, with everything on the menu ranging from $6 to $10.75, but a few things on their website stand out enough for me to want to check it out:

• Their pita breads are baked from scratch every few hours on premises
• Their fresh made teas sound really good (with flavors like lychee, ginger/peach, & apple mango)
• Some of the ingredients they use in the sandwiches I could be down with… like mango curry, eggplant, goat cheese, and pomegranate dressing
• I won’t eat salads, but a hummus bowl with mango curry or roasted eggplant sounds pretty damn good
• Everything they serve is organic, when possible, and always delivered fresh daily.  Plus they change their oil every 24 hours, and they only use eco-friendly, recycled materials

Is there potential for anger and disappointment?  Of course, but I can’t help but get excited when new places open in Midtown, and this one looks alot more promising than we initially gave it credit for.  Full +/- coming soon… and for you early adopters who can’t wait to check it out, please post your thoughts in the comments.

Crisp, 684 3rd Ave. (btw. 43+44th), 212-661-0000

Official Website: http://www.eatatcrisp.com/