Midtown Lunch

Photo courtesy of cchen

The day of reckoning has arrived, and we finally get to see (officially) who won the Throwdown between Bobby Flay and the Dessert Truck last October. The episode airs on Wednesday night (1/14) at 9pm EST on the Food Network, and here is the description (courtesy of my Time Warner Cable Guide): “Chocolate Bread Pudding: Bobby surprises two entrepreneur chefs that sell five star desserts out of a truck.”

Sadly the Dessert Truck is on hiatus until the end of January, so you may want to just DVR the show and wait until they come back to watch it.  There is nothing worse than having a serious cravings for something that you can’t have.

Related:
Dessert Truck to Throwdown With Bobby Flay? [ML]
An Inside Look at The Dessert Truck Throwdown with Bobby Flay [SENY]

With the temperature starting to dip down, it’s not surprising to see places rolling out the hot soups and warm specials for the winter.  Food trucks especially seem to be taking the lead… for example, Rickshaw Dumpling Truck just introduced Miso Soup to the menu.  You can get it alone for $3, or added to an order of dumplings as a the perfect side dish. 

In sweeter news, hot chocolate has returned to the Dessert Truck as a winter special, and the Treats Truck says they plan on adding their own hot chocolate very soon. Rickshaw & the Treats Truck are in Midtown today on 45th btw. 6+7th, and the Dessert Truck is in their normal spot on Park Ave. and 52nd.

But wait there’s more… chicken noodle soup (and homemade fudge) is after the jump.

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We’re kind of shocked, but the pomagranate macaron beat out the chocolate/pomagranate lollipop in the Dessert Truck’s free sample giveaway/promotion thingy last month… which means, the pomagranate macaron has now been added to their repotoire for the month of November. The are the size of a quarter, and sell in little packs of three for $3, PLUS “for every macaron sold from November 17-23 a portion of the proceeds  will go to City Harvest, an organization that strives to end hunger in New York City communities.”  But even more exciting than that (am I allowed to say that?) is the return of the dark chocolate mousse bombe, and the bomboloni (pictured above).  The Dessert Truck is on Park Ave. and 52nd every day from Noon to 4pm.

Photo by Robyn Lee

Last week, Grub Street called it selling out, but as far as Midtown Lunch is concerned, free food is free food.  Today, the Dessert Truck will be at two new locations handing out small samples of desserts they’ve crafted using a specific brand of pomegranate liquor. The truck will be at 40th St btw. 6th+B’way from 4:05 to 4:25pm, and then at 36th St btw. 8+9th from 4:40 to 5pm. Normal Park Ave. operations have been suspended for the day. The freebies are actually part of a private thing for media companies in the area- but we got permission to make the two Midtown stops open to the public! Enjoy, freeloaders… (and get there early if you can, because supplies are limited.)

5 vendors battled it out at the Fourth Annual Vendy Awards on Saturday night, and for the second year in a row, a Midtown cart was the crowd favorite, but failed to take home the Vendy Cup. Last year it was Kwik Meal… this year the Biryani Cart. Despite putting forward an amazing effort, and getting the most votes from the largest Vendy Award crowd ever, the Biryani Cart lost to the Soho based Calexico Cart- who were awarded the Vendy Cup by the tastebud-less distinguished judges. Kwik Meal was the judges’ pick for runner up.

I don’t want to say Meru and the Biryani Cart were robbed… but I kind of think the people’s choice award says it all. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Calexico Cart- and if they ever decide to move their burrito cart from 25th & Park into Midtown proper, I will be the first one in line for one of their awesome carne asada burritos. But man did I want the Biryani Cart to take the whole thing… and based on the plate of food they served- they really should have.

Food porn, dessert award and more, after the jump…  Read more »

…with Bobby Flay has still not been revealed.  Yesterday, we showed you Chris Chen’s poker face and today his partner Jerome weighs in on the whole Eater “should we or shouldn’t we” reveal the winner of the Throwdown before it airs: “What other show is as effective as Throwdown in using the power of a well-known chef to celebrate the efforts of local chefs? By revealing the winner to a Throwdown, you eat their bread and butter.”  So you are admitting that the episde will “celebrate” the effort of The Dessert Truck?  The truth is I think secretly Food Network doesn’t (or shouldn’t care.) All of this internet stupidity just gets more people excited to see the show- and I hardly think revealing the winner to us few Dessert Truck loving nutjobs will eat into the Food Network’s “bread and butter.”  The number of people who will see the results on the internet pales in comparison to the millions of viewers these shows get when they air.  I’m just saying (selfishly)… damnit Eater, reveal the winner already!!!

Chris Chen looks like the freakin’ Mona Lisa at the Dessert Truck today (on 52nd and Park), where mums the word over their big Throwdown with Bobby Flay in Union Square yesterday.   Serious Eats: New York has got a pretty comprehensive look at the whole competition, but everybody was sworn to secrecy as to who won.  Our bet… the results will be up on Eater before the end of the day.

Related: Dessert Truck to Throwdown With Bobby Flay?

Union Square has been transformed for a truck on truck, Flay vs. Dessert Truck, bread pudding battle, and Eater has got the photo. Man I wish this had been in Midtown. Clearly last week’s hunch was true…  Anybody up for a victory party tomorrow at the Dessert Truck’s normal Midtown spot on 52nd & Park?

UPDATE: The second truck is actually a Red Hook ballfield vendors truck, and it has left the scene.  Photo after the jump…

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