Midtown Lunch

Am I in the minority of people by not getting excited about IHOP coming to Times Square?  To me it just seems like another addition to an area that is quickly becoming an Epcot’ish oversize chain restaurant pavilion.  In all the excitement, I did however notice a little interesting nugget in this little posting by NY Mag’s Blog “Grub St.”

Search for IHOP in the Yahoo white pages (and on Citysearch and various other sites) and… you’ll find a listing on 240 W. 35th Street [which doesn‘t exist as an IHOP]. We know this because we tried to go there once and instead of being greeted by a Rooty Tooty Fresh ’N Fruity we found, of all things, the International Food House and Buffet, an all-you-can-eat Latin spot.

WHA?!?! All You Can Eat?  Latin food?  International Food House & Buffet?!?!  Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the exciting part of the story?  Who cares about an IHOP in Midtown.  I want to hear more about the buffet!

Well, yesterday I trekked down to 35th St. to find this fake IHOP that had disappointed so many, but was about to make me the happiest lunch’er in all of Midtown.

All the buffet-tastic glory, after the jump… Read more »

Free Foods NYC, the brainchild of Chef Matt Kenney from Pure Food & Wine, is opening today on 45th btw. 5+6th.  They are putting the finishing touches on the place this morning, and plan on being open by Noon for lunch.  I caught a partial glimpse of the menu on the wall, and with Salads & Entrees all over $10, it looks like Midtown Lunch might be priced out of this one.  The sandwich menu was on the far wall, so I couldn’t see the prices… Either way, the place looks pretty nice and I’m sure will be a welcome addition to all the well paid Midtown’ers who are looking for a more upscale deli experience.

Any rich Midtown vegetarians or organic food enthusiasts want to be our guinea pigs?  Check it out and report back…

When you say “Convenience Store”,  good lunch’ing is not really the first thing that pops into my mind.  Sure, I like a Drake’s Apple Pie just as much as the next guy, but old hot dogs and a slushy don’t really make an appealing lunch in my book.  Take “Convenience Store” and add the word “Japanese” to the front, and now you’re talking. 

In between checking out the Steak Truck on 47th & Park, and meeting a friend for lunch on 47th & 3rd, I stumbled upon this little gem of a “Convenience Store” and wondered why the hell nobody emailed me about it!  Stop hoarding places from me people.  Especially Asian Food.  It’s not right.  (Even though discovering it myself made it that much more awesome!) 

What they have, Japanese Convenience Store Food Porn, and a +/- after the jump…  Read more »

Starting on Monday, September 24th The Jamaican Dutchy (on 51st btw. 6+7th) will be serving hot soups daily.  Top of my list to try… the Chicken Feet soup and the Goat’s Head Soup.  (I wonder if I can get Andrew Zimmern or Anthony Bourdain to come with me.) I’ve never been more ready for Summer to be over.  Bring on the cold weather!

Thanks to cocktailian for posting the photo to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Group.  His amazing looking Cow’s foot stew (yesterday’s lunch special), after the jump… Read more »

Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslim calendar, begins today and the Chicken Briyani Cart on 46th & 6th is offering special “Iftar Boxes” for those who are observing (pronounced “if-tar” or “fitoor”).  Muslims all around the world will fast from sunrise to sunset for the next 30 days, abstaining from food and drinks of any kind.  At sunset, a special meal known as “Iftar” (which literally means breakfast or break fast) is enjoyed, usually as a communal event.

The box from the Briyani Cart will include a scoop of Chicken Biriyani, 1 Kati Roll, a samosa and what the guys in the cart described to me as a potato kebab.  It costs $5 and will be available from 4:30pm to 6:30pm every night for the next 30 days (starting on Friday).

Tonight is Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), and if you don’t have your Mom in town to cook for you (mine is flying in this morning), then you may want to consider Cafe Edison for lunch.  I don’t eat at too many sit down restaraunts, but they don’t have good matzoh ball soup at too many places that specialize in quick lunches.  Luckily Cafe Edison, despite being a sit down diner, is cheap enough (the prices probably haven’t changed in 20 years) to be included as a bonafide Midtown Lunch.

Situated in the Edison Hotel on 47th btw. B’way & 8th, Cafe Edison is a relic of the Old Times Square.  Stepping inside is like stepping into a time warp, and it doesn’t matter how old you are, chances are- if you are reading this blog, you will be the youngest person there.  Their ever changing list of daily soups are easily the stand outs of the menu, but they also have great blintzes, matzoh brie (I’ll be back for Passover!), a real nice corned beef sandwich, and kasha varnishkes (if you don’t know, you probably don’t want to know).

The best Matzoh Ball soup in Midtown, more old school deli porn and a +/- after the jump… Read more »

The Midtown Yolato location on Park Ave. just south of 42nd St. was supposed to have its Grand Opening yesterday (with free Yolato all day long), but as you can tell from the photo, they weren’t quite ready.  I got an email saying 10 more days, but I can’t imagine how they’ll pull that off.  I will keep you updated…

In the meantime, you’ll have to settle for Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, which is available (when it’s not raining) from a table next to Pershing Square on 42nd & Park until the end of the month (and in the restaurant on the dessert menu all year long).

The search for a good Chicken Parm sub in Midtown trucks on.  This week’s stop is Little Italy Pizza on 45th btw. 5+6th.  If you spend any time reading the comments posted to Midtown Lunch, then you know about Little Italy Pizza, and its neighbor across the street, Park Italian.  Both places have their fans, and detractors, serving up what amounts to two pretty mediocre chicken parm subs.

I’m not saying they are inedible.  I’m just saying mediocre.  A Chicken Parm Sub is going to taste good by default.  Any sandwich that consists of fried chicken topped with sauce and cheese is going to have its redeeming qualities.  Sure the sauce may be too sweet, the cheese may be no good, the bread may be soggy, or not toasted- but in the end it’s still a fried chicken sandwich.  It’s going to taste good enough to eat.  That being said, I’m not going to to tell you to go to Little Italy Pizza for the chicken parm.  It’s just ok.  The pizza on the other hand… now that’s a different story!

Awesome pizza porn, and a +/- after the jump… Read more »

The official announcement is coming on Monday morning- but for you…

• NY Dosas (W. 4th St. & Sullivan, Washing Sq. Park)
• Kwik Meal (6th Ave. & 45th St., Midtown)
• Super Tacos (96th & Broadway, Manhattan)
• King Falafel & Schwarma (30th & Broadway, Queens)
• Veronica’s Kitchen (Front St. & Pine, Downtown)

I thought for sure this was going to be the year of the Jamaican Dutchy… but it’s ok.  Midtown is very well represented by Muhammed Rahman and the Kwik Meal Cart, who we profiled a few weeks ago.

Support the Street Vendor Project by attending the Vendy Awards which will take place on September 29th @ Tomkins Sq. Park from 3-8pm.  Get more info at http://streetvendor.org/vendies.html 

***Update: Since this post was written, the price of this Buffet has gone up to $10.95***

One thing I’ve discovered since starting Midtown Lunch is that most of the time you get what you pay for.  Go to an Indian buffet that’s $9.95 and the quality of the food is not going to be as good as the $14.95 buffet.  Rangole (on 46th btw. 5+6th) was the best deal ever at $8.95, but the quality was a little lacking, and the atmosphere left a little to be desired.  And yet, I love the all you can eat buffets, so I was happy the place was there when I needed my fix.

When Rangole closed, I was forced to look south to Curry Dream on 38th btw. 5+6th.  $1 more than Rangole, it still suffers from many of the same problems.  Good, but not great, clean, but not really… and still, I am just happy it’s there.  (Fat man likey buffet.)  I could pay $10.95 for Sukhadia or even more for one of the expensive Indian Buffets in Midtown (there are plenty, like Utsav), but it is against the under $10 Midtown Lunch rule (read: I’m a cheap bastard, and will sacrifice quality for price).

With the opening of Spice Fusion on 8th Ave. btw. 47+48th, all of my Indian food prayers have been answered.  Not only is the buffet only $9.95, they have take out boxes for $6.95 and the food is not only good, it is borderline great!

What they have, and a +/- after the jump… Read more »