Midtown Lunch

Brasserie Ruhlman Grilling Up Kobe Burgers at “Tastes of Summer”

A couple of commenters clued me in to the fact that Ina Garten’s kitchen isn’t the only thing going on in the Rock Center plaza this week. It’s accompanied by a “Tastes of Summer” outdoor food court. Sadly nothing is being giving away for free, but there is lunch being sold by some of the area restaurants.

It’s fun when there are food events like this in Midtown, but most of the food at this one is completely useless since you can just walk an extra few feet to the stores themselves and pay the same amount of money for the same food. But there were three burger options that are worth mentioning…

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Serious Eats New York has full coverage of the giant Ina “Barefoot Contessa” Garten kitchen in the middle of Rock Center this week, a big fat who cares if you ask me (unless there’s free food… is there free food?)  Apparently I’m not the only who thinks so. (Sorry I can’t help but post this…)  According to this lunch’er, it was more exciting to see me yesterday than Ina Garten.  They must have meant it was more exciting to see me, than this poster of Ina Garten.  (People see me eating lunch in Midtown every day… and trust me, it’s more gross than exciting.)

Wow… today has not been good for the Midtown Lunch’ing news.  This just in from Lunch’er Jill: “Two Boots under Rockefeller Center is closing!  Today is their last day. They are opening a new place at 9th and 45th.” And confirmed on the Two Boots website:

And it was one year ago this month you guys voted this best slice in Midtown. The end of an era… and a big loss to the lazy lunchers of 30 Rock who hate leaving their building.

Added to Midtown Lunch Flickr Pool by nycblondieandbrownie 

Fans of mediocre cupcakes, your day of joy has finally arrived.  Magnolia Bakery is set to open their 3rd location in Midtown next week on 49th and 6th, in the space formerly occupied by Citarella. Brownie from Blondie and Brownie crashed their opening party last night, and sent along a ton of photos.  Just what we need… more lines of gawking tourists clogging up the sidewalks during lunch. Thanks, but no thanks.

More cupcake news after the jump…   Read more »

The summer edition of the Rock Center Farmer’s Market is officially up and running.  They’ll be setting up every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from now through the end of August.  Just like last fall, they’re just north of the Rink Bar, serving up fruit, veggies, cheese, bread, pastries, and more.  Blondie and Brownie hit it up yesterday, and have a complete report.

Yes, I am fat.  Yes, I am a big fan of quantity.  Yes, I love all you can eat buffets- and value is important to me.  But I am not a savage animal.  Not all of my meals must be eaten off a mobile truck parked on a sidewalk.  And it doesn’t always need to be an obscene amount of food, for a ridiculously low price.  I like good food… and I don’t mind paying extra for something special, or super delicious.  As long as there is value.  But value means a lot of different things to different people.

I’ll complain that charging $10.35 for a burger, fries and soda combo is too expensive, or $11+ for a sandwich is just plain stupid.  But then, over the weekend, I’ll spend twice that amount on an appetizer at one of my favorite restaurants (sweetbreads at Prune?  Hello!).  Value is about expectations and balance.  It is feeling that what you sacrifice in quantity, you gain in quality, and the whole thing works out so that you are charged accordingly.  And while for me, Goodburger and FreeFoods NYC have priced themselves just outside that value threshold, I can’t help but think that a place like ‘wichcraft teeters right on the edge.

There is no question alot of the menu will leave you hungry, and feeling ripped off, but with some clever ordering I think you can feel like you had a quality lunch, for an expensive, but acceptable price.  Plus, I love Craft, really like Craftsteak, love Tom Collichio, and even though my first trip to ‘wichcraft, ended with my wife being hungry (and angry we paid so much for such small sandwiches), I vowed to give the place another shot.

Basically what I’m saying is this.  If you are a fat man (like me) and enjoy quantity (like me), ‘wichcraft is overpriced for what it is:  tiny sandwiches that leave you hungry in the belly, and lighter in the wallet.  But if there is that small part of you that occasionally likes to trade a little quantity for quality (mixed in with a dose of celebrity chef), there is a better way to order at ‘wichcraft, to get you out for under $10, and feeling satisfied.

A breakdown of the menu, after the jump… Read more »

The unmistakeable smell has already begun to fill the tunnels beneath Rockefeller Center, as Cinnabon prepares to open for business at 4pm.  In honor of the “grand opening” they will be handing our free coffee (today only) but the guy inside would not confirm (or deny) the possibility of free samples of cinnamon bunly goodness.

The location is not actually in the concourse, but in that underground area between buildings, next to the Dunkin Donuts just outside the Subway turnstiles.  You shouldn’t have any trouble finding it… just follow the intoxicating smell.

Thanks to Lisa C. for the tip.  If you have any news, info or recommendations- email them to zach@midtownlunch.com

 

Tomorrow is the last day for the Rock Center Farmer’s Market.  I will miss it.  It was nice to be able to see some fruits and vegetables in their semi-natural state, as opposed to what we’re used to here in Midtown.  If the two could talk I imagine their conversation to go like this:

Farmer’s Market Vegetables: “Aren’t you jealous?  I get to appear in my natural state, and be purchased close to home, by people who truly care about food.  They are going to take me home and do something really special with me.”

Midtown Vegetable: “That’s lame.  I get to travel thousands of miles from where I grew up, only to be chopped up, made to look a lot prettier than I actually taste, and then combined with 5 other friends on top of a pile of lettuce and eaten by some rich Midtown business person!  That’s much more exciting…”

Top whatever sandwich you have with some fresh cheese, add a piece of fruit to your lunch, or pick up some stuff to make dinner with.  I did my final walk through yesterday, and picked up some fresh basil and grape tomatoes… which last night got turned into this (photo after the jump) Read more »

 

 

Crappy Chinese food fans rejoice!  The space in the Rock Center Councourse formerly inhabited by Manchu Wok will be re-opening as… Manchu Wok.  Apparently it has new owners and will re-open in the next week (or two).  I’m not exactly sure how franchises work, but I’m holding out hope that the quality will improve for those rainy days when I don’t want to go outside and walk to the far superior Hing Won, one block away.

In much bigger news, Cinnabon will be opening a location in the Rock Center Councourse sometime in the near future.  This is terrible news for us fatties who do everything we can to avoid things like the amazing scent of freshly cooked cinnamon filled, glazed buns, that will no doubt permeate the entire food court area.  The Rock Center Councourse might just have to banned permanently from my list of Midtown Lunch’ing options, just to avoid the tantalizing smell.

If you have info about places in Midtown opening or closing, send it to zach@midtownlunch.com