Midtown Lunch

It’s looking more and more like the rolly wraps are gone for good from the Old Bridge Deli (on Lex btw. 40+41st.)  The machine that used to make the half burrito/half calzone concoctions has disappeared, and when I asked one of the workers about it he made it seem like they were gone for good. Clearly this was an idea far ahead of its time…

Related:
Rolly Wraps Are An Amazing Advancement in Midtown Deli Technology

From an email tipster: “Free food at Old Bridge today! Free coffee and a buttered roll until 10am and then FREE SOUP and premade sandwiches at lunch!” Clearly the OBD is following the U.S. economic strategy.  What do you do when you have racked up a ton of debt?  Free giveaway for everyone!!! Enjoy freeloaders… the deli is on Lexington and 41st Street.

Update: Another tipster just emailed to let us know that you can get a bagel, instead of a roll this morning. And you have the option of one small hot buffet item instead of the premade sandwiches from Noon to 2pm.

Unbelievable. How many times has the Old Bridge Deli been seized for not paying their taxes, and yet they somehow manage to find a way to reopen.  Clearly I don’t understand how business works.  Most importantly, I hope they fixed the rolly wrap machine.

Multiple tipsters have emailed in about the Old Bridge Deli (on Lex btw. 40+41st) which was closed again today- this time seized on behalf of the landlord of the building.  This is nothing new for the deli considering that they have been closed a ton of times over the past year for non payment of back taxes (clearly the owners of the OBD are having trouble paying their bills.) But the fact that this time it has been possessed by the landlord (and chained shut), does not bode well for this Midtown deli.  R.I.P. rolly wraps…

Lunch’er Dave snapped this photo at the Old Bridge Deli “Rolly Wrap Station” earlier today:

You may want to call ahead before heading over to the Old Bridge Deli (212-986-0500; on Lex btw. 40+41st)… I don’t think there is much else at that place I can get behind.

I hate generic Midtown delis. Anybody who reads this site with any regularity knows this. In fact, that stupid deli at the bottom of your building, with its make your own salad bar, prepackaged sushi, and terrible sandwich counter is the reason I started this blog in the first place. Those choices exist solely because your co-workers are lazy losers; unwilling to walk an extra block or two to eat a worthwhile lunch.

Of course every once in awhile a Midtown deli innovation occurs, pushing the boundaries of gastronomic advancement; begging to be noticed, unwilling to following the standard formula. By the lb. buffets were one of the early innovations. The good ones are tough to resist (despite being a curse to us fatties.) Korean deli owners selling Korean food is a more recent example. The stations set up at Cafe Duke and Ambrosia elevate those delis to worthwhile status. Now, we have reached a new plateau… brought to my attention in this email:

Anyone tipped you off to this yet at the Old Bridge Deli? For about $6.50, you can get a fresh baked (i.e. made, then baked on the spot while you wait)… what is essentially an elongated calzone with a thinner crust with custom ingredients of your choosing (they call it a rolly wrap).

The fresh baked part is killer. So is the fresh chopping the guy does if you order chicken, or any cheese other than mozz. I’m a sucker for a little fresh cutting and baking on my lunch order, especially when it’s a FULL lunch and costs $6-7. Just wait in line, pile on pretty much as many ingredients as you like, and wait while it bakes. He’ll even give you a sour cream or hot sauce on the side if you ask nicely.

I usually roll with a choice of cheddar and/or mozz (sometimes rotate in the jalapeno jack too) the breaded chicken (grilled if I’m going “healthy”), some pepperoni or bacon, rotate the vegetable (onion, mushroom, broccoli, red peppers), then top it off with salsa and either sour cream or guac. Delicious.

Fresh baked? As many ingredients as you like? In a generic Midtown deli? Wait- ignore that last part and this kind of sounds amazing…  Read more »

From a Lunch’er: “The Old Bridge Deli (on 41st & Lex) got SEIZED (big orange stickers out front, doors closed)…. AGAIN.  That’s twice in like a few months. Same exact thing that happened before basically.  Lights on, people literally walking up to the door and yanking on it, only to then lookup and see the big orange sticker with massive “SEIZED” on it.  Didn’t bother reading the fine print on the sticker this time though.” She bounced back once, let’s see if she can do it again.

Thanks to Lunch’er Howard for the photos.