Midtown Lunch

Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week we’re excited to welcome our old friend Kim Ima from the Treats Truck to the pages of ML. Her cookbook “The Treats Truck Baking Book” comes out today, so we thought it would be fun to ask her where she eats for lunch and give away a few copies at the end of the post.

Name: Kim

Age: Hard to tell! I think I am in my 40s, but I feel like a combo of 12 yrs old and 75 yrs old (part kid running a lemonade stand, part grandma baking for all the neighbors)

Occupation: Owner/baker/driver of The Treats Truck

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Well, two Midtown spots were my mainstay for over four years, but now… I move around a bit more than that! All over Manhattan and bits of Brooklyn and the other boroughs for special events.

Favorite Kind of Food: Any and all, both savory and sweet, as long as it’s fresh and made with care and is delicious! Although I must admit a very special place in my heart for Mexican food as my goto comfort food.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Pre-packaged sandwiches and overly processed food.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I have a lot of favorite carts and trucks, plus a few sit-down restaurants, but the street food and the vendors have my heart! I love all my fellow truckers and carts, so it feels like picking favorites to list any, so here are a few but know that the love runs deep for all of them! El Rel Del Sabor Mexican Cart on 43rd & 6th (anything), Jamaican Dutchy truck (the mini meal stew chicken with rice and peas), Moshe’s Falafel (either a snack of falafel and pickles or a full falafel sandwich with lots of hot sauce, tahini and pickles), Le Gamin Truck (savory crepe with goat cheese and whatever they recommend that day), Wafels and Dinges (a mini wafelini with a dinges), Frites N Meats (cheeseburger and fries!), Eddie’s Pizza Truck (straight up cheese pizza) and Mexicue (burnt end chili slider and a chicken taco). For sit down, Cafe Edison on 47th btw. B’way+8th (again, goto comfort food like the matzo ball or bean soups or a dinner of some sort, like my grandma’s, and I love the comforting atmosphere of a diner. Diners are second only to home kitchens of my friends and family), Burger Joint (on 56th btw. 6+7th) at the Parker Meridien Hotel (go with one or two friends for a cheeseburger and a beer. The atmosphere is cosy and fun but you need to go when it isn’t too crowded or then it can feel rushed), and most ramen joints (I wish I had a fave and hope to find one someday). I have a new category for you, which I will include here! Wish list of new future favorite Lunch(es) in Midtown: Favorite ramen joint, favorite Korean cart, favorite Korean sit down (I always just go to 32nd and randomly walk in), favorite salad, favorite Japanese sit down.

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week we’re excited to welcome Andrew Steinthal, a Midtown Lunch’er I can completely relate to. Not only is he a publicist at Warner Bros. Records, but Andrew is also co founder of Immaculate Infatuation- one of my favorite NYC restaurant blogs.  And they just released a great new iphone app to help you find recommended dinner spots all over New York City.  Of course we’re more interested in hearing where he eats lunch!

Name: Andrew

Age: 31

Occupation: Publicist at Warner Bros. Records and Co-Founder of Immaculate Infatuation

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 6th Ave between 51st & 52nd St.

Favorite Kind of Food: Lobster rolls, burgers, oysters, sushi, steak, seafood, salad, pizza, ramen. I like it all.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I don’t like cheese. I know, that’s not normal. I also hate mushrooms and am scared of Indian food.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Burger Joint (on 56th btw. 6+7th) for burger and fries. Bouchon Bakery (on 48th btw. 5+6th) for hearts of romaine salad with chicken. Kodama Sushi (on 45th btw. 8+9th) for spicy crunch tuna roll/Eel Cucumber roll (they deliver). Ma Peche (on 56th btw. 5+6th) for rice noodles. Bella Napoli (on 49th btw. 6+7th) for their buffalo chicken pizza slice. Blue Dog Cafe (on 56th btw. 6+7th) for their Laguna Beach smoothie. Prime Burger (on 51st btw. Mad+5th) for their turkey club. Hale & Hearty for their chicken & corn chowder.

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Mike, a system admin who is a member of Brick Lane Curry House’s Phaal of Fame.

Name: Mike

Age: 29

Occupation: Systems administrator/remote tech support

Where in Midtown do you Work?: A managed services provider in the Garment District

Favorite Kind of Food: Soup. I am a giant sucker for soup even if it’s the dead of summer. Almost any kind of soup, but especially Asian noodle soups. And in a pinch, I love almost any kind of spicy food. I have to tell Indian restaurants to spice it like it’s for a fellow Indian and not for whitey.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Lasagna – it’s just not my favorite. Big, heavy, and usually not at all flavorful. The only kind I like is my wife’s turkey and spinach lasagna. Maybe I’ve only had crappy lasagna, but I just never really liked it all that much.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I am a huge adorer of the Shanghai noodle soup with pork and pickled cabbage from Ginger’s (7th and 37th). Chef Yu (8th and 36th) does a good version of it too – both have their own unique touches! Comme Ci Comme Ca’s (36th and Bway) merguez sandwich with extra spicy mint sauce is a great standby, and I miss the hell out of Sunrise Grill’s jerk chicken from when they were on 37th and 6th. Oh, and the Hungarian mushroom soup at Soup Stop (31st between 7th and 8th).

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. We had the privilege of meeting this week’s luncher at the Vendy Awards. She’s not only the daughter of the owners of the Chimichury Malecon truck, she’s also a Midtown Lunch’er!

Name: Monica

Age: 24

Occupation: Pharmaceutical Advertising

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 42nd between 2nd and 3rd ave (Daily News Building)

Favorite Kind of Food: Indian, Peruvian,Shawarma, Pork dumplings, Plantains, risotto (only when I make it), my moms rice and black bean, anything with bacon, Italian cold cuts, turkey burgers, chicken burgers, kobe burgers, Chimichury’s (I love burgers!), yam fries and yucca, cous cous, latkes, scallops, crab cakes, Almond butter, dates, popcorn.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Not a fan of clams or octopus. I want to give Korean another chance, but so far I’m not won over

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Naya Express (43rd and 3rd) I love everything on their menu especially their hummus, kibbe and beef kebab, Rickshaw Dumpling’s Chicken Thai Basil dumpling, Schnitzel & Things warm potato salad, Energy Kitchen turkey burger, Pio Pio on 44th and 10th, their chicken is ridiculously good and so is their garlic sauce and Daisy May’s for BBQ and sweet tea.

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Nick, a clerk who loves pho and wouldn’t want to be working anywhere else.

Name: Nick

Age: 26

Occupation: Assistant Managing Clerk

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 6th Ave between 43rd and 44th

Favorite Kind of Food: Steak, sliders, tacos, nachos, sandwiches, shellfish, sushi, grilled cheese and tomato soup, pizza, riceballs, pho

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Peanuts, soy based “meats”

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pernil or bistec encebollado from Margon (46th btw. 6th and 7th), Tacos al pastor/beef tongue from El Rey Del Sabor (43rd btw. 5th and 6th), Shrimp ceviche from El Rincon Del Sabor (47th btw. 5th and 6th), Lamb over rice from Kwik Meal (45th btw. 6th and 7th), Onigiri or smoked salmon sandwich from Cafe Zaiya (41st btw. Madison and 5th), Chicken Parm from Little Italy (45th btw. 5th and 6th), Italian Hero from Park Italian Deli (45th btw. 5th and 6th) Hush puppies with maple butter from Virgil’s BBQ (44th between 6th and Broadway), Dungeness crab salad or gazpacho with lobster from Grand Central Oyster Bar, Shrimp or lobster roll from Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck, Slow-roasted pork sandwich from ‘Wichcraft

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A big congrats to magician/food blogger Josh Beckerman on his huge profile in today’s New York Times food section.  Josh actually lives in Midtown, and old school Midtown Lunch’ers may recognize him from this profile 3 1/2 years ago. I wonder if he ever found that Italian hoagie… if you believe the New York Times he never did find that single gal looking to date a magician/foodie.

Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Anna, a marketing person looking for some good stuff in the upper east corner of Midtown…

Name: Anna (pronounced Ah-na, please)

Age: 25

Occupation: Marketing

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 55th & 3rd

Favorite Kind of Food: Mostly everything, although I tend to skew towards Asian. Thai, Japanese, and Dim Sum come immediately to mind, but I just love food in all forms. I don’t discriminate.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Olives and peas. That’s pretty much it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Num Pang (on 41st btw. Lex+3rd) is my new favorite, I’m still working my way through the menu. The Mackerel wins so far, with the peaches a close second. I also enjoy Korilla BBQ for the Wild Child bulgogi bowl (so sad to hear about the TGFTR cheating scandal, you guys are better than that!), Umi Sushi (on 56th btw. 1+2nd) for a 2 or 3 roll combo, A+ Thai or Rain Thai (on 53rd btw. 2+3rd) for their drunken noodle or pad thai lunch specials, pretty much everything at El Rey de Sabor.

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Lawrence, a software engineer who hates vegetarians and wishes sushi was cheaper.

Name: Lawrence

Age: 26

Occupation: Technical analyst / software engineer for JPMorgan

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 46th & Madison

Favorite Kind of Food: Sushi (but it’s too expensive)!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Vegetarian

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Oxtail noodle soup at Oriental Noodle Shop (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd), Chicken at Bian Dang truck, Anything with lamb at Bi Lokma (on 45th btw. 2+3rd), Ramen at Hide Chan (on 52nd btw. 2+3rd)

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Alex, a PR person who wishes she worked a few blocks farther south.

Name: Alex

Age: 24

Occupation: Publicist and Founder of Chekmark Eats

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 36th St. and 8th avenue.

Favorite Kind of Food: Seafood, Sushi, Lobster Rolls, Sandwiches, Biscuits, Brussels Sprouts, Smoked Salmon Egg Scrambles, Cookies

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Indian Food.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Amici 36 (8th Ave. btw. 35+36th) – Brick Oven Flatbread Sandwiches. I get smoked turkey, basil, tomato, balsamic and mozzarella. The bread is fantastic and doughy like pizza. They cut up the loaf after it’s done baking and put complimentary slices in a bowl to grab while you wait for your sandwich. (Probably the most popular station at the deli). Piccolo Café (on 40th btw. 7+8th) – Lobster Panini. HK Kitchen (on 9th Ave. btw. 39+40th) –Turkey and Brie with Sliced Apples and Dijionaise Sandwich. Macaron Café (36th btw. 6+7th) – Salad with chicken, vegetables macedoine and vinaigrette plus a choice of 15 different flavor macarons. Wondee Siam (52nd and 9th ave. location) – pad thai and Pad Num Mun Hoy (chicken sautéed with garlic, oyster sauce, celery onion, scallion, carrot, bell pepper and baby corn. *FYI it’s BYOB so a great place to check out after work, too.)

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Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Cheryl, a marketing manager who loves roast pork and oxtails.

Name: Cheryl

Age: 29

Occupation: Marketing Manager

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Midtown East – 46th Street and Madison.

Favorite Kind of Food: My goodness – there are just so many. But anything Asian (Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese), and anything Healthy

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Beans and Peas (I know really random)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th) – Beef Tendon with Turnip soup over those big broad noodles (awesome hangover or just need soup day food) & their Roast Pork (just because who can say no to Roast Pork?) Calista Superfoods (on 49th and 2nd) – Turkey Meatloaf Wrap (moist and super juicy), Bison Jalapeño Cheesesteak (ask for extra green hot sauce), and their PB&J smoothie. AND this place is healthy. WHAT? Margon (on 46th btw. 6+7th) – Oxtail

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