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 it’s John, a promotions scheduler who’s goto order at Pizza Hut is a meat lovers (presumably.)

Name: John

Age: 31

Occupation: Promotions Scheduler

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 45th & 3rd

Favorite Kind of Food: Three Meat Pizza

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Oysters

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Schnitzel and Things opened up right down the block (on 3rd btw. 45+46th) and I’ve been in love ever since! Their sriracha mayo on a pork schnitzel sandwich is amazing.

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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 Christina, a communications pro who eats gluten free.

Name: Christina

Age: 22

Occupation: Communications Professional

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Currently I’m working in the Garment district on Broadway in no-man’s land smack in between Timess Square and Penn station at LaunchSquad, NYC

Favorite Kind of Food: First of all, any combination of carbs and cheese is a win in my book. I started eating gluten free last summer which makes my passion for melted dairy a challenging one. Other favorites? Tacos (corn tortillas please!), halal (lamb, chicken or falafel I am not picky), burgers (In-n-Out or bust), and ice cream. I just went to the Village Voice’s Choice Eats the other week and was surprised by the huge variety of gluten-free friendly options available. Quick tip for fellow gluten-free readers: I was chatting up Sarah Jenkins of Porchetta and Porsena and she said that she always keeps a good corn pasta around in the kitchen. They also sell some really great gluten free stuff at Eataly imported from Italy. It keeps an al dente toothsome texture after cooking which is a real challenge with rice pasta.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Since I eat gluten free I guess wheat is on the top of the “least favorite” list. Other pet peeves of mine? Poorly prepared pre-made sandwiches and salads – Subway I’m talking to YOU and bad grocery sushi.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Okay so this was a tough one to answer but I’ve boiled it down to a few. Lena Latin Grill (on 35th btw. 5+6th), particularly for their sauces and sides. I highly suggest going smoky chili pepper for your sauce. For sides? Check out their plantains, butternut squash (smoky and delicious when in season) and sinful coconut rice. For halal I’m really into Rafiquis for a quick bite of halal when I’m in a rush. Mostly I go to make jokes with the husband and wife chefs and indulge in the many free samples they always dish out. For Indian, my go to is Biryani Cart (on 46th and 6th) where I rotate whatever they have featured over rice, usually veggie or chicken Briyani. As you can tell, I’m really big on rice right now. For lunch meetings, I’m a huge fan of Market Cafe – the omelette du jour never ever disappoints and it’s a great cozy spot on a cold day. Be sure to have some of their cucumber water – so refreshing! Who knew?

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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 Dara, an account coordinator who doesn’t mind eating soup in the summertime.

Name: Dara

Age: 27

Occupation: Account Coordinator at Federated Media Publishing, a digital media company, and owner/writer/eater of The Skinny Pig, just another food blog

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 27th btw Broadway and 6th. A stone’s throw from lots of different cuisines.

Favorite Kind of Food: Too hard to narrow down to just one, but I definitely have an affinity towards all things bad for me. I love a good cheeseburger, you know the kind, all juicy and oozing with cheese. I absolutely love wings too and will try them from almost any place that serves them – spicy, sweet, whatever – I can eat a bucket of them. Oh and I will eat practically anything with bacon involved. I could never be a vegetarian simply because I couldn’t handle the loss of bacon from my diet. I do love SOME healthy foods though and I’m big on Indian and Mediterranean flavors; chicken vindaloo makes me sweat but I love it. On the sweet end of the spectrum, chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination since Hall & Oates

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Cilantro (if that’s even considered a food?) I love Mexican food, so I have come to tolerate it but I seriously think it tastes like soap. Or cigarettes. Eating cigarettes and soap doesn’t appeal to me. I also hate raw celery. When it’s cooked I like the flavor, but when it’s raw, it tastes like nothing and gives off an awful stench. Stay away from my wings!

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: No. 7 Sub (on B’way btw. 27+28th): Zucchini Parm sub with jalapenos and bbq potato chips – sounds weird but it’s so delicious. The Broccoli sub with ricotta salata and pine nuts – trust me, if you’re a salt-lover and like broccoli you will love this. Curry Chicken Salad sub with raisins, ramps and basil – potent but so flavorful. Shake Shack: Shack Stack or single Shackburger with fries (what is ON those fries?!) and a black and white shake with peanut butter sauce. Foodparc (on 30th btw. 6+7th): Pork chop ramen noodles from Redfarm Stand, the 3b’s Special Burger and fries from 3B’s, McClure’s spicy pickles. Bon Chon Chicken (on 5th btw. 32+33rd): All of the chicken is crispy and mouthwatering, but the spicy chicken wings and drums are my favorite. When I’m trying to be healthy I go to Sunac Natural Foods (on 18th btw. 5+6th), it’s nothing special but it gets the job done. Salads, paninis, etc.

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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 Laura, a music marketer who would be way fatter if she lived in the south.

Name: Laura

Age: 25

Occupation: Project Management Associate at an independent public relations, marketing, and consulting firm specializing in classical music and the performing arts.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: West 56th and 7th avenue. We are surrounded by deliciousness!

Favorite Kind of Food: I pretty much love all food, with just a few exceptions. I am a huge fan of spicy food, so szechuan is a passion of mine. I also thoroughly enjoy any type of burger (beef, turkey, veggie) and appreciate a really hot and crispy well-done french fry. A good slice of pizza and Indian, Mexican, and Korean foods are pretty terrific as well! Lastly, there is nothing better than a banana with a side of crunchy peanut butter (preferably Jif).

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Any type of protein salad (egg, chicken, tuna, turkey, ham). Everything about the salads: the look, smell, concept, and texture just freak me out.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Where do I start?!

Szechuan Gourmet 56 (between 8th and Broadway): Besides being super fast, the cooks at Szechuan Gourmet really know how to deliver the heat! Sauteed prawns with chili minced pork and asparagus and the Chef’s Ma pao tofu with chili minced pork are my two favorite lunch options! One dish that does not make it onto the lunch specials list is the wok-tossed crispy lamb fillets with roasted chili cumin. It is beyond amazing and sometimes me and my colleague and partner in lunch, Max, splurge and order it.

D&S Marketplace aka The Man Deli (56th between 5th and 6th): We call this place The Man Deli, as it is always filled with men and the man to woman ratio is probably 9 to 1. The guys at the counter are very nice and there is a lot of thought that goes into their sandwiches. They have sandwich specials, but I tend to make my own.

Carnegie John’s (on 56th & 7th): Located right outside Carnegie Hall, John does not disappoint. When I am trying to be healthy, I get the grilled chicken platter. Instead of rice, I ask for extra salad and sauteed onions and peppers. So delish and super cheap – $5.00 for a feast!

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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 Nithya, a lawyer who hates bananas and wishes Midtown had a tiffin system.

Name: Nithya

Age: 30

Occupation: I’m a lawyer and work with start-up technology companies. I also love to cook and share stories about cooking Indian food in my Brooklyn kitchen at Hungry Desi.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: I work in the New York Times Building at 41st/8th Ave

Favorite Kind of Food: Mattar Paneer and almost anything Indian, Thai red curry, falafel and fresh pasta.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Everything about bananas grosses me out. But my 17 month old loves them, so now I can bring myself to be in a 2 foot vicinity of a peeled banana.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Minar lunch box (on 46th btw. 6+7th), Kati Roll (on 39th btw. 5+6th), a falafel bowl from Crisp and a slice from Siena Pizza on 40th btw. 7+8th (best “undiscovered” slice in midtown) and the Salted Caramel milkshake from Schnippers (on 41st 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. This week it’s Jess, a student for 4 more days who hates bananas but loves pie.

Name: Jess

Age: 22

Occupation: I’m technically a full-time student until I graduate on Saturday. After then, I’ll be a part-time foreign claims examiner, part-time freelance writer and full-time destroying my kitchen with my own cooking.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 6th btw. 47+48th

Favorite Kind of Food: I’m an adventurous eater, so it’s hard to really pinpoint my all-time fave. Lately, though, I’ve been craving some good Middle Eastern cuisine (can’t get enough of falafel and babaganoush) and vegan dishes. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good plate of meat. But it’s intriguing to discover all the different things you can do with tofu and seitan.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I have a HUGE disdain for bananas. Blame it on the Mama Bear force-feeding me too many when I was a toddler, but I can’t be anywhere near ‘em.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Café Zaiya (on 43rd btw. Mad+5th) holds a special place in my heart for their epic bento boxes and egg salad sandwich (random, I know). Burger Joint (on 56th btw. 6+7th) makes my tummy feel immensely satisfied. The Halal Guys cart (the one on the southeast corner) is also good for my chicken and rice cravings at 12:46 PM or 2:19 AM.

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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 Jeremy, the CEO of Dinevore- a website that lets you recommend restaurants (and keep lists of places you want to try.)

Name: Jeremy

Age: 27

Occupation: I’m the Founder & CEO of Dinevore. We’re a platform for making and sharing restaurant recommendations.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Most days I work out of General Assembly, an awesome coworking space in Flatiron. I used to work in Times Square.

Favorite Kind of Food: If it’s been cooked with love, I’ll probably like it.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m really not a fan of cottage cheese.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Pernil, octopus salad or a Cuban sandwich with moros and maduros at Margon (on 46th btw. 6+7th), Shack Burger at Shake Shack (on 44th & 8th), soup and sandwich lunch deal at Gramercy Tavern, pad kee mao at Rhong Tiam Express (on 21st btw. Park+B’way).

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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 Denise, a publicist who would appreciate it if you didn’t tell anybody about Gourmet 53.

Name: Denise

Age: 33

Occupation: Beauty & Lifestyle Publicist

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 54th & 3rd

Favorite Kind of Food: No discrimination here. I will eat basically any kind of food, but have a predisposition for Mexican. I probably eat street meat much more frequently than I should.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: My family is Spanish and they are really into morcilla and tripe dishes, which I just can’t do. With the tripe it’s more about the spongy texture that turns me off.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I’ll walk over to Mexicue when they are in the area and I’m also really into the Merguez sausage & couscous dishes that Comme Ci Comme Ca does and the guys there are really friendly. If it’s a business lunch, BLT Steak is close by and their giant tower of salty onion rings always seems to call my name from afar. I also can’t turn down a classic veal Milanese, which Casa Lever does nicely.

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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 a Stephanie, an IT recruiter who wishes she was Anthony Bourdain’s assistant.

Name: Stephanie

Age: 27

Occupation: Coolest IT Recruiter you’ll ever meet, freelance photographer, music/food blogger & ninja.

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 40th Street btw. 5th and Madison

Favorite Kind of Food: Latin food (rice & beans/pernil/authentic empanadas), Asian cuisine (Dim Sum/sushi/Chinese Takeout), Seafood, Pasta and anything that cheese tastes good on. Oh and condiments & dipping sauces….yummmmm.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Indian food will never get me or anything spicy for that matter. I’m also not the healthiest eater around and I hate brussel sprouts & don’t do most vegetables. Also my general rule of thumb is if it doesn’t smell good – I’m not eating it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I could eat steamed pork dumplings and sushi forever and ever…however the dumpling scene in midtown is severely lacking. Severely. The make your own pasta at Nooi Pasta on 41st and Lexington is surprisingly good and for a splurge my coworker often goes to Salute on 38th street and his takeout things always look sooooo delicious!!

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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 Richard, a food truck loving retirement planner who loves spicy sandwiches.

Name: Richard

Occupation: Retirement Actuary

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Madison in the 40s

Favorite Kind of Food: I could never narrow it down to one specific kind, so here is the smorgasbord of my faves: sushi, spicy thai, burgers of all varieties, BBQ , smoked salmon, anything from a Midtown food truck, all things breakfast (can you say loaded omelettes along with some bacon and toast?), and simply trying a new cuisine or dish to see what else this city has to offer! Oh, and anything that I put Sriracha on…which is just about everything.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Coconuts. They are hard to open for a reason – take the hint people.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I love the food trucks around Midtown; top honors has to go to Taim Mobile. I didn’t even know that I liked falafel before having this truck and now I can’t get enough of their falafel sandwiches! Also Uncle Gussy’s has the best chicken/lamb over rice – even over the 53rd & 6th Halal guys. Some other places I love for lunch include Mexicue, Schnitzel & Things (chicken schnitz sandwich or cod schnitz platter), Eddie’s Pizza Truck (best bar pie), Jiannetto’s Pizza truck (best chicken parm sandwich), the Steak Truck (habanero steak sandwich ftw), and Frites N’ Meats for their burgers.

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