Midtown Lunch

Do you wonder what the ML contributors do when they’re not eating lunch in Midtown? (We’re actually pretty easy to stalk!)

The Snoop Dogg Cristo: Fried Chicken Breast with Mac n Cheese stuffed between two waffles, deep fried… and topped with powdered sugar and syrup. Seriously. Photo by Zach.

Brian got tongue tacos at Empellon Taqueria, Blondie hit the road to DC and Baltimore, Brownie checked out Monsieur Singh’s Lassi Pops, a new cart in Union Square, Donny photographed Celebrate Flatiron Chefs for Serious Eats, Rachel made Sunday brunch at home and I co-hosted the fourth Bed-Stuy Crawl.

Elsewhere in the ML universe… In Los Angeles, Zach took his life into his hands by eating the monstrosity above, Jamie gorged on cheese covered chorizo, bacon and mushrooms at Plaza Garibaldi in Philly and Andrea hit the fro-yo bar at Duane Reade downtown.

Since I started working in Midtown a few months ago, I’ve steered clear of Middle Eastern food for the most part because I’ve got some great places around my Queens neighborhood, and because there seems to be SO MUCH OF IT that the scene is just too daunting to navigate. But recently, one of my coworkers shared that she was “soooooo excited” when she found out the Middle Eastern restaurant Karam (45th btw. 5th and 6th), a favorite from her former digs in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, had a sister restaurant just around the corner. The chicken shawarma is the bomb, she said, and it made the top 101 sandwiches of 2010 by New York Magazine. After this recommendation, I had to give it a shot.

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‘wichcraft. BLT. Yesterday marked the heralded return of this perennial Midtown Lunch favorite, ($9.87 according to leaked ‘wichcraft internal memos) and I believe it may warrant a visit to one of their locations to see if it has held its pedigree. With droughtlike conditions covering prime tomato-growing areas and the tomato season barely having begun (at least as far as the big beautiful ones you can get in Jersey and greenmarkets) it remains to be seen if the quality can stand up to their long-standing record of thick cut heritage bacon, heirloom tomatoes, homemade aioli, and non-iceberg lettuce.

Does this simple American classic merit the top-of-the-ML-range pricing for the sandwich alone, or does it scrape nostalgia from our wallets like so many veins of silver? Only way to find out is to dodge the swarms of tourists around your friendly local ‘wichcraft and avoid the bacon hipsters as they descend upon the limited-time offering.

• Despite their SMP performance, Mr. Khan’s is good! [Midtown Eating]
• Planning for the next ML Happy Hour meetup has begun [Midtown Eating]
• The Falafel King is still on 53rd & Park, right? [Midtown Eating]
• Tuscany Catering now has a Facebook page [Midtown Eating]

To street vendors it’s the most important honor one can receive. To the media, it’s the “Oscars of Street Food”. But to us, it’s just the best damn food event in NYC.  The 2012 Vendy Awards are happening September 15th on Governor’s Island, and tickets are now on sale! They’re $80 if you buy them now, and the price includes all you can eat and drink (beer, wine and more) from over 20 different vendors. And this year they’re adding a brand new Market Vendor category. Plus all proceeds go to benefit the Street Vendor Project, so the ticket is tax deductible. It’s the third year in a row they’ve done it on Governor’s Island, and the past two years have sold out… so you’ll probably want to go on these bad boys early or risk getting shut out. The vendors haven’t been announced yet, but if you want to have a say in who gets to compete nominate your favorite vendor now. Nominations close on July 25th.  And we’ll see you September 15th on Governor’s Island!  UPDATE: The $80 early bird tickets are all sold out!  But there are still general admission tickets for $95.

Related:
Pupusas, Tacos, Souvlaki & Shaved Ice Shine at the 2011 Vendy Awards
Freddie The Falafel King of Astoria Sweeps the 2010 Vendy Awards
Diary of a 2009 Vendy Awards Judge
Biryani Cart & Treats Truck Are People’s Choice at The 2008 Vendy Awards!

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 Cherice, a BBQ loving admin who wishes she lived in Raleigh.

Name:Cherice

Age: A lady never tells :)

Occupation: Assistant at a non-profit education organization

Where in Midtown do you work? West 30s/Herald Square

Favorite Kind of Food: Vietnamese, BBQ and Mexican

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Haven’t met any foods I’ve outright disliked

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The brisket pho at Pho32 (on 32nd btw. B’way+5th), Prosciutto pizza from Waldy’s, brown butter and candied bacon ice cream from Coolhaus

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We here at Midtown Lunch are huge fans of Uncle Gussy’s (51st and Park Ave), so I’m a little ashamed to admit that I may just be the last Midtown Luncher to try their truck. My first experience of their food and their great attitude towards their food and customers was when I shot Brian’s Mother’s Day video. We were lucky enough to try their meatball special and after that I was hooked. Ever since then I’ve been stalking their Twitter to find out what specials they have (they usually have specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays). A while back it was their famous pork chop with oven roasted lemon potatoes. I had drooled over Brownie’s post about and I finally got the chance to try it. It was quite delicious and a lot of food while still keeping it within the ML price limit.

But the next week when I saw on ML Twitter Tracker that Uncle Gussy had Greek sausage (aka loukaniko), I knew exactly what was for lunch.

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Good news, everyone! There’s one less generic breakfast and sandwich chain place on the tourist-soaked hell that is 7th Ave! Pie Face, who previously dropped in out of the land of Steve Irwin, kookaburras, and flat white coffees, has taken over the space of a former Guy and Gallard on 7th just short of 36th. Has the tourist trade convinced the Pie Face chain to bring forth Australian goodness to the point that we can now find Vegemite sandwiches (begging the question of why the hell you’d ever want to eat one)?

Having spent a semester in Australia, I’m actually excited that we can now get the guilty pleasure of Australian street food in the form of a Thai chicken meat pie.  No details as to opening date yet, and the company’s website (warning: turn down your speakers unless you really like stupid comical chewing sounds – no, really) only lists the one store on 53rd and Broadway for now. I’m willing to give them time and a shot at some fair dinkum meat pies so long as the sausage rolls become available here, too.

Unfortunately, @Schmackarys is closed for the day. There was a fire in the wall btwn us and 5Napkin Burger. We should be back up tomorrow.

— Schmackary’s Cookies (@Schmackarys) July 15, 2012

Yikes. Schmackary’s tweeted yesterday (although, oddly, the tweet seems to have been deleted) that they were closed after a fire broke out in the wall between their storefront and 5 Napkin burger. Cookie lovers, don’t worry — they’re back in business now (on what happens to be their two month anniversary!)