Midtown Lunch

The plywood has been up on the old Red Mango space in K-town for months now, and it seems like renovations are now nearing completion. The new restaurant is called Korea Spoon, and based on a reliable source, the menu will focus on seolleongtang, which puts it in direct competition with its next door neighbor, Gahm Mi Oak. According to my sources (although not confirmed), Korea Spoon’s owner is also the same individual who owns slick looking newcomers, Food Gallery 32, Izakaya Moku, and Miss Korea.

I’ve noticed that Gahm Mi Oak’s quality has been slipping lately, so this isn’t an unwelcome change, but I’m a little sad to see K-town undergoing such gentrification. However, only time will tell who’s seolleongtang reigns supreme.

Chef Samir is mixing things up at the Comme Ci, Comme Ça Truck this past week, adding some specials. The truck’s sandwiches have been getting a lot of love in the forums and for vegetarians or folks looking for something on the lighter side on this brutally hot day, the salads and the Bademjan wrap should fit the bill. Read more »

Last week, Glaze Teriyaki owner, Paul Krug, wrote in lamenting that ML newcomer, Sensebowl, has been closed the past 3 out of 4 weeks that he’s tried to lunch there. I stopped by on Friday during lunch time to find out what the deal is, and found that Sensebowl was indeed closed. There was a sign on the front door that simply stated, “Closed for the week”, and there didn’t appear to be any renovation going on when I peeked inside.

To make things more spicy, there seems to be a disgruntled ex-worker who’s taken to Yelp, accusing the owner of withholding wages. It certainly seems like stormy waters for Sensebowl, and for the time being, it looks like everyone will have to get their “Momofuku meets Chipotle” fix somewhere else.

Yesterday Lunch’er Mala tipped us off about a new taco truck just outside the Mexican embassy consulate, Tacos Mexicana Juquilita on 39th and Madison- which if you remember is the same spot where the tamale lady hangs out. So will there be a battle of Mexican street food outside the Mexican embassy or like Lunch’er Ike suggested, could they possibly be the same people.

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We’re coming down the home stretch!  Only 4 more days until the Midtown Lunch 5th Birthday Party to benefit the Street Vendor Project.   If you haven’t bought your ticket yet, please make today the day.  Not only are you supporting a great cause, but you’re also going to get to hang out with the entire Midtown Lunch crew, enjoying great food from 4 Vendy Award winners, NYC’s very first pizza cart, Cer Te, Tri Tip Grill, Food Gallery 32, Momofuku Milk Bar, the Rolling Cones and more.  (Did we mention Momofuku’s Ma Peche is making a special banh mi just for the party?!) Plus all you can drink from Brooklyn Brewery and GuS’s.  And prizes!  Did we mention the prizes?  Everybody who buys a ticket to the party is automatically entered to win a ton of prizes- including gift certificates to all sorts of amazing Midtown restaurants.  Just today we gave away a $100 gift certificate to Bon Chon to Allison R. just for buying her ticket early.  And we’re not done…

Everybody who has bought their ticket to the party before Friday at 6pm EST will be entered to win a Sweetery NYC “Sweet Stop” for you and up to 100 of your co-workers!  Be the hero of your office when the truck pulls up with free sweets for everybody.  (Some restrictions apply.)   And all you have to do to be eligible is buy a ticket to our party.  Seriously, what are you waiting for?  You don’t even have to come if you don’t want.  Buy a ticket, support the cause, and win prizes.  Do it.  Do it.

Don’t know how we forgot to mention this… but the Rickshaw Dumpling storefront on Lex and 45th opened a few weeks ago. The first day I passed by, I noticed a line out the door and wanted no part of the commotion.  The second time, I was able to snag a shot and a menu…

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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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