Midtown Lunch

“Pro Bagel”? What is this 2007!?

Lunch’er Wellerfan checks in to let us know that Pro Hot Korean (on 56th btw. 5+6th) will be closed until April 19th for “emergency repairs to the building”. (Apparently the dry cleaners next door is effected as well.) This is sad news for cheap Korean food lovers on the northern borders of Midtown, although good news for the new “modern” Korean spot on the same block.

Related:
Pro “Deli” Loses the Bagel, Goes 100% Korean w/ Best New Bi Bim Bap
Korean Food @ Pro Hot Bagel (?!?!)

Hard to believe, but Two Boots’ outpost in Grand Central has been around for 10 years-far outlasting the one in Rock Center. For their anniversary celebration they debuted the No. 6 last week, which includes pecorino, provolone, capicola, sopressata, peperoncini and roasted peppers, and I can vouch that it’s got a spicy kick to it. But that’s not all! They also launched some ‘Fat Tuesday’ specials last week: the Swampwich pizza (yes, alligator sausage is involved), the Stromolaya (or a jambalaya stuffed stromboli), 2-for-1 Hurricanes (how Mamacita and I will pre-game before tomorrow’s happy hour), and copious amounts of no flashing required Mardi Gras beads. Maybe all this will make up for how bad their muffuletta is.

Related:
Two Boots (stands for what???)

Grub Street reported last week that the C’est Bon Cafe (on 57th btw. Park+Lex) has opened 57 Napoli Pizza e Vino a new “pizza speakeasy” in the 2nd floor space above their cafe. Sadly the menu is mostly out of the Midtown Lunch price range, and it looks strikingly similar to the pizza offerings that have always been on the menu at C’est Bon.  But I have to say we are still kind of curious. Has anybody tried the pizza at this place?  (The new place on the 2nd floor or the original.) Let us know what you think in the comments…

Photo courtesy of Ramen & Friends

• The warm chocolate chip loaf from Street Sweets is addictive [Ramen and Friends]
• Menchanko Tei is the perfect post happy hour spot [Feisty Foodie]
• The chicken sandwich at Black Shack is poached!? [Miss Menu]
• One of the Starbucks beneath Rock Center has closed [Eater]
• Sietsema says the just out bounds Pam Real Thai is still great [Fork in the Road]

Nothing about Beacon (on 55th btw. 5+6th) says Midtown Lunch, but we do like their burger… and their latest deal is kind of too great to pass up. All day long at the bar (the regular bar, not the burger bar) $19.95 will get you 2 drinks (house cocktail, wine or beer) and a burger or wood oven pizza.  Out of the Midtown Lunch price range?  Sure… but if you’re looking for a liquid lunch, or a kick ass happy hour/dinner deal, you’re not going to do better than that in Midtown. [via Wined and Dined]

Related:
Beacon’s Burger Bar Attempts to Gain Coveted Midtown Lunch Status
NYMag: Beacon Has One of the Best Burgers in NYC

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so I thought maybe it was time to introduce a happy hour column to the site. Every week, our Happy Hour Correspondent “Mamacita” will post about a different bar in Midtown that fits the Midtown Lunch mentality: unhealthy food, not lame (unless it’s lame in a cool way), and most importantly… cheap.

After a recent trip to the Famous Halal Guys (formerly Shendy’s) on 52nd btw. 6+7th I ended up doing a little walking around and noticed Whiskey Trader on 55th Street. I peaked in and saw a dimly lit bar sunken a good five or more steps down into the bottom floor of the tall building. Similarly, the guys crowded at the bar were deeply down into their 5th drink. I hesitated, but went with my first instinct and shyly took a seat and feigned interest in the soccer game being shown on many flat screens. Then unexpectedly, the Sex Pistols blasted out the speakers, the conversations grew louder and things got way more interesting.

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Ouch.  Nothing like ending your biggest PR week of all time with a little Department of Health action.  Lunch’er Alvin spotted this in the window of the new 2 Bros Pizza location on 38th and 8th.  It’s too soon for the inspection to be posted on the DOH website, so we have no idea why they were closed- but with a new place like this it’s probably something stupid, like not having the proper sink installed.  No word on when they will reopen…

UPDATE: The owner just checked in with an explanation… and surprise! It is something stupid.

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