Midtown Lunch

It looks like Wednesday afternoons are going to be a wild-card for the Treats Truck.  From their weekly newsletter: “Starting this week, each late Wednesday afternoon, we will pop up in new spots people have requested! This week, the UES. Next week, somewhere near 26th St and 11th Avenue. After that, hmmm….any suggestions?” Don’t worry though, this new afternoon thing won’t effect their lunch schedule. The Treats Truck will still be parked on 45th and 6th every Wednesday from Noon to 3pm.

I was beyond excited when Chicken House (the dirty fried chicken joint on 36th btw. 7+8th) reopened post renovation with a whole new Vietnamese section of their menu.  The ownership, which is Vietnamese (natch), hasn’t changed… they just decided to take advantage of our complete lack of decent Vietnamese options in Midtown by adding pho, bun, and banh mi to their menu of fried everything.  I finally made it over there a few days ago to sample the menu… and while I wish I could say everything was amazing (it most certainly wasn’t) there was some worthwhile goodness.

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The pop up version of Ma Peche in the Chambers Hotel (on 56th btw. 5+6th) has just added an online ordering system for take out. Only 3 of the $10 Midtown Lunch specials are available right now, and it’s pick up only, but for those of us who didn’t feel like eating our banh mi in a hotel lobby (or waiting for a table during peak lunch hours) this is great news. UPDATE IN THE COMMENTS: “You need to order by 11am for same day lunch pick-up”  [via Eater]

Remember that new Union Square California style burrito spot you guys went crazy for in the forums a few months ago?  Well, I was treated to a fine lunch there by Ed Levine last week and today he reviewed the place over on Serious Eats: New York. He was a big fan of the quesadillas, and preferred the chicken and steak over the carnitas (which he thought was dry.)  I can’t speak for anything else on the menu, but I actually enjoyed my carnitas burrito more than any other carnitas burrito I’ve ever had in NYC (although I admit that is not saying much.)  They don’t off all the different ingredients properly (beans, meat, pico de gallo) so the integrity of the burrito was severely compromised after a few bites (very disappointing), but I thought the taste was there.  Regardless of its faults, the choice between hopping on the Q train or going to Chipotle is no choice at all.  (And Serious Eats agrees… they did a side by side Chipotle taste test and Dos Toros easily won.)

I haven’t had a chance to check out either of the two new Financier Patisserie locations (there is now one in Grand Central, and another in the walkway beneath the Fox News Building) but this might speed things up… a pistachio eclair, filled with pistachio cream. Oh my.

Got this email from Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Jenn today, and it started me thinking what other weird lunchtime treats are people hiding in their desk drawers.

Since the word is out on your LA departure, I thought I’d take this opportunity to impart to you my Midtown Lunch Secret of Shame. A few things you should know first:

1. My midtown office only has 3 people (including myself) in it.
2. My desk is partially blocked from view by a semi-wall.
3. I really really love sardines and other varieties of stinky canned fish.

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I fully admit how wrong it is that I’ve never given Bella Napoli (on 49th btw. 6+7th) a proper Midtown Lunch +/-. I think I’m unfairly prejudiced against it because I used to work in the McGraw Hill Building, and it was a go-to spot for so many of my lazy co-workers. But truthfully, if it was anywhere else I would have entered it into the ML canon long ago. I’ve always liked their cheese pizza, and the one meatball parm hero I had there (almost 4 years ago) put me out of commission for the rest of the work day (always a good thing right?) And when I walked by today I noticed a new sandwich board with “specials”. Not sure if these are actually “new” but $6 for any pasta dish!? Looks like I might have to hit this place up again. Has anybody tried any of their specials?

Bella Napoli, 150 W. 49th St. (btw. 6+7th) 212-719-2819

Every Tuesday I 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 Anthony, an IT man who wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.

Name: Anthony

Age: 23

Occupation: IT Manager

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 40th between 5th and 6th

Favorite Kind of Food: Indian / Spanish. Anything spicy.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Chipotle

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Chicken and lamb over basmati rice with extra white and hot from Adham’s (on 40th & 7th), Margon on 46th btw. 5+6th (Cubans are amazing) also all of their daily hot dishes are great, and Abitino’s (on 40th and 7th) has a good spinach slice

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