Midtown Lunch

It’s time for the 3rd Annual Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year I’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

We’ve already voted on Japanese soups… but what about Japanese fast food? Will one of the 41st Street trinity take it down? Or will Cafe Zaiya be dethroned by one of the two newcomers (Dainobu & Washoku Cafe)? And then there is Go Go Curry, who will most certainly look to follow in the Yankees footsteps. Is this their “World Series” year? You decide. Here are the nominees…

• Cafe Zaiya (41st btw. Mad+5th)
• Chiyoda Sushi (41st btw. Mad+5th)
• Dainobu (47th btw. Lex+3rd)
• Go Go Curry (38th btw. 7+8th)
• Washoku Cafe (37th btw. Mad+5th)
• Yagura (41st btw. Mad+5th)

Vote for your favorite after the jump…

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It’s time for the 3rd Annual Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year I’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

Who says New York City has terrible Mexican food? Well… actually… I do. But there are a few gems to be found in Midtown… like the El Rey del Sabor cart (which went from one cart to three this year), and Las Poblanitas. But are they strong enough to take down the big three chains (Chipotle/Baja Fresh/Qdoba). And of course there is the Sombrero Cart, which is arguably the least Mexican of them all… but the people have spoken! (Sadly the best places are over on 10th Ave. which is way out of bounds.) Here are the nominees for Best Mexican Food in Midtown.

• Baja Fresh (Multiple Locations)
• Chipotle (Multiple Locations)
• El Rey del Sabor (Multiple Locations)
• Las Poblanitas (38th btw. 8+9th)
• Qdoba (Multiple Locations)
• Sombrero Cart (50th btw. 6+7th)

Vote for your favorite, after the jump…

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• Schnipper’s makes really good chocolate chip cookies [Midtown Eating]
• Zheng’s Lucky Sunday Garden makes an ok (albeit Chinese) pho [Midtown Eating]
• Are La Bellezza and Labeleca dirty? [Midtown Eating]
• Anybody know what happened to the cart on 47th & 3rd? [Midtown Eating]
• “Help me! I’m addicted to buying discounted gift certificates!” [Miscellaneous]

It’s time for the 3rd Annual Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year I’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

This was kind of a crazy year for Midtown Lunchers with a sweet tooth. We lost the Dessert Truck, but Crumbs exploded into every corner of Midtown, Magnolia Bakery opened in Rock Center, Le Pain Quotidien and Financier Patisserie both expanded, and the Cupcake Stop Truck joined Midtown standbys the Treats Truck and Wafels & Dinges. But only one can be the champ. Here are the nominees for best sweets…

• Cafe Zaiya (41st btw. Mad+5th)
• Crumbs (Multiple Locations)
• Cupcake Stop Truck (Multiple Locations)
• Financier Patisserie (Multiple Locations)
• Le Pain Quotidien (Multiple Locations)
• Magnolia Bakery (6th Ave. & 49th)
• Street Sweets (Multiple Locations)
• Treats Truck (Multiple Locations)
• Wafels & Dinges (Multiple Locations)

Vote for your favorite spot, after the jump…

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It’s time for the 3rd Annual Midtown Lunch Readers’ Poll. Your nominations are in, and between now and the end of the year I’ll be asking all of you to vote for the best Midtown Lunches in a whole range of categories. You can only vote once per category (so choose wisely), and official results will be posted after the new year.

Just because 8th Ave. is the fried chicken corridor of Midtown, doesn’t mean that’s where the *best* fried chicken is. Or is it? Popeye’s makes some damn fine chicken… but it’s a National chain, which goes against what Midtown Lunch is all about. But damn it’s some good chicken. Could they take it? Or will Korean fried chicken rule the day? We also had two new street food versions of fried chicken join the fray this year. Ignore them at your own peril. The nominees are…

• Cafe Cello (46th btw. 5+6th)
• Chicken House (36th btw. 7+8th)
• Fried Chicken Cart (55th & Madison)
• Jerk Pan Cart (Park & 48th)
• Mad For Chicken (5th btw. 31+32nd)
• NYC Cravings (Multiple Locations)
• Piece of Chicken (45th btw. 8+9th)
• Popeye’s (40th btw. 7+8th)

Vote for your favorite, after the jump…

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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 Edward a (possibly) Kosher software architect who is obsessed with Asian Station.

Name: Edward

Age: 34

Occupation: Software Architect

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 3rd Ave and 54th Street, across the street from the Lipstick building (aka “Madoff” building)

Favorite Kind of Food: Kosher grilled chicken or kebab in general, and pretty much any noodle dish

Least Favorite Kind of Food: No oatmeal for me!

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Vegetable Pad Thai at Asian Station (on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd). Grilled Baby Chicken at Moshe’s cafe (down the stairs, outside the subway entrance on the NE Corner of 53rd and Lex) – a little pricey but worth it. Especially if the weather is nice and you can sit at the outdoor plaza next to it. Vegetable Udon at Azure (on 50th & 3rd). Salad + cookie + freshly baked bread + fruit cup at Gourmet 53 (3rd Ave. btw. 52+53rd). Falafel from the yellow truck on the corner of 3rd Ave and 52nd St ($5 for a very big plate + soda!) And Veggie Pizza and remarkably good Garden or Side Salad at Ray Bari Pizza on 3rd Ave & 56th.

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