Midtown Lunch

You would think keeping kosher would eliminate the desire for pepperoni pizza (it’s pork, plus you’ve got the whole milk and meat thing), but apparently those who follow the kosher laws still want to feel like they’re breaking the rules without actually doing it.  Solution?  Draw rings of “pepperoni” using red sauce.  Genius!  Does anybody know if this is a widespread phenomenon, or just a single inspired act of brilliant subterfuge?  Who cares that it will taste like a regular cheese slice with extra sauce.  It’s still amazing! Want to try this faux pepperoni pizza?  It’s at Aroma, a new generic Kosher deli on 36th btw. 5+6th.

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 Keith, an actuary (?) who loves Japanese food and hates Chipotle.

Name: Keith

Age: 29

Occupation: Actuary

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Right next to Bryant Park

Favorite Kind of Food: Japanese (really into good sushi, izakaya style, ramen…), good burgers under $10.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Big chain wannabe Mexican fast food like Chipotle and Qdoba. I grew up in SoCal and the burrito/taco places that end in “-erto’s” serve tastier Mexican fare.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Burger Joint (on 56th btw. 6+7th)  if I can beat the lunch rush. Love the Katsu Curry single at Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th). Yum Yum Bangkok I on 9th btw. 45+46th has a great lunch special if you are into Thai. Lastly, I’ve been to Ma Peche (on 56th btw. 5+6th) 3x since it opened. I like the Banh Mi (really good terrine) but it’s a bit on the small size.

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Since last week was Thanksgiving, you’re forgiven if you missed this one. Anthos chef Michael Psilakis was our Profiled Midtown Lunch’er last Tuesday, and we’re giving away a copy of his amazing new cookbook “How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking”.  You have until Noon today to register to win…

Lunch’er Sean sends in this (not surprising) news about Danku, the Dutch/Indonesian fast food chain on 57th and 5+6th: “I walked past Danku over the weekend and noticed that they were papered up and had a sign saying that they were renovating and revamping their menu for a Feb. 2010 reopening. I know everyone (including myself) found their food to be somewhat underwhelming, but it’s still nice to have a range of options in the area. Here’s hoping that the improvements are for the best!” Indeed. I’m a huge fan of Indonesian food, and was always hoping that Danku would find a way to make it work. I guess we’ll see what kind of changes they make…

Related:
Everything You Wanted To Know About Danku (But Were Afraid To Try)
Queen’s Day Miracle: Can Fresh Stroopwafels Save Danku?

FloFab has more about the “Food Court” coming to the Plaza Hotel (on 58th & 5th): Chef Todd English is creating the “European Style Food Hall” which will include “stations for wood-grilled pizzas and flatbreads, burgers and rotisserie foods, seafood and sushi, Asian-style noodles and soups, a wine bar with cheeses and charcuterie, and a coffee and espresso bar with pastry.” Odds that anything will be under $10? I’m still going with zero.

I love it when Anthony Bourdain gets all vitriolic on the things that bother him (I find myself agreeing with him pretty much every single time) but I can’t stand by his (totally surprising) opinion about New York City street food.  A few weeks ago, after heaping praise on a hot dog cart in Denver for an upcoming episode of No Reservations, Bourdain was quoted saying some not so nice things about his hometown street meat options:

[“Really awesome”] is not how he’d describe the frankfurters in New York, which are “standard dirty water dogs” and “completely forgettable,” Bourdain said, a snub that he extended to New York street food in general. “The street food in New York is shameful, terrible and indefensible,” he complained. “It’s absolutely appalling.”

He does clarify the statement a bit to exclude the street food of the outer boroughs.

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Not sure how new this is, but it’s the first time I’ve noticed it… calorie counts posted in the Church’s Fried Chicken/Subway/Nathan’s food court on 8th Ave. btw. 44+45th St. They’ve been shut down a number of times by the DOH in the past year or two, and I can’t help but wonder if it was for not complying with the city’s calorie count laws.  In a related story, the New York Daily News gets a bunch of tourists on the record talking about how much they hate seeing the calories on the menus of their favorite upscale chains in Midtown, like The Palm and McCormick & Schmick’s.

Personally I’d rather not know how many calories are in that Church’s fried chicken meal I’m eating, but I also take a bit of joy in knowing how much pain the calorie counts inflict upon those who think that eating a cobb Salad is healthy.

Related:
Basic Math Blows Holes in Chipotle’s Absurd “Calorie Range”
There is a Downside to Massive Cupcake Expansion

This Thursday night, Circle of Taste (the new Time Warner Center culinary club) will be having another of their members only, exclusive free food events at Landmarc in Columbus Circle- and they’ve been nice enough to set aside a pair of passes for one lucky Midtown Lunch’er.  The winner and their guest will be treated to five different mussel preparations, plus a Belgian beer.  To enter, just comment below why you think you deserve it.  A winner will be drawn at random on Wednesday morning, at 10am (and in order to attend you have to be signed up for the Circle of Taste exclusive events and tastings email, so if you haven’t signed up yet be sure to go do that now.) Freeloaders… engage.

Related:
Time Warner Center Wants to Give You Free Food