Midtown Lunch

Fresh on the heels of our cold noodles post yesterday, the website 89th and Broke sends word of this supposed free deal: “To celebrate its 20th year anniversary, Menchanko-Tei, a Japanese ramen/noodle house in midtown west is offering to pick up the tab… if you win a one-shot game of Jan-Ken-Pon (Rock-Paper-Scissors) with the restaurant’s manager.” A call to the restaurant confirms that the promotion is being held at both locations, but there’s one downside… they’re not doing it at lunchtime!  It’s only for dinner, and it’s not every table.  They choose 5 tables randomly throughout the night (starting at 5pm.) According to 89th and Broke, it’s just until Friday.  Good luck!

Related:
Original Menchako-Tei Post (10/23/06)

I know Xie Xie, the newest Asian sandwich place from Angelo Sosa, is technically outside the Midtown Lunch boundaries- but the menu that Grub Street posted this week looks pretty amazing. And if it’s as good as Baoguette (on Lex btw. 25+26th) or Num Pang (in Union Square), it will be well worth walking the extra one avenue (to 9th and 45th Street).  According to Eater they plan on being open by the end of the week, but from the looks of things today I can’t see how that’s possible (unless they don’t need to wait for city approval once construction is done.)  Also mentioned in Eater’s earlier post, but something I didn’t originally pick up on, is that technically the sandwich place is part of Zanzibar (blech… not a fan.)  But all will be forgiven if the sandwiches are as amazing as they sound.

The opening of giant generic Midtown delis is not usually excited news for Midtown Lunchers, but when you work on the far outskirts of Midtown it can become an epic event.  Those who work in the wasteland of the far west 30s (I’m looking at you Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Jamie) will be excited to hear that Frame Gourmet Eatery (on 33rd btw. 9+10th) will be opening on Monday.

Various food stations include a sushi bar with udon noodles and rice bowls, sandwiches, grilled paninis and wraps, as well as a toss-your-own-salad bar plus tasty desserts. Hot meal options include meats, grilled chicken, vegetables, Italian specialties and daily soups. There will be seating for about 20 guests.

Don’t think I’ll be making the trek out for this one, but if early adopters discover something delicious when they open next week (ala Cafe Duke’s Korean food station) feel free to post it in the comments.

Frame Gourmet Eatery, 424 West 33rd Street (btw. 9+10th), 212 273 3730

It looks like the support that Midtown Lunchers have shown in the comments towards vendors like the Tripie Crepe Cart (who was kicked out of Columbus Circle by the cops a few weeks ago), and the Street Sweets Truck (who was kicked out of a spot on 55th and 6th) have not gone unnoticed. Sean Basinski, the lawyer behind the Street Vendor Project (which puts on the Vendy Awards), is in Africa on a Fulbright Scholarship researching the issues street vendors face in Nigeria, but still managed to send this email urging Midtown Lunchers to get involved:

Zach, how are things? I’m in Nigeria for another month, but I just checked out your site and read about the police harassment to some of the upscale carts.

You are right that this kind of thing happens to Street Vendor Project members all the time. We had a Tibetan art seller kicked out of what appears to be that very same place on Columbus Circle. I tried to argue to him that it was a legal spot but he was understandably too scared to go back. But now that you are giving the issue attention, people are outraged, as they should be. It strikes me that there is an opportunity here to organize all the cart-loving customers on your site, for the benefit of all vendors, upscale and downscale alike. And really show some power.

For example I would need to check the files but I think that Perez [the cop who forced the crepe cart to move] is a guy we frequently have problems with.

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As much as I love Asian food of all kinds, there is one thing I can’t stand.  The Asian Combo Restaurant.  You know what I’m talking about.  The Chinese food restaurant that serves sushi, or the Vietnamese food place that serves pad thai.  I’m not talking about fusion cuisine, which is an entity all itself.  I’m talking about the restaurant that decides they are going to serve something for everybody- and inevitably ends up doing it none of it well.

So when Asian Station opened on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd, I was naturally skeptical.  In fact, I had written the place off knowing that it was probably too expensive for Midtown Lunch purposes. But once Lunch’er Joe forwarded along the all under $10 menu, I knew I’d have to check it out.  My cheap Asian food loving stomach won out over my combo restaurant hating brain.  And boy am I glad it did.

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via Twitter this morning: “Hello, today our sweet spot is 53 b’tween 5th & 6th. next to Moma. Come by 7 say hi & pick up some great sweets. We will b sampling @ noon.”  Outside MOMA?!?  One of the most desirable tourist foot traffic blocks in Midtown?  I’m sure you won’t get trouble from any of the established vendors on *that* block. Here’s some advice for the Street Sweets Truck if they want to avoid a repeat of the 55th Street fiasco.  You use twitter.  You have the support of the food blogs.  Pick a less popular spot, and start building your customer base.  Don’t park in front of MOMA!

Bi Bim Naengmyeon from Pro Hot Korean (on 56th btw. 5+6th)

It’s starting to get gross out, which makes eating hot ramen less and less appealing.  Thankfully summertime means Hiyashi chuka at Japanese restaurants, and Naengmyeon at Korean restaurants. Luncher Mark sends word that Pro Hot Korean (on 56th btw. 5+6th) is not serving their cold noodle dish yet, but what about the Japanese spots?

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Could this year’s Vendy Awards get any better?  Not only did I sucker them into letting me be a judge, now I get to do it alongside Mario Batali!  That of course is in addition to Jaques Torres, Pichet Ong, and citizen judge (and profiled Midtown Luncher) Mina Fasolo.  And you still have time to nominate your favorite cart. PLUS as an added bonus, anybody who buys tickets to the Vendy Awards before Friday at Midnight will be entered in a raffle for an invite to Street-Meat-Palooza, happening next week. (Don’t worry if you’ve already purchased tickets, you’ll be entered as well.)  So if you haven’t bought your tickets to this year’s Vendys, here are another two reasons to get on that!  (The third reason being, it’s definitely going to sell out.) [Vendy Awards Site]

UPDATE: Mario has pulled out as a judge, due to an “unexpected conflict”

Grub Street is reporting that the La Cense Burger Truck (featuring “all-natural, grass-fed Angus steakburgers at $7 a pop”) will debut at the end of this week on 46th and Park. I’m excited to try a quality hamburger off a truck, but for $7 these things better be damn good.  There are no shortage of decent burgers in Midtown for under $7, and the truck gimmick will only take you so far in my eyes.  Also, 46th & Park is a prime location.  Prediction: Magdy’s Philly Cheesesteak Cart is going to be very unhappy.  It will be interesting to see how this thing plays out.  Can’t wait to try it…

Related:
More on the La Cense Burger Truck