Midtown Lunch

Lunch’er Joe made this pretty sweet discovery last week, and was nice enough to send along a few photos. Apparently Kanaat, the all you can eat Turkish buffet formerly known as Al Baraka on 55th btw. Lex+3rd, sells $1 samosas on the sidewalk in front of their restaurant on Fridays during lunch. I don’t know about you, but there is something about samosas being sold on the street that makes them that much more Midtown Lunch’ish, don’t you think?

In addition to the samosas, they also sell “boxed lunches”- which is not just sold in a box, but also out of a box. Check that out after the jump.

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We’re hearing that Muhammad Rahman, the owner of the Kwik Meal carts, is very distraught over some of the complaints that were posted in the comments of this site regarding the chewiness of the lamb at his new Quick Delight cart on 45th and 3rd Ave. (It also seems to be why there was some Quick Delight shilling going on last week.) Despite the fact that it was just one or two non-believers, and everybody else seems to love Kiwk Meal’s lamb (the only lamb in Midtown that is actual lamb, and not gyro meat), he seems convinced this is the reason that business at the new cart has been slow. In fact he is so distraught over it, we hear he has fired his lamb supplier for what he claims was a bad batch of lamb.

Muhammed himself actually went so far as to post this in the comments:

“I am Muhammed Rahman, I own three carts. Quick Delight on 3rd avenue 45th street Kwik Gourmet on 47 and Park avenue and Kwik meal on 6th avenue and 45th street. If anyone was not satisfied with our service, please call me at    (646) 729 8702   .”

It’s not all fun and games though. He told a customer that he may move the cart if business doesn’t pick up.

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Grub Street is reporting that Bombay Bistro, the new Indian buffet I wrote about earlier today, is in fact owned by the same people who own Jackson Diner in Queens:  “When we called Diwan’s old number we were connected to the new bistro. A rep told us that Diwan’s original owners, who also operate Jackson Diner, are behind Bombay Bistro.”

The strange thing is I had a whole conversation about this yesterday with two different people at the Bombay Bistro- without letting them know why I was asking.  Here’s how it went:

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To celebrate the new Jacques Torres location opening in Atlantic City, “Sweet Dreams” models (?!?) will be on 48th & 6th Ave. tomorrow (Friday) from 8 to 10 a.m. giving out free chocolate- plus a couple of thousand free one night stays at Harrah’s Waterfront Tower in A.C. Who knows what the fine print on those free hotel rooms will be, or how long they’ll last into the morning… but I’m down with the free chocolate. Jacques Torres is freakin’ good (who cares about Atlantic City, can’t we get one of these in Midtown!)  [Grub Street]

If there is one thing that Midtown is not lacking in, it’s the all you can eat Indian buffet- and while we don’t really have any buffets that are under $10 anymore, there are still enough $11 buffets to make the $15+ buffets not worth it (as far as I’m concerned).  So, I never paid much attention to Diwan, the upscale Indian restaurant owned by the same people who own Jackson Diner in Queens- which apparently closed last September (Diwan, not the Jackson Diner- obviously).  I am interested, however, in this bit of news:  Diwan’s manager of 15 years, has gone on to open his own Indian Restaurant on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd called Bombay Bistro… and their lunchtime buffet is $10.95.  So, with the buffet team in tow, I headed over to this newly opened buffet to take it for a test drive.

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A new day, brings another sandwich entry in the Midtown Sandwich Challenge. Actually… another *two* sandwiches. That’s right. The Jamaican Dutchy cart (on 51st & 7th) has created two sandwiches, and one of them is the first vegetarian entry in the challenge. Although the spirit of the challenge is to create something outrageous and unhealthy, that shouldn’t disqualify the sandwich from being vegetarian. And I commend the Dutchy for coming up with a sandwich that allows people who don’t eat meat to take part in our fun sandwich taste off. It also helps that the vegetarian sandwich is freakin’ good.

Check them both out after the jump… 

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Anybody who thinks you can’t navigate an all you can buffet with a two month old strapped to your chest, has never met me before.  I mean it’s either that or miss out on Bombay Bistro, a brand new Indian buffet on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd.  Clearly, not going was never going to be an option. Full report coming soon.  (Early adopters, just an FYI… the buffet is $10.95, but I think it’s been well stated on numerous occasions that I will go up to $11 for an all you can eat buffet.)

Related:
At Lunch Now: Midtown Lunch’s Buffet Team Has Doubled

What would we do without the precious Blondie and Brownie, who today have unearthed the cutesy side of Midtown Lunch’ing that few of us would dare trek into. I suppose I could see myself buying some of these Treats Truck valentine’s day cookies for my wife, but eating at McDonald’s for a Hello Kitty Watch? I don’t think so. (Spongebob watches… that’s a different story.) For those who are interested, the McDonalds on 42nd & Madison doesn’t have them, but the one on 47th btw. Mad+5th does. [Blondie and Brownie]