Midtown Lunch

So yesterday I was walking down 48th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue and had a flash of brilliance.  I had just passed the original location of House of Pita, a little take out window that used to serve falafel sandwiches and bourekas to big crowds every day at lunch. Surprisingly it has been vacant since November of 2007, leaving a prime piece of Midtown Lunch’ing real estate completely unused.  I’ve walked by the dark window many times and thought “isn’t there anybody who would want to use this space to serve hard working Midtown’ers something delicious for lunch?”  Well, yesterday the perfect idea came to me:

Bring… back… the… Ssam!  Notoriously, Momofuku Ssam Bar in the East Village (which recently was awarded 3 stars from the New York Times) actually started off as a fast food Korean burrito place (think Momofuku meets Chipotle), which sold take out burritos, and their now famous pork buns.  I thought it was brilliant (and super delicious) but there wasn’t enough lunch business in the East Village to support the venture… so the current incarnation of Ssam Bar (which we now know and love) was born.

I think it’s time to bring the ssam back, but in a neighborhood that could totally support it! Here me out on this…

Read more »

Last week I swung by the latest addition to the Kwik Meal empire, Kwik Delight on 3rd Ave. and 45th Street.  I was interested in sampling their brand new chicken shawarma, which isn’t offered at either of the other two Kwik Meal carts (how could I not, right?)  In a Iot ways, I feel like chicken shawarma is chicken shawarma (much like gyro is gyro, if leave it on the spit long enough), but the white sauce and hot sauce are what Kwik Meal is known for, and they clearly make the difference.

As for their famous lamb, a few commenters remarked that it was chewy… but for those who are unfamiliar with the Kwik Meal carts, it kind of goes with the territory. 

Read more »

The Village Voice’s Choice Eats event is back again for a second year, featuring over 50 restaurants hand selected by Robert Sietsema and Sarah DiGregorio.  Unlike other tasting events, which often cost hundreds of dollars, and feature bits of food from expensive restaurants- Choice Eats is a very cheap $35, and features the kind of places we like to eat at: cheap, interesting, and from all 5 boroughs. Last year, Margon represented Midtown (along with honorary Midtown Lunches Tiffin Wallah & Albert’s Mofongo House) but as of now there are no Midtown restaurants on the list.  I’m guessing by the time it is finalized we’ll get a little chaat action though, since Sarah DiGregorio wrote up Taj Delhi Chat, Sukhadia and Indus Express this past year.  Even just one would be a welcomed addition!

Even if no Midtown Lunches end up getting added to the event, it’s still pretty awesome and worthwhile.  It all goes down on March 31st at The Armory on 69th & Lex. from 6:30 to 9:30pm.  Tickets are on sale now, and cost $35.

Related:
Margon Does Midtown Proud at Choice Eats

Even though they have been opened for a month now, Washoku Cafe (the new Japanese bento place on 37th btw. Mad+5th) is celebrating their official Grand Opening today.  The inside looked pretty much the same as it has looked for awhile now, but they are selling rice balls for 75 cents now through Friday.  They also coupons at the very front of the store, one for a free miso soup (which a few commenters have mentioned as being really really good) and another for a $5 lunch combo (normally priced at $8.50).  Enjoy!

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 Lou a audio guy who likes steak. But can we help him find good BBQ?  Yes we can!

Name: Lou

Age: 38

Occupation: Audio Post Production Engineer

Where in Midtown do you Work?: 45th btw. 5+6th

Favorite Kind of Food: Cowboy bone in Ribeye Steak

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Seafood

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: The katsu curry with sausages from Go Go Curry (on 38th btw. 7+8th), all the baked goods from Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th), The bacon/pepperoni slice from Little Italy Pizza (on 4rd btw. Mad+5th), the kati rolls from the Biryani Cart (on 46th & 6th), the butterscotch pecan blondie from the Treats Truck.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Park Italian on 45th and 6th. We go there mainly when we’re in a rush or are feeling lazy since it is right downstairs. That said, the food is low priced, heros are good sized, and they have good assortment of hot Italian food everyday, like chicken parm, sausage and peppers, stuffed shells and so on.

Read more »

Photo by calculat0r

Lunch’er Danny, author of the blog Food in Mouth and frequent Midtown Lunch contributor, hit up Kebab Grill the other day- a Latin/Indian/Pakistani combo deli on 36 btw. B’way+7th. According to him, the naan is a little crispy, the kebabs have a “nice spicy kick”, and the goat stew (at the Latin food counter) is an acquired taste.  “You could tell the stew was cooked low and slow because the bones were all hollow. No marrow action. This meant all the goatiness was cooked into the stew. One small problem. It was way too goaty for me.” (And coincidentally enough, according to commenter DubbinBklyn there is a TV in the back– where you can watch the Inauguration.)

 
The televisions of Cafe Duke (on 51st btw. 6+7th)

I’m kind of curious what lunchtime in Midtown is going to look like today. Do you take a 2 hour lunch break and find a place to eat and watch the Inauguration?  Or do you watch it at work and then head out to lunch at 1:30pm?  Your boss kind of has to let you watch it, right? (If they don’t, I feel like I should ask the same question I asked yesterday.) There are all sorts of special parties and deals happening around the city, but none of them are in Midtown… so if you are looking to go the 2 hour lunch break option I have a few suggestions:

There are tons of bars in Midtown with televisions, but the only one I can think of that is a worthy Midtown Lunch option is The Australian on 38th btw. 5+6th.  If that muffuletta from the other day looked good to you, I guess you could go to the Bourbon Street Bar & Grill on restaurant row (they have a ton of TVs). If you want to go for the hardcore Midtown Lunch- Cafe Duke on 51st btw. 6+7th has two big TVs, although seating is tough even on a normal day. I’m pretty sure the CyberCafe (on 49th btw. 7+8th) has a big screen in the back, but it’s a Tuesday so no Madeleine the Crepe Lady (she only comes Weds through Sunday.)  Gothamist says Oren’s will be playing it on the radio at all of their locations, and select Starbucks locations will be showing it on MSNBC (but I’m not sure which ones.)  And finally there will be a large TV courtesy of NY1 on 47th Street btw. 7th & B’way in Times Square (just a short walk away from the Biryani Cart on 46th and 6th.)

There must be more Midtown Lunch’ish places with televisions, right? If you think of any, post them in the comments, and if you go out at lunch, send photos from your phone! (zach@midtownlunch.com) What are you planning on doing?

Unlike Oren’s, who is only giving away free coffee tomorrow for a couple of hours, FreeFoods NYC is offering a coupon that will get you free coffee every day this week at their new location on 52nd btw. Lex+3rd.  (Click on the coupon to print it out.)  But more exciting is the news that they are having a contest to give away a whole month of food for free:

To enter simply submit a 250 word or less email, no later than this Thursday, with the subject: “Why I deserve FreeFoods for 1 Month” and send it to eatfree@freefoodsnyc.com.

You know what?  I think I’m going to go for it.  Why shouldn’t they give the prize to a meat loving, expensive lunch hating, fatso like me? My award winning essay is after the jump.

Read more »