Midtown Lunch

The Qdoba on 53rd St. & 3rd Ave. opened for business yesterday.  Chipotle, you were forewarned.  Let the McBurrito wars begin!

There are two other Qdobas in New York City (one on 34th btw. 2+3rd), but according to the NY Sun the new one is the first to actually be owned by the parent company (the other two are franchises).  Full report coming soon…

 
_{A Plate from Kashmir’s $7.99 All You Can Eat Buffet on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th
Posted to Flickr by Seraphim1970}

• The Menu for Hope Charity Auction has begun on Chez Pim.  Buy raffle tickets and win some amazing food prizes.  And all the money goes to a great cause…
• The new Goodburger location on 45th St. btw. 5+6th Ave. expects to open tomorrow or Friday (and when it does, Midtown Lunch will be there- of course)
• The new 2nd Ave. Deli, on 33rd btw. Lex+3rd will have it’s grand opening on December 17th.  The “salami” cutting ceremony will happen at 11am.  Read more here and here.
• Get a free Illy espresso or capuccino from now until the end of the month in the Time Warner Center, where they are showcasing this crazy push button house designed by Architect Adam Kalkin.  Plus this week only, they’ll having coffee demos at 1, 3 and 5pm from a master barista from Trieste.  But clearly the most important thing is the free Illy coffee…

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’s lunch’er was actually nominated by a co-worker, who had this to say: “Her navigation of the midtown lunch terrain is that of a seasoned veteran, and her knowledge of the area’s best soups is her secret weapon… Although she somehow gets her work done, every time I look over at her screen she’s on Midtown Lunch or Menupages.com.  I’ve never seen anyone get so excited about planning what she will be having for lunch at 8:30 am.  Sounds like a good candidate to me.” Sounds like it to me too.  Meet Grace, a soup obsessed PR exec with no shortage of recommendations for lunchtime…

Name: Grace

Age: 25

Occupation: Public Relations Executive

Where in Midtown do you Work?:43rd and Broadway (Talk about a food wasteland and tourist trap!)

Favorite Kind of Food: Soup! Hot and hearty goodness when done right!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Generic Midtown Deli Sandwiches. Also anything with a weird chewy texture (e.g. overcooked calamari = rubber bands).

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Well, within the “Midtown Lunch price range” I’d say:

• Green Symphony (43rd btw. 7+8th) — When I am feeling somewhat healthy, their hot buffet is delicious and usually includes an Indian-style curried veggie stew that I am obsessed with…spicy stewy goodness … mmmmm. Unless you are a total glutton like me and eat huge quantities, it’s also relatively non-food-coma-inducing, since the multi-ethnic buffet features lightened-up versions of heartier dishes like enchiladas, Korean BBQed Chicken, and various Indian dishes along with all different types of salads on the cold side. I also like their made-to order “Health Salad,” which probably isn’t really healthy at all since it includes practically an entire avocado—which is just butter masquerading as a vegetable if you ask me—but oh so good. This salad also includes hummus, sprouts, greens, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and raisins. I top it all off with Green’s lemon-tahini dressing.
• Cho-Dang Gol (35th btw. 5+6th) — Hidden slightly off the main Koreatown strip, this place is known for their handmade tofu, which comes in several different textures from silky to firm but airy. It’s my favorite place in K-town because it features dishes beyond the standard bulgolgi and bibimbap.  Also, it actually just received a Michelin Star (for those that assign merit to this French import rating system — I personally think it’s not bad and am impressed that they are able to appreciate off the beaten path restaurants as much as a Daniel or a Per Se.). It’s a total steal because their lunch prices mean that many dishes are less than $10 and they have the best, most interesting panchan (free side dishes) in K-town. I would recommend their tofu pancakes with ground pork and chopped kimchee as an appetizer if you go with a group. Individual stew/casseroles that I like include: the “Hae Mul Cham Doo Boo” (hand made tofu casserole mixed with various seafood) and “Doo Boo Darn Jang Jigae” (hand made tofu with squash, potato, green pepper in soybean pasta stew) — both only $7.95 at lunch. If you go with a group and want to stay within the Midtown Lunch price range, it is worth sharing the “Cho Dang Gol Son Doo Boo Jun Gol” (3 different types of handmade tofu w/ potato, mushroom & squash in spicy broth with beef) $33.95 but enough for 3-4. Also good to share for two people is the “Buh Sut Gob Dol” (Different types of mushrooms topped on steamed rice in hot stone bowl with beef, crabmeat and vegetables)–$14.95. They also have a winter chicken casserole with what looks like whole cut of pieces of chicken that is a special sometimes, which I haven’t tried yet but looks amazing. If anyone gets to it before I do, please report back!
• Jean Georges (60th & Central Park W)— It’s outside the price range, but worth mentioning. Their two-course $28 lunch is a steal compared to dinner here or at any other comparable establishments and many of the signature dinner items appear on the lunch menu, e.g. the jalepeno braised short ribs. I also like their cheese cart because they will actually have cheeses on it that I haven’t tried. (I eat a lot of cheese and find most NYC restaurant cheese selections tasty but very predictable.)

And now… in the interest of space- I must, for the first time ever, place the jump in the middle of a lunch’ers Profile.  Grace’s secret, hidden soup spot, the best cheese in the city and more after the jump… 

Read more »

You’ve seen the plywood, the facade, the interior, and the crowd on opening day.  But what about the food?  I have never been to the Chelsea Pop Burger, so this is a new phenomenon for me.  I don’t think ‘Midtown Lunch will never be the same’, but it certainly is an exciting addition.  Why?  Because I love sliders.  If for no other reason than they are fun- and in the end, lunch for me is about one hour of fun in an otherwise busy day at work.

On the other hand, I do see the possible complaints that could arise from the slider situation.  (“Fat man want big burger!”)  Anytime you are asking me to pay more money, for less food, you’ve got to step it up.  Some people do it well (Oms/b), some people- not so much (Yushi).  Pop Burger finds itself somewhere in the middle.

On to the food porn!!! Read more »

_{“Latke from Ben’s” (on 38th btw. 7+8th)
Posted to Flickr by Joshwand}

• Ed Levine endorses the Edison Cafe Potato Pancakes.  “Not trancendent”, but the best in the area [Ed Levine Eats]
• And also loves this pasta dish at Insieme [Ed Levine Eats]
• Burger King & Madame Tussaud Make it Official.  Times Square is hell on earth…  [Grub St.]
• …And Bryant Park is trying to follow suit.  Lifesize snowglobe anyone?  [Gothamist]
• The Midtown branch of Ray’s Famous on 7th Ave. & 54th doesn’t make the cut [Gridskipper]
• The take out window at Grand Central Oyster Bar may be the place to go for a fried oyster po’boy [Chow Times]
• Another price hike means lunch at Midtown Subway now costs over $10 [East Village Idiot]
• If you are a banker at Citigroup, your secretary will pick up Burger Joint for you.  And if you’re Anthony Martignetti, you’ll still be hungry enough after for a falafel on 59th & Lex. [Grub St.]

Despite sending out Facebook invitations for a “Sneak Preview” Party on Saturday night, it appears as if the preview belongs to the Midtown Lunchers!  Pop Burger threw open their doors at 11am this morning, and is open for business.  Eater is there first with some great photos.

The more and more I hear about this place (i.e. Saturday night facebook PR party), the less and less it seems like a true Midtown Lunch- but I do love me some sliders,  so you know I’ll be there.  If you go today (it’s on 58th btw. Madison & 5th), let everyone know what it’s like in the comments (or post photos to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Group).

Related: Chelsea’s Pop Burger Opening a Massive New Midtown Location

Not surprisingly I have become the lunchtime stalker in my office.  Between Noon and 3pm, if you’re eating something and that smell is wafting between the cubicles, you can count on me to be there.  “What’s that smell?  What are you eating?  Where did you get that?” 

I’m sure there is one of these people in your office too… and if you’re a regular reader of this blog- then chances are that person is you.   See something good in your office?  Send it to zach@midtownlunch.com , or post it to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Page.

Here are some of the things I’ve smelled over the past few weeks…

Tilapia Fish Special from the Kwik Meal Cart (45th & 6th)

The Filet Mignon Sandwich from Starwich (on 38th btw. 5+6th). 

Starwich is like the ‘wichcraft, before there was ‘wichcraft.  This particular sandwich is $12.95, making it outside Midtown Lunch price boundaries, but most of the sandwiches are under $10 (including a braised short rib sandwich on challah that looks pretty good to me).

Some street meat, and a different looking chicken parm sub after the jump… Read more »

• Go Go Curry (38th btw. 7+8th) is not only serving breakfast now (Katsu Sandwiches), but apparently they have Katsu Sushi as well!
• The new Goodburger on 45th btw. 5+6th will not open this Monday.  They say the place will be ready closer to Wednesday at the earliest…
• … and we’re still waiting for the new Pop Burger.  Could today be the day?

• All three Kwik Meal cart locations have been accepting donations to aide the Cyclone victims in Bangladesh.  The collection boxes were not there yesterday, but I’m sure they will still accept donations.
• Cafe Haru (on 38th btw. 7+8th), another generic deli with a lot of Korean & Japanese options, has closed.
• The Bulgogi Cart on 49th btw. 5+6th now has Bulgogi & Kimchee Udon Noodle Soup ($5).
• There is a new, easier to read and understand menu on Kim’s Aunt Kitchen Cart (46th btw. 5+6th).  Most notable addition- a combo plate that allows you to get any two items, plus rice, french fries or Lo Mein.  (Meaning the combo I paid $8 for, and wrote about is now only $7.50)
• Finally, the “Chef” at the Biriyani/Chapati Roll Cart on 46th & 6th is on vacation until January 22nd.  The cart remains open, and serving all of their standard items- but there is mention of “appearance & menu changes”, “new & exciting meals” and a “more varieties and selections of Kati Rolls” when the Chef returns. 

Got any bits and pieces to report?  Email me at zach@midtownlunch.com

Not even open long enough to take down their Grand Opening sign, the newer House of Pita , on 46th btw. 5+6th has closed down. The original House of Pita location, a window on 48th btw. 5+6th, closed down a little over a month ago , 5 months after the owners opened the newer, larger location just two blocks away. I had always assumed that closing the 48th St. window was the plan all along, but now that the larger location has closed, I’m not so sure. One thing is for sure, restaurants looking to expand their already successful Midtown businesses should take notice.

According to Kosher-NY, the owner “hopes to open a new Fleishig restaurant in another location, [but] nothing specific is in the works as of yet”. Need a replacement falafel? Kosher Deluxe , Moshe’s , The Kwik Meal Cart & Bread & Olive are all within walking distance.

When Kati Roll lost their lease, and was forced to move from 46th St. to 39th St. (btw. 5+6th), it was at the peak of Midtown Lunch popularity.  There were long lines to order, 20+ minute waits for your food and it even spawned two copycat carts down the street (only one of them survived).

Now, 4 months later and in their new location, the lines are gone.  The crowds, nowhere to be found as the new Kati Roll waits for the lazy, set in their ways workers in Midtown South to discover them for the first time.  One thing that hasn’t changed, is the food, and if you work near the old Kati Roll and don’t have time to walk the extra 7 blocks to the new location, they now offer delivery.

The minimum order is $20, but they told me if you got above $15 they would probably do it.  The delivery area is from 30th St. to 50th St., between Lexington & 8th Ave.  They’ve also added a new, and fairly strange take out menu- for those who are not so good at reading. 

Check it out after the jump… Read more »