Midtown Lunch

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 David, a Photo Retoucher who has got a good number of recs for those of you south of Bryant Park.

Name: David

Age: 28

Occupation: Commercial Photo Retoucher

Where in Midtown do you Work?:Ever exciting midtown south…

Favorite Kind of Food: At the moment I’m really excited by Korean whether its noodle soup, dumplings, bi bim bop, or BBQ. There’s nothing like those savory, spicy, flavors once the cold weather hits. I have to admit though I’m pretty much a sucker for anything spicy that comes with chopsticks.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: EGGPLANT. A couple years back I got the chinese chicken and eggplant at Pow Wok (7th Ave. btw. 36+37th) and just got hit in a BAAAD way. The experience has ruined it for me (and much less tragically Pow Wok as well), although if its breaded, fried, and covered with cheese and tomato sauce I’ll use my powers of self-trickery and still eat it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: Mandoo Ramen Soup at Mandoo (32nd St), Katsu Curry at Go Go Curry (38th St btw. 7+8th– only a block away from the office woot!), and finally any number of things at Soul Fixin’s — meatloaf, fried chicken, stewed okra, mac n cheese, cornbread etc. (34th st @ 9th Ave)

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: My coworkers tend to hit up a lot of chain places which I generally try to avoid, although I will hit Pax for breakfast every now and again. But this isn’t Midtown breakfeast so… I guess I’d have to say the chicken parm hero at La Bellezza Pizza (40th st @ 7th ave) or the spicy beef soba soup at New Star Cafe (7th btw. 39+40th)

Place you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch: I was finally convinced to walk into the 38th St Restaurant and bakery after reading about it on this site. But when I walked by a week or so ago, the windows had been covered in newspaper. What gives? Health violations, renovations due to the enhanced business from this blogs review, discovery of an illegal immigration ring in the basement… One can only theorize.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? This is one of those impossible questions because I think eventually I’d get bored anywhere. How about the kitchen at Le Bernardin?

Well David, you’ll be happy to know that the 38th St. Restaurant and Bakery has been rechristened Ying Du, and re-opened with a brand new sign, and a cleaner, brighter, nicer interior.

The interior, complete with new tables, and fancy lighting fixtures, after the jump… Read more »

Thanks to Feisty Foodie & Cheap Ass Food I was tipped off to this pretty cool thing happening at Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th). For the past week, they have replaced their Beard Papa station with the NYC debut of “New Matsue Kashi” a very beautiful (and delicious) form of Wagashi, Japanese sweets made from mochi, bean paste and fruit. And for those who like to limit their fat intake (present company excluded obviously), they don’t contain any animal fat, making them low in calories and cholesterol.

The wagashi range in price from $1.75 to $3.50 each, and come in different flavors and shapes (including pumpkin, blueberry, mango and chestnut). Similar sweets can be purchased at Minamoto Kitchoan (on 49th btw. 5+6th), but at Cafe Zaiya you can actually watch them being made (and I’m guessing they’re cheaper).

Tomorrow is the last day they will be available at Cafe Zaiya (and they close at 8pm). More photos, after the jump… Read more »

The first night of Chanukah is tomorrow night, and with the Stage & Carnegie Delis fighting each other over who can more effectively gouge stupid tourists, you have to travel a little farther off the beaten path if you want potato pancakes at Midtown Lunch approved prices.  Here are my picks…

1.  The Diamond Dairy (4 W. 47th St.) – Still the undisputed king of Chanukah time, this truly hidden gem (pun entirely intended) serves up a good plate of potato pancakes year round, in the back mezzanine of one of the jewelry stores on 47th btw. 5+6th.  And at 2 for $6, and 3 for $8, they are a steal.  Just make sure you write down the address, or else you’ll never find it.

2. Cafe Edison (47th btw. B’way+8th) – Surprisingly, this old school deli doesn’t serve latkes year round- but starting tomorrow night this Midtown institution offers them as a special for the 8 days of Chanukah.  They haven’t set a price yet, but they assured me it will be under $10. 

3.  Sarge’s (3rd Ave. btw. 36+37th) – Unfortunately Sarge’s amazing list of sandwiches are too expensive for Midtown Lunch’ing purposes, but the super thick potato pancakes at this Midtown East establishment, come in at just under $10 ($8.95).  This kid seems to be enjoying them!

And finally, the cheapest (and most shocking) potato pancakes in Midtown, after the jump… Read more »

_{R.I.P. Bobby Van}

• ‘wichcraft introduces an eggplant & chickpea sandwich designed by students for charity at the Rock Center location [Diner’s Journal]
• Another strong vote for the double cooked pork belly with chili leeks, at Szechuan Gourmet [Ed Levine Eats]
• One Million Burgers later, Burger Joint turns 5 years old [Eater]
• Pop Burger Facade & Obika Plywood, revealed! [Grub St.]
• Citysearch “discovers” the Del Frisco’s steak deal [Citysearch]
• Apparently there is a sweet ass gingerbread house on display at the Marriott Marquis [NY Daily News]
• The Wandering Eater has a disappointing lunch at Le Bernardin, but the photos look delicious! [Wandering Eater]
• Anybody who considers the “Soul Food Mix” at Hallo Berlin a “Snack” is alright in my book![Snaxploitation]

After a one month “process” of securing a new license for their cart, The Jamaican Dutchy has returned to 51st St. & 7th Ave.  And not a moment too soon (it’s getting freaking cold).  A new line of hot soups, potato pudding and a complete breakfast menu has been added to the old standby lunchtime favorites, like jerk chicken, sweet and sour chicken, oxtails, and curry goat. 

It’s a two year license, so they won’t be going anywhere for awhile.  And for all you weekend warriors, having the Dutchy open on Saturday is in the works…

I have a soft spot in my heart for Cosi.  The bread is just so damn good, and baked fresh right in the middle of the store.  We can make jokes about chains all we want, but a sandwich on fresh, brick oven baked bread is good.  I don’t care what anybody says.  And if you put free pieces in a bowl at the front of your establishment, I’m going to show up.

Pizza?  Now that’s a different story.  I’m sure when Cosi decided to add Flatbread pizzas to their menu, New York was not the market they had in mind.  Anybody who pays $7+ for a Cosi pizza, when there are great slices on every corner of the city, is just nuts.  That being said, if you love Cosi bread, and the idea of having two pieces of it for lunch, topped with mozzarella cheese, and their (too sweet for me) marinara sauce- you just might be into it.  Me?  If I ever move to Oklahoma, I’ll be all over this.  For now, I think I’ll stick with this or this or even this.

Everybody knows how expensive Red Snapper is, and with good reason. Whether being used by seminal rock bands to pleasure groupies, spun on wheels of fish by Long Duck Dong from Sixteen Candles, or eaten at sushi restaurants, it is a very versatile, and delicious fish. Well, apparently some Midtown sushi restaurants are serving tilapia, and calling it Red Snapper. Inside Edition has the story…

Some flat out refute the claim, some claim ignorance, and one lady just clearly doesn’t know how to read a package. Of course, even if the plastic package she brought out said “Red Snapper”, I still don’t think I would want to eat it.

A list of uncovered Midtown East sushi restaurants pulling the tilapia switcheroo, after the jump… Read more »

Park Ave. is quickly becoming the cart/truck capitol of Midtown.  Between Jiannetto’s, Pranzo, The Steak Truck, three Indian Carts, and a number of chicken and rice carts with long lines, you pretty much have everything you could ever want (if only the 2nd Daisy May’s cart would return). Yesterday, on a recommendation from a Midtown Lunch’er, I headed to Park Ave. to partake in a steak & cheese from a cart.

Now, here is the big disclaimer.  If you have ever been to Philadelphia, and had a philly cheesesteak, then you are aware of what a “real” cheesesteak is.  If you have ever lived in New England, you have disputed the Philadelphia claim to having the best steak & cheese (after all, provolone is far superior cheez whiz, right?).  Maybe you have even been to the Tony Luke’s (now Shorty’s) on 9th Ave., and feel like you have had a decent cheesesteak  here in New York City.  Steak & Cheese from a cart in Midtown is not going to live up to any of those standards.  It costs $4.  It’s from a cart.  That being said, the steak & cheese I had yesterday from Magdy’s on Park & 46th was pretty damn tasty.

Continue reading after the jump… Read more »

The tree lighting ceremony is tonight.  So if you work in a Midtown building, that does not have an underground tunnel to the subway- don’t even bother trying to leave work.  What’s that?  You work 6 blocks and 2 avenues away from Rockefeller Center?  I defy you to ignore to the suckiness.  It’s impossible.  I’m angry right now- and I’m at my desk 36th floors above the madness.

Also, please refer as many tourists as possible to this site, forwarded to me by Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Conrad Logic.  “The Ministry of Tourism Abatement” will help them to follow important rules, such as “walk at a brisk pace”, don’t ask “directions from residents who are clearly busy” and “dine in chain and franchise restaurants only”.

This concludes the Midtown Public Service Announcement.

With all the delis in the heart of Midtown adding Korean food to their repertoire, it makes it a little harder to motivate myself all the way to Koreatown at lunchtime.   That being said, as much as I enjoy some bulgogi from Cafe Duke, or Bi Bim Bap from Ambrosia, neither can hold a candle to Woorijip, the king of cheap Korean eats, situated on 32nd btw. B’way+5th, the bloodline of New York City’s Koreatown.

If you’ve never been to Woorijip (which has been mentioned here many times, but never officially written up), it is essentially a Korean version of Cafe Zaiya– which itself is a Japanese version of Cafe Metro.  Loads of pre-packaged hot and cold Korean food plus a by the lb buffet of hot and cold Korean treats, for those who can’t settle on one or two of the pre-packaged goodies.  Recently Woorijip underwent a little makeover, so I decided to head down to 32nd street and check it out.

What I got, the “improvements” to the set up and a +/- after the jump… Read more »