Midtown Lunch

Got this question emailed to me by “Esther” the other day:

“I really want to have a Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s….so last night, I walked into the McDonald’s on 52nd and Broadway to get one. (They have them every year in the month of March until St. Patrick’s Day for as long as I can remember.) The girl at the register looked at me like I was insane!! She had never even heard of it.  I’m so disappointed!!! Maybe someone in the midtown lunch community knows of a location in NYC??”

Anybody seen one of these things in a McDonalds in Midtown?  If you have, help Esther out by posting the location as a comment below.  If you are like me, and didn’t even know this Shamrock Shake existed, there’s a great piece about them here.

Don’t forget to get your free cup of coffee at Starbucks today from 10am to Noon.  But don’t get too excited… it’s free drip coffee. I think the timing of this promotion is a reaction to McDonalds giving out free Coffee last week to celebrate the fact that their coffee beat out Starbucks coffee in a taste test.  Not surprising considering that Starbucks’ drip coffee sucks.  How about free lattes and cappuccinos?  Then you’ll see me on line.  As hard as it is to turn down free stuff, I think I’ll sit this one out, and wait for the Dunkin Donuts Free Coffee Day next week.

Life is good… free oxtails with morros (rice and black beans already mixed together). Choose from baked chicken, spicy grilled chicken with onions, beef stews, roast pork and more They also give you free bottled water. There’s a band playing music in the back… but it’s way too loud. Time to head back to work…

No plantains!!!! Very disappointing, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers. No sampler either. Too crazy inside. Just pick a dish and they give it to you with rice and beans. The line is still about 50 people long, but it moves really fast…

It’sjust before Noon and the line is already starting to grow. About 50

people long but it’s moving fast…

The day has finally arrived!  I first posted a picture of the “Coming Soon” sign in October, and now, it’s six months later, and Midtown North is finally getting its branch of Sophie’s Cuban (56th St. btw. 5+6th)…

The official grand opening is on Thursday- but the “Celebration” is today (3/14) from 11am to 2pm.  They’ll be giving out a free lunch to everyone who comes in… a “sampling” of all their best dishes.  The seating area in the back will be open, and has about 20 tables (but I’d plan on taking it to go).  See you in line!!!  (Come back later today for live photo updates from the line…)

Every Tuesday I turn the site over to a Midtown Lunch’er for their recommendations of places to eat Lunch in Midtown. Today it’s my kindred spirit, and possibly the greatest profile of all time…  I don’t know if it’s the part about loving Corn Dogs, his quest to uncover information about a mysterious falafel cart, or the Chocolate Covered French Crueller he’s eyeing lovingly (my favorite kind of donut!)-  all I know is, this guy is awesome!  Meet Teen Wolf, a Comedy Central Graphic Designer with liquid lunch dreams…

Name: Teen Wolf

Age: 24

Occupation: Graphic Designer

Where in Midtown do you Work?: Comedy Central, 57th & Broadway

Favorite Kind of Food: Middle Eastern, Indian, Cheese, Avocado, Corn Dogs, Dark Chocolate, Astronaut Ice Cream.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Seafood, health food, Pax

Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I like to mix it up. Kati Roll, Daisy May BBQ cart, Taam Tov, Hallo Berlin cart, Empanada Mama (9th Ave. & 51st), Kashkaval (9th Ave. btw. 55th & 56th). They’re all excellent.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Crystal Cafe (57th btw. 7th+Bway). It’s right outside and has pretty decent, over-priced sandwiches. We try to be more adventurous though. Burrito Box and Wondee Siam II (Thai) (both on 9th Ave.) are favorites. For the past 2 months we’ve been trying to get to the bottom of the mysterious falafel cart (on Broadway and 61st) that always “runs out of falafel” by noon because “people eat falafel for breakfast”(???) We’re confused by his motive for lying about falafel availability. A true mystery.  

Place you discovered on MidtownLunch.com: Pretty much all of my favorite places… Kati Roll, Hallo Berlin , Burger Joint.

Dream job location for lunch purposes only, and why?: I’d love to work on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill. There are so many amazing Middle Eastern restaurants. They also have Vietnamese sandwiches, Soul Food, British Food (fish & chips is about the only seafood I like). Ideally, this “Dream Job” would also allow me to drink during lunch.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers?: I guess if anyone has any suggestions for good falafel in the 50’s, or on the west side of Midtown, let me know. And, in general, I’d like to put in a request for more coverage of the upper-west side of Midtown. You Rockefeller Center and Grand Central folk don’t know how good you’ve got it!

I’ve done some good coverage of the Upper West Side of Midtown!  And, I’ve got some more on the way… including free Cuban food tomorrow!.  Info about that, and my recommendation for best Falafel in Teen Wolf’s area after the jump… Read more »

When I write about a Midtown Lunch, it is supposed to be quick, easy, usually something different or interesting- and most of all cheap.  Burger Heaven is not really any of these things, but a little while back I found myself eating lunch there with my wife and a bunch of her co-workers.  I had never been there, but judging from the crowds it is pretty popular.  Apparently there are a lot of people in Midtown who find things like a waiter, a chair, and proximity to their office more important than price and value.  (These people all make more money than me.)

But, sometimes you have to sacrifice to have a fun lunch with friends, or a big group of co-workers…  and Burger Heaven is a perfect place for that.  Despite the price, there is something for everyone, and room for big parties, if you get there early enough.  They must be doing something right, because Burger Heaven has been around for 60 years, and now has 5 locations in Midtown.

The burgers are actually similarly priced to the other places in Midtown ($6.25) before you start adding stuff like cheese and french fries (and tax & tip), but I ignored all this in favor of the Patty Melt- my favorite kind of hamburger, and a stand out on any menu.  The Patty Melt is pretty basic when you think about it… it’s just a cheeseburger on rye bread with grilled onions- but difficult for many places to make, because you need rye bread, and a griddle- something that many of the new specialty burger places don’t have (Burger Joint, GoodBurger, etc.).  So for a good old fashioned Patty Melt, you need a place like Burger Heaven.

The Patty Melt, and +/- after the jump… Read more »

A new Mandler’s location (hopefully) opening next week March 19th on 8th Ave. btw. 39th & 40th.  Posted to the Midtown Lunch Flickr Photo Group by joshbousel

MIDTOWN LINKS:

• Two of the best PB&J’s are in Midtown [NYMag]
• More ABP’s closed in Midtown [Eater]
• Another fancy Greek place opens in Midtown [Restaurant Girl]
• Italian & Japanese together at last (?!?!)… in Midtown [TONY]

Next week on MidtownLunch…. free food at the new Sophie’s Cuban (56th btw. 5+6th) on Wednesday, free coffee at Starbucks on Thursday, and more!  Have a good weekend…

It’s the second Friday of Lent, which means tons of practicing Catholics will be searching for a fishy lunch today.  Here are my picks for the best Midtown Lunch’es good for lent…

Any of the fish options at El Rincon del Sabor (47th btw. 5+6th).  Ecuadorians know how to do Lent right, and there are tons of fish items on the Friday menu.  A seafood paella type rice dish, shrimp ceviche, whole fried fish and more.  You can’t go wrong… surprisingly I didn’t see any Fanesca, the Ecuadorian bean soup made during Lent.

The octopus salad at Margon (46th btw. 6+7th).  It’s hard to walk into a place like Margon and not order meat (with rice, beans & plantains).  Lucky this chunky ceviche makes it a little bit easier.

Oms/b (45th btw. Lex+3rd).  Rice balls topped with fish.  How can you beat it?

The fake shrimp at most Midtown buffets by the lb.  Sure it’s a scam (they’re not even actual seafood)…. but they are delicious!  Especially the ones at Cafe Duke (50th btw. 6+7th).

My favorite seafood option in Midtown (and more Lent suggestions), after the jump… Read more »