Midtown Lunch

Oh how those fashion people love to eat!  Fashion Week is invading Bryant Park all week long, so to be a welcoming neighbor, I’ve decided to recommend some quick and cheap places to eat between fashion shows.  Now admittedly, I know nothing about fashion week, or the people who attend, or about the fashion industry in general… but how much different from you and I could these people possibly be.  I like food.  They must like food (who woudn’t, right?).  I’m a fat man.  They all think they’re fat.

Despite the gigantic tent taking up most of Bryant Park, ‘wichcraft is in fact open to the public.  The sandwich kiosk is just outside the northwest corner of the tent, and the soup and online order pick-up kiosk is just outside the southwest corner of the tent.  This would seem like the obvious choice for a reasonably cheap, and good meal for anybody attending one of the Fashion Week events…  after all ‘wichcraft could be considered the couture of midtown lunch sandwich shops (I don’t even know what that means- but it sounded pretty good right?). 

Because of its location, I’m guessing the lines will be long- and I’m not quite sure if the ‘wichcraft online ordering system works on Sidekicks, so… here’s some suggestions for food that will clearly show how little I know about people who attend fashion week.

The list of suggestions… and the first Midtown Lunch Photo Challenge- after the jump…

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Apparently the Sapporo redux is totally on schedule.  As reported here on ML, they’ve been renovating for the past two weeks and had claimed that they would re-open today.   Well, these two signs were being put up last night around 6:30pm. 

The signs say they are going to be ready, but from the looks of things inside, they’re cutting it pretty close.  (Though the new chairs wrapped, and stacked in front of the window look lovely!)

A shot of the not quite done “New Look Sapporo”, plus a preview of next week- after the jump…

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If you are a regular reader of this blog then you know I’m not a huge fan of the “Midtown Deli”.  You know the place I’m talking about- salad bar, pre-made sandwiches, there’s one on every block.  So when my friend Joanne emailed a link to a New Yorker article about one of these very places, I was pretty surprised.  The New Yorker was writing about a Midtown Lunch deli???  I expected more from you, oh high-brow’d New Yorker…

In their defense Dishes is a little more “high brow’d” then your typical Midtown Deli, but still a deli nonetheless.  The article is more about some sort of staff issue then about the food- but they did slip this intuitive observation into the opening:

“A decent midtown lunch spot—not the expense-account sort but a good, clean sandwich shop, with a fresh salad bar, and maybe some seafood tom yum, if that’s your thing—can be hard to come by. Once you find one, you tend to stick with it. You learn the hourly cycles, in terms of both customer flow (twelve-forty-five equals chaos) and servers’ shifts, and you begin to time your visits accordingly.” 

True enough.  Well, against my better judgement, I decided to head over to Dishes at 12:45pm yesterday and check out the chaos.  I’ve walked by this place a million times (usually on my way to Oms/b) and thought it looked like an above average deli.  It’s been recommended to me by a few readers- but it wasn’t until the New Yorker described it as a “a sleek, vaguely Asian-themed cafeteria”, I decided it was time for a visit… after all, I love the Asian food.  Of course, I saw only “Asian”, and missed the “vaguely” part.  Very important distinction.

Pictures, what I ate, and the +/- after the jump…

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More free stuff in Midtown… I never in my life thought I would drink a smoothie- but after spending two years in L.A. I sort of got hooked, thanks to Jamba Juice.  If you’ve never tried one today is the day.  On the cover of the NY Post (not sure if it’s every NY Post or just the ones at this store) there’s coupon for a free smoothie at any participating NYC Jamba Juice location.  Go to the one in Midtown on 7th (or Broadway) btw. 47th & 48th and they are giving out free copies of the NY Post right outside the store (with the free coupon!).  To top it off, on your way out they give you a free Jamba Juice gift card that may have anywhere from $2 to $50 on it.

The coupon is good until September 9th, but the free newspapers and free gift cards are while supplies last (or 11am- whichever comes first).  The coupon works anywhere in NYC, but I’m pretty sure the free gift cards are only at the Midtown Location on Broadway btw. 47th & 48th.  If you have any more info, please post as a comment below.

As always, if you have any info about free food in Midtown… don’t be selfish!  Pass it on to zach@midtownlunch.com

I’m not sure how it happened but Jews love Chinese food.  I’m sure there are exceptions, but it seems to be a stereotype that holds true.  I’m Jewish.  I love Chinese food.  Therefore all Jews must love Chinese food.  It’s fool proof logic.  Actually, it’s strange when you think about it.  Pork and shellfish are a staple of Chinese cuisine, yet for some reason, Jewish mothers everywhere chose it as THE meal to order when they didn’t feel like cooking (usually on Sunday nights).  Of course the boneless spareribs, and pork fried rice ensured that while Jewish, I would never end up being Kosher.  (I wonder if Chinese food had something to do with the rise in the number of reform Jews?)

This doesn’t really have anything to do with today’s review except for the fact that a) it’s a Kosher restaurant, b) I’m pretty sure it used to be home to Kosher Chinese restaurant, and c) what I ordered seemed strikingly similar to Chicken fried rice. 

Thanks to the Diamond District, people who keep Kosher are probably psyched to work in Midtown.  The pickings are probably slim for those who work in other areas of NYC like Tribeca, the Village, or god forbid Chinatown.  (I’m pretty sure the hanging slabs of roast pork alone, make Chinatown a house of horrors for someone who keeps kosher.)  Midtown, on the other hand, has tons of Kosher options- and one of the best is Taam Tov… and you don’t even have to keep kosher to enjoy it!

Pictures, what I ate, and the +/- after the jump…

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If you are at work yesterday, and were hoping for a post, I’m really sorry.  Not for neglecting to post… just sorry that you had to work.  That sucks.  No review for today either.  Sorry, I’m taking an extra day off after the long weekend.  Back on Wednesday.

In the meantime, please enjoy the voluminous archives!  Start from the very beginning and work your way up, or check out the Index of restaurants (always available as a link from the top bar).

If you’ve already read everything, then consider it an extra day off for you as well! (Although I can’t imagine how anyone would be able to stomach reading my ranting every single day since the beginning).

See you tomorrow.  I’ll +/- Taam Tov and their Green Chicken Fried Rice (or as they call it “Baksh”). 

Bamn!opened this week.  Have you heard of this place?  It’s an old school automat, but with new school food (and design).  You go in, drop your money in the slot, open the compartment, and remove your food.  Bite size burgers, pizza, chicken fingers, mac & cheese croquettas, hot dogs, and (one of my person favorites) pork buns.  Man do I wish I worked in the East Village right now.

As a matter of fact, there are a lot of lunch places in other areas that I wish I worked near.  It’s a severe case of lunch envy… Sure, I have Oms/b now- but it doesn’t cover up the jealousy I feel towards those who get to work near the new Momofuku Saam bar.  To think, that for some people, this is their Chipotle- makes me want to cry.

But that’s ok.  That’s what long weekends are for… so in that spirit, here’s some pictures of one of my favorite lunch places, outside of Midtown- that I really wish I worked near….

Pictures and the wrap up, after the jump…

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I don’t think I have to say it- but there are very few destination restaurants for lunch in Midtown.  You know what I’m talking about… the place you can recommend wholeheartedly, without any concern for how far the person will have to travel to eat the meal your endorsing. 

The truth is, I write about places to eat lunch in Midtown every week, and some I even talk about like they’re the greatest ever.  But you know, and I know- they’re not REALLY the GREATEST ever.  They’re just good for Midtown.  That’s why almost every one of my postings is qualified with “This is not the best ___________ you’ll ever have, but it’s good enough for lunch in Midtown”.  Well- finally I can say I found a “This IS the best ____________ you’ll ever have”, IT’S IN MIDTOWN- and it’s called Oms/b.  Very exciting indeed. 

But don’t get too excited…  I’m not saying EVERYBODY will like the food at this place… there will be a +/-, just like every lunch I write about- but there will be no qualifier for Oms/b.  It’s pretty simple… if you like this kind of food, for this kind of price, in this kind of atmosphere- this will be YOUR NEW FAVORITE PLACE!  Don’t work in Midtown?  Toss the kids in the car, we’re going for a ride… because if you’re into it- this place is worth the trip (and not just from 49th st & 6th ave.)

Now that I’ve totally overhyped this place- check out the pics, the menu and of course, the +/-, all after the jump…. Read more »

Somtimes it’s so crappy out, you’d rather just stay in and enjoy the simplicities of life at your desk…

THE + (What people who like this would say)

• I like peanut butter.  I like jelly.  I like bread.  (It’s kind of a no-brainer)

THE – (What people who don’t like this would say)

• I’m a crazy person

I don’t understand the concept of a late lunch.  Some people can just work and work, and “forget” to eat lunch- only to run out for something quick late in the day.  Not me.  I’m a fat man, and nothing keeps me from eating lunch at a normal time.  It’s simple physics.  I don’t eat, I’ll pass out.  (I’ve never tested this “science”, but I’m assuming that is what would happen). 

For those who can wait until after 2pm there are definitely lunch deals to be found from places who need to move their product before they close.  A few weeks ago I wrote about Ho Yip, the cheap Chinese buffet that drops their price to $3.75/lb after 2:15pm.  This week… it’s Cucina & Co., with locations in Rock Center and the Met Life Bldg.  Thanks to “The Girl Who Ate Everything” for passing along this Midtown Lunch deal…

The details on what gets reduced, after the jump…. 

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