Midtown lunch at Rickshaw Dumpling Bar

Though my day job requires that I spend my days in TriBeCa, a couple of weeks ago I found myself at a Midtown meeting. And anyone whose ever spent anytime in Midtown knows that lunch options are sparse. Aside from the salad bar bodegas, its pretty slim pickins. So you can imagine my excitement when a co-worker introduced me to Rickshaw Dumpling Bar, a fast food - Chinese take out hybrid located on 23rd between 5th & 6th Ave. Since dumplings are one of my favorite aspects of Asian cuisine, I was pretty over the moon about the new lunch find. Not to mention the fact that affordable TriBeCa lunch options are also pretty sparing and a girl can only have so many tomato soups and grilled cheese sandwiches a la 'wichcraft (ok, I'll be honest, I pretty much OD'd on this lunch combo during the cooler months, so anything new came as a refreshing change). Let's just say that if Rickshaw were closer to my place of employment, I'd be a frequent lunchtime visitor. Since I'm a sampler, it was quite enjoyable that I found two lunch companions with a penchant for sharing...and sampling.

The carnivorous and pork-deprived eater that I am gravitated directly to the Classic Pork dumplings. In my personal opinion, Asian food is really best when it features pork. Take the classics - moo shu, lo mein, dumplings - they're just not the same with chicken. Anyhow, I got myself an order of pork dumplings that did not disappoint.

My oh-so-generous colleagues offered up a taste of theirs and who was I to turn it down? That is, after all, how I got to sample the Peking Duck dumpling. I should interject here and tell you that I typically do not eat duck (and Shaun winces as I tell you this, since he and my sister Kim enjoyed what they refer to as the best meal of their lives when we traveled in Budapest with duck as the major star...but I digress...). It's a bit greasy for my taste, and this dumpling was no different. It was, however, rather tasty. And while I probably wouldn't order it on my own, if you like duck, you would probably like this little guy.

And for all of you vegetarians out there, we also sampled the Vegetarian Edamame dumpling. It was a fun twist on an Asian favorite. Would I substitute the pork variety for the edamame? No way, Jose. But for a vegetarian option? I'll take it. And no, it in no way comes remotely close to the wonder of the Land vegetable dumpling - yep, the ones that I claim changed my life and love so unconditionally that I even made a vid about 'em.

Lastly (and no, I usually do not eat this much for lunch, but when in Midtown...), I sampled the Chocolate Shanghai Soup Dumpling. This one was eaten with caution my friends. Filled with dark, liquidy chocolate, could you just imagine this thing exploding all over your clothes? Yeah, I've had nightmares about it. But it is pretty darn delightful and truly unique to boot.

So there you have it...a tale of my Midtown lunch. This is the only city locale, though I've heard stories of a Rickshaw Dumpling truck traveling around lower Manhattan. I haven't investigated this myself, but any info you could share would be greatly appreciated! But how about you...what do you eat for lunch at work? Any local faves? Any places that you wish were a smidge closer to the office?

Galanga Red Curry Chicken...in Cash

Last week, in addition to my cereal-topped Phileo Yogurt, I had dinner with Kimberly and Lindsey at Galanga, a teeny Thai restaurant in the Village. I know, I've been doing a lot of Village-ing, but when you are so close to a neighborhood so fabulous, why wouldn't I? Anyhow, like most Thai restaurants, Galanga is a low priced, cramped tabled casual joint with exposed brick and chairs that make your back and bootie hurt for the rest of the night. Depite those things, all of which are expected at a small Thai place, the food was goooood.

I dined on red curry chicken, one of my favorite Thai dishes. I'm always wary of heat levels in food, especially red curry, I took a chance on this one because...well, I was really, really in the mood for it. Just the right amount of spice and bamboo shoots a plenty made this dish a solid red curry that did not scream 'mass production'. The broth was more brothy and less creamy which hopefully meant a slightly healthier twist (though I'm always a fan of a creamier broth...who wouldn't be?).

My gripe on Galanga, aside from the uncozy seating? Their cash only policy. What up with that? I mean, really...I can swipe my debit card at the local bodega for a $1.50 cup of coffee, but a legit Thai restaurant in the Village is cash only? I don't mean to knock it, since I've been known to have a cash-carrying problem, but still...cash only? What are your thoughts on this? Are you ok with restaurants only accepting cash? Are you happy to pay cash only if it keeps you on a stricter budget? If the food's good enough...does cash only matter?

BLT Burger

As you may or may not already know, I am a real burger fiend. For me, there's just nothing quite like a perfectly cooked, juicy burger loaded with melted cheese and possibly a pickle or two. In fact, if done correctly, I go sans ketchup and just enjoy the simple taste of cheeseburger. Over the last couple of months, I've visited BLT Burger not once, but twice. And for me, that's kind of a big deal. Since I write this little blog and thoroughly enjoy branching out to new places, it's rare that I revisit a restaurant unless it's packing really first-class grub. And BLT Burger just so happens to fit the mark. Named for its creator 'Bistro Laurent Tourondel', it's just one of many restaurants in the BLT family.

Conveniently located in Greenwich Village, just steps from the 9th street PATH station (my preferred mode of transportation back to the JC), BLT Burger is a cozy and inviting burger joint. And when I'm eating comfort food like this, I like to feel...well, comfortable. BLT isn't sprawling...in fact, it's quite small for its level of popularity, which makes it that much more charming. Oh, and even the giant bull's head on the wall kind of goes with the barn-esque decor. Kind of.

During my few trips to BLT, I've only sampled one burger...the BLT Burger with cheddar cheese. What can I say? When I go to a restaurant, I like to try the signature dish and this one just so happens to be quite delicious. Best cooked medium, this burger is dressed with, you guessed it, double smoked bacon, lettuce and tomato. Oh and some sort of 'special' sauce which in theory makes me a little nervous, but again...I try to just go with it. And once I did, I never looked back. It's that good.

The absolutely mouthwatering burger should not, however, outshine the appetizers and side dishes, which were quite scrumptious in their own right. We started the night with fried pickles, one of my most favorite fried foods. Crispy breading with a juicy, salty interior, fried pickles are really the way to go.

And what would a burger be without fries? Over the course of a couple of outings with others (no, I cannot take credit for ordering 3 baskets of fries for myself), I've tried the skinny fries, sweet potato fries and waffle fries. Though I'm typically a fan, I have to admit that my least favorite kind at BLT was the waffle. They were just a tiny bit too crispy for my personal taste.

And absolutely no meal would be complete without dessert. In true burger joint fashion, BLT dessert is all about the milkshakes. When my sister Kimberly and I went last week, we shared the Mocha Mudslide - coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup and an oreo cooke. Say it with me...'Mmmmmm'.

So there you have it. A little roundup of BLT Burger, the super deeelish burger joint in Greenwich Village. But what I really want to know is...how do you like your burger? All gussied up with the fixin's? Straight off the grill?

And if you're jonesing for even more burger tales, check out my adventures at Five Napkin Burger and Bobby's Burger Palace.