Until Karl gives us his first post this weekend, I thought I'd discuss the lunch time scene in Midtown Manhattan. Lunching during the workweek always provides entertainment as there is a never ending debate about where and what to eat. More often than not I end up at the same place I ate yesterday - yesterday's lunch tasted pretty good after all.
To break the habit, I've created a mental list of a dozen or so places that I try and rotate through depending on my mood. One long standing favorite is
99 Cent Fresh Pizza on 43rd street between Lexington and 3rd Ave. For $1.07 (incl. tax) a slice you get a top notch piece of cheese pizza on a paper plate. For 2 slices you can have a bag to carry your lunch in, and for the big eaters, 3 slices buys you a pizza box with lunch. Talk about value for money!
The place has been around long enough to have built up a good following, and there is always a line out the door which is great because it means that the pizza never sits around, and that you are get a fresh out of the oven slice every time in less than 5 minutes. The genius of this place is it's efficiency of making pies and moving people through the door, so whatever you do, always stick to the cardinal rules:
- Never order a topping. Ever. Seriously. You won't be happy since you'll end up waiting for 5 minutes in a really small space, and I won't be happy because now that fast moving line is at a standstill.
- Same goes for ordering whole pies. Even if you and 5 office mates think splitting a pizza is the way to go, it's not. There is no advantage to the whole pie. There's no discount (it's cheap already), and everyone - including you - ends up waiting a lot longer necessary.
Seriously though, check this place out next time your hungry near Grand Central, it's definitely the best bang for your buck anywhere near here...especially for high volume eaters like us - a whole pizza for $8? Yes, please.
