Luke’s Lobster offers the best value on lobsters, crab, and shrimp rolls in the city PERIOD

For a lobster roll in New York City, Luke offers the best value. Granted you’re not going to get sit down service like you do at Pearl Oyster or Ed’s Lobster, but their lobster is fresh, they serve them perfectly, and the price is definitely right. Their rolls are served in two sizes, small and large, but are really tiny and small. As of November 18, 2009, they go for $8 and $14 respectively. They also serve delicious crab ($5/$9) and shrimp ($4/$7) rolls too. For the best value, grab one of their combos. The $20 Taste of Maine combo includes a small lobster, crab, and shrimp roll, as well as a par of Empress claws and a package of Miss. Vickie’s chips and a bottle of Maine’s Root Drink or Poland Spring Water. The Noah’s Ark combo is double the Taste of Maine offering with a $2 savings at $38. Butter, mayo, and seasoning is optional, but they are light by default. If you like your rolls really buttery, do let them know when ordering. Like I said earlier the rolls are really small, but a roll and a half with a bag of chips should be enough to satisfy most hungry stomachs.

I love Luke’s because unlike most lobster rolls served in NYC, the lobster is not shredded or minced but are served in huge chunks/bits. Plus I’m not a huge fan of mayo, so the way Luke’s serves their rolls are ideal for me. I’ve never had a lobster roll in Maine, so I can only compare it to what I’ve had in NYC and I think Luke’s the best so far.

The restaurant is really tiny with limited bar-style seating (8 seats at most) and is not recommended for groups. If you’re a fan of lobster roll, this is not one to be missed.

Small Lobster, Crab, and Shrimp Roll and 2 Empress Claws – Part of Taste of Maine Combo – $20

Menu as of November 18, 2009 – View Larger Image

Miss. Vickie’s Chips and Maine’s Root Drink

Large Lobster Roll – $14

Large Crab Roll – $9

Wafels & Dinges has the decent Belgian waffle. Stick with the basics if you want wholesome Belgium Waffle, try the off-menu items if your feeling adventurous.

Wafels and Dinges (W&D) is a Belgian waffle purveyor that also has a line of packaged waffles sold in organic grocery stores such as Fairway, Food Emporium, and Garden of Eden. They operate out of a truck and can be found in various locations throughout Manhattan, depending on the time of day. See their truck schedule here or follow them on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date on their whereabouts.

W&D has some god dam good waffles. I like their liege waffle ($5), it’s nice and crisp on the outside and soft and chewy in the inside. They also have a good selection of dinges (toppings) to choose from; the first one is free, the second is +$1 and +$2 get you unlimited dinges or a WMD (Waffle of massive deliciousness).

In addition to traditional Belgian Waffles, they are also experimenting with nontraditional favors. These are items not on the menu and it’s a bit of a secret, but if you ask for it they will serve it. The two that I know of and have tried are their BBQ Pull Pork Waffle and Bacon & Syrup Waffle. Both are decent, but not spectacular. There may be other items on this off-menu that I am not aware of, please contact me if you know of others.

Overall, I would recommend sticking with their regular offerings for that good wholesome Belgium Waffle taste and trying their off-menu items if your feeling adventurous; either way you can’t go wrong at Wafels & Dinges.

BBQ Pull Pork Waffle – $8.00

business as usual

The Truck

Not the best, but decent for a midtown lunch.

Menchanko Tei serves decent ramen, not the most authentic but definitely acceptable. The service is fast and their prices are not too bad. They have two locations, both in midtown (131 E 45th St & 43 W 55th St), the 55 St location was under renovations a month ago and I’m not sure if they have re-opened yet.

During my last visit to the 45th St location I tired their Hakata and Shoyu ramen, both were respecable but not comparable to Ippudo nor Santoka. Their gyoza gets a huge “Don’t Buy”, it  not fresh and tastes like it’s from a package. Overall, I like Menchanko Tei for lunch, but only for it’s ramen and nothing else.

Pork Dumplings – $4.75

Hakata Ramen w/ Mochi – $10 (8.50+1.50)

Otafuku is usually crowded with people eating their takoyaki (hot wheat-flour balls with a piece of boiled octopus inside) outside of the shop because they don’t have proper seating and the customers can’t wait to eat their takoyaki (me included). There’s often a 5-20 minute wait for takoyaki because they sell so well, but you can call ahead with your order so you don’t have to wait. In addition to takoyaki, they also sell yakisoba (pan-fried noodles) and okonomiyaki (Japanese-style unsweetened pancake). Try one of their four combos, I often order combo B (6pcs takoyaki & 1pc okonomi) or C (6pcs takoyaki & 1/2 yakisoba). They don’t accept credit cards, remember to bring cash.

Combo C (6pcs takoyaki & 1/2 yakisoba) – $9

Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen is a fast food joint in a diner environment. Food is made to order and rather quickly for that matter. Their burgers are surprisingly good and the mac and joe is one of my favorites. They serve wine and beer to complement your meal as well has handcrafted milk shakes and unlimited refills of fountain drinks. Their sweet potato fries are popular amongst the crowd; I haven’t tried yet it, but I will on my next visit. There’s plenty of seating indoor and out (when weather permits) with a rest room intended only for customers (door code on the receipt). Schnippers is not the most healthiest of places to grab a bit nor is it a “must try”, but they do have decent food and it’s worth trying for individuals longing for a burger in the theater district. Be warned, Schnippers is a bit pricy and if you’re ordering a burger remember to state how you’d like it cooked, or else it will be served medium.

Mac and Joe – $6.99

Hamburger and Fries – $8.25 (5.50+2.75)

NAM SO’N is a great place to get authentic Vietnamese dishes. They’re second on my list (use to be first) of restaurants to visit for Vietnamese food, Pho Bang Restaurant is first. Nam Son’s food is very consistent and they come at a great value (huge portions at a low cost), but Pho Bang triumphs them because they’re tastier and slightly cheaper. I like Nam Son’s grilled pork chops, but their bun and pho are not bad either.

Com Suon Bi (Grilled Pork Chop on White Rice) – $5.25

Pho Ca Vien (Combination Rice Noodles Beef Soup w. Fish Balls) – $5.50

Dessert Truck is not your average food truck, their desserts are gourmet and can rival any of the big boys in the industry. They specialize mostly in chocolate treats, but also serve a couple of non chocolate desserts as well. Their truck is usually parked on 55th St. and Lexington from 12pm to 3pm (Mon-Fri) and on St. Marks Place and 3rd Ave from 6pm to 12am (Mon-Sun). Their menu changes from time to time and they tend to run out of the popular items (Chocolate Pread Pudding & Molton Cake) way before the end of their shift. I love their Creme Brulee, Pretzel Barks and Chocolate Bread Pudding.

MILK Chocolate, Hazelnut & Pretzel Bark – $3

Sapporo is a “has been” in the ramen market, they’re no longer what they use to be. I came here last saturday hoping to have some decent ramen, but instead I was greeted with watery ill flavored broth, overcooked noodles that taste like cardboard and toppings that were bland. The waiter also forgot to put in my order of gyoza, but I’m glad she forgot. It saved me $5 on flavorless dumplings that I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed anyway, this coming from my friend who previously ate at Sapporo and had the dumplings. In addition to their tasteless ramen, they also enforce a 18.4% service charge on your bill regardless of party size. I can understand enforcing a service charge on large parties, but for a party of two where the waiter does not take my order properly they’re not deserving of a 18.4% tip regardless of the actual amount. Now I’m a fair tipper and I tend to leave a larger than average percentage, but this is just wrong. One can only image why Sapporo started enforcing a service charge, perhaps many left low or no tip because their food/service is so awful. Needless to say, I won’t be dining here again.

Menma Ramen – $7.50

Shio Ramen – $7.50

Baoguette Cafe is a small Vietnamese sandwich and noodle house that looks like your average modern Southeast Asian street cafe. Their store front is retractable and on nice days they leave the complete front wall open. The majority of their customers takeout but they do have seats, either at the bar or on communal tables. Customers also have the option to order online and either pickup or have it delivered. They don’t accept credit cards, CASH only.

In terms of food, their sandwiches are decent, but everything else is very disappointing. Their bread is moderately fresh and they’re generous with the ingredients, but you can get a better Vietnamese sandwich at Paris Bakery or Bahn Mi Saigon for a fraction of the cost. Their Noodles and Rice dishes are to be avoided at all cost. They over season their meats leaving it extremely salty and unbearable to eat. If you want some real Vietnamese noodles (Pho or B’UN) or rices dishes head over to Pho Bang on Mott Street where it’s more authentic and cost effective.

Baoguette (Classic Banh Mi) – $5

B’UN BO – $9

Go Go Curry is a hole in the wall curry house that offers one of the best deals on quality curry and katsu in the city. Their name is inspired by Yankee slugger, Hideki Matsui. His jersey number 55 can be pronounced ‘go go’ in Japanese. The owner’s obsession with the slugger can be seen in the form of wall to wall memorabilia throughout the store, but that obsession translates into value for the customer because everyday night Hideki Matsui hits a home run, the following day customers are awarded with one free topping of their choice.

The menu is simple, it’s all curry with your choice of katsu (pork), chicken katsu, shrimp or sausage. There are four sizes to choose from: walk ($7), medium ($7.5), large ($8.5), and extra large ($9.5). Additional toppings like fukujinzuke, cheese, and natto range from $1-2. You can also opt to get their Grand Slam Platter with two katus, two sausages, a shrimp and a boiled egg with rice for only $12.50. If your feeling really hungry, try their 5.5 pound World Champion Platter that contains a katsu, chicken katsu, four sausages, two shrimps and a boiled egg with rice ($25). I often order their medium katsu if I’m eating alone or the Grand Slam Platter to share.

Overall, Go Go Curry is a great spot for a quick comforting lunch or dinner and I highly recommend this place if your a fan Japanese curry like me. Remember to bring CASH because this place does not accept plastic.

Their Grand Slam Plate – Perfect for 2 to share or one really hungry individual – $12.50

An ad for their World Champion Plate – weighs 5.5 pounds – $25