I RECENTLY JOINED ZACH BROOKS’ MIDTOWN LUNCH team to write about, well, the best lunch in Midtown Manhattan. I’m super excited to cover ground so close to home and am also kicking myself for not trying $6 spicy chicken biryani from street carts til now. But better late than never I always say.

Zach moved to Los Angeles earlier this month (to take over the world one blog post at a time), but I was able to catch him on his Farewell Lunch Tour at Kwik Meal and Trini-Paki Boys Cart to say good luck and goodbye.

I’ve always been fond of “dirty water dogs”, especially during summer when I’m wandering about hungry in Central Park, but I’m not so adventurous when it comes to ethnic street cuisine. But that changed after sinking my teeth into spicy lamb from Kwik Meal and the chicken biryani Zach got at the Trini-Paki Boys Cart. I was surprised it was so…satisfying. Pungent, for sure, but flavorful and cheap. Much more gratifying than a cold bun and $3 weenie.

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Without further ado, I present my first piece on Midtown Lunch! It turned out more amusing than intended, but I guess we can count that as a success. Thought I was talking about a gooey Japanese ingredient, but actually made an exciting sexual reference instead. Read it all on Midtown Lunch: Embrace the “Goop” of Onya’s Bukkake Udon.