Manhattan tourist lunch: Bill's Burgers

I've eaten at this tourist destination in Rockefeller Center before but I never reviewed it here.

Bill's has a wall of "reviews" from different magazines and critics all claiming they make a mind blowing burger. And it's good, considering that they only serve their burgers at medium temperature, which is usually code for pre-frozen. All of their patties have a lovely crusty chat at the edges from whatever metal surface they are fried in. They usually use a pretty good cheese. But the rolls are a bit too fluffy and can become fragile.

On this trip, I was told by our server that the special of the day, a Reuben burger, "may sound crazy, but is actually very good." you have to feel for a person that deals with enough people actually shocked by combinations like this that they feel the need to preface the description with a disclaimer.

It sounds crazy...

A thick slab of mediocre corned beef and a little bit of sauerkraut don't exactly justify the $3 premium over one of their other cheeseburger combinations on the menu, but it was good and met my expectations. Lots of melted Swiss held the other toppings to the beef patty. Next time I'm just getting the standard cheeseburger with Swiss cheese.

My lovely companion ordered the Mahi tacos, which are a go to dish here for me when I'm on lunch break from work. Three soft flour tortillas hold wonderful grilled hunks of spiced fish, and fresh limes on the side add some tangy fresh bite when squeezed on top There's a spicy sauce and some avocado, and fresh jalapeños can kick it up a notch.

Mahi Tacos

You'll find more creative dishes elsewhere, or similar dishes for cheaper, but if you're in midtown and want something pretty solid and dependable, you should keep this on the radar.

-SdJ

Crisp on Wheels (yes, another food truck)

I've seen this truck on my twitter feed from time to time but was never really sure what they served. I honestly thought they made fries and other fried foods, maybe like a British fish and chips type of thing based on the name. I was wrong. They even have a couple of restaurant locations too. Who knew?

The truck

Falafel is the name of the game here. Not the most original idea in New York city, I know, but they've put some effort into making it stand out from the crowd. The packaging, first and foremost, is a little over the top. Tear away boxes with the company logo obviously aren't as cheap as some foil and waxed paper, and I'm sure I'm absorbing that cost at $8.50 for a sandwich.

There's at least $0.50 of your meal right there

What's inside, at least, is a bit more interesting than your average street falafel pita. Choices of toppings you won't find anywhere else are the main draw here. There are plenty of other combinations but I chose the "Crisp Africa" with peanut sauce, bean and corn salad, sliced cherry tomatoes, and soft cooked sweet potato schmeared inside of the pita, (I was hoping for whole wheat, but they were out, and ended up with white,) that held my fresh falafel balls. Iceberg lettuce has a cheap connotation, but it's crisper and lighter than romaine or something and I liked it in here. "Habanero harissa" sauce was listed and I'm guessing that's what the green stuff was in the little cup on the side, but I'm used to habaneros being yellow to orange, and Harissa being red. Maybe I was inadvertently subbed something else, which would explain the wonderful flavor of cilantro in that sauce... Anyway, the falafel was a deep, (and yes, crisp,) chestnut brown on the outside and a fragrant sea green on the inside. Good combination with that green mystery sauce. Top notch.

Overflowing pita!

The "guacho mint" iced tea isn't worth the $2.25 listed on the menu for the little 12oz cup if you order it a la carte, but you might as well throw one onto your meal for a dollar. It's basic but refreshing, without any nasty sweeteners.

There are certainly cheaper falafel carts and trucks, (even brick-and-mortar stores,) but the falafel here is spot-on and the choices of toppings are unique. Try them at least once.

-SdJ

Big D's Grub Truck

This is becoming a food truck trilogy this week. Today, however, I'm reviewing something less sweet than the ice cream sandwiches from yesterday: Big D's Grub Truck. Of course they have a twitter, like all the other cool Manhattan food trucks, and thy usually pack it in by around 3PM.

Look for the Yellow Truck

The tacos are great, and at three for $7, they're a pretty good deal and you can sample different fillings in each one. I tried the spicy chicken, spicy pork, and bulgolgi. They are full to the point of overflowing with well seasoned meats and topped with cucumber and either scallions or cilantro. Fresh lime to squeeze on top adds lovely acidity to these somewhat oily proteins.

From Left to Right: Spicy Chicken, Pork, and Bulgolgi

The spicy pork was my favorite. They were actually hot enough to merit the adjective, and flavorful with the kimchee purée and whatever is in "Big D's secret spice mix." The bulgolgi was tender and well marinated but needed a little of the sriracha to kick it up a bit. The spicy chicken itself was somewhat flavorless except for the heat from the mayo and the fresh coppery flavor of the cilantro on top. Next time I'm trying the ginger chicken instead.

Pork dumplings were a last minute addition at four for $3. Two sauces for dipping were free, and I chose spicy mayo and sriracha. They were a slightly worrisome pink inside, but otherwise delicious. They were extremely flavorful and garlicky and the spicy mayo was an excellent choice of sauce in which to dip them.

Dumplings and fixin's

You won't be winning any good feelings standing too close to coworkers after eating here, but this truck is a great deal for some very solid food in Manhattan. I hear they have breakfast, too...

-SdJ

Seoul food truck, manhattan

I've heard about this truck from a coworker for months, but I never actually made it out to try it until this week. The line of people was a dead giveaway that something worthwhile was down the block between Madison and Park.

Crowding around for Seoul food

I had the burrito with brown rice, sweet 'n' spicy pork, and the spicy mayo. I made a pretty solid choice, but it wasn't as spicy as it sounds, and for $9.25 after tax, it was just ok.

Sweet 'n' spicy pork burrito

The brown rice was firm and toothy. Hearty and filling, certainly, but not exactly memorable. The "sweet and spicy" pork was sweet and oily, but not very spicy, and the mayo didn't do much to make up for this.

Don't get me wrong: Seoul Food's burrito was still flavorful. It just wasn't what it sounds like on the menu. Ask for sriracha or something to add some heat if you actually like spicy food.

Bottom line: it's good but not amazing, and you can get a lot more for you money in midtown, especially if you're eating at a truck.

-SdJ

Manhattan Lunch, the Morris Truck

Since I work in midtown, I'm used to packing a lunch in order to avoid $25 meals or the standard deli fare that is available. Sometimes, though, I get to catch one of the dozen or so gourmet food trucks that park in the loading zones on Park or on one of the 50s for a few hours, and this time I tried the Morris Truck.

I walking up Madison when I saw several people carrying the small brown paper sleeves of grilled cheese sandwiches, and I knew there must be something good nearby. Round a corner, and the line of people waiting in front of the utility-gray truck was a dead giveaway.

For my first time at the Morris, I tried two different sandwiches and a drink special. The Cucumber Lemon Basil iced tea was incredibly refreshing on a hot August day in Manhattan. Mostly cucumber and basil and sweet, the lemon and tea flavors weren't in focus. There aren't many herb and vegetable combinations I'd actually enjoy drinking on the regular, though, and this is one of them.

Grilled cheese sandwiches here start at $4.50, but jump up to $8-11 as soon as you want something fancy. Chewy sourdough seems to be the bread of choice here, and it's toasted darker than golden in a panini press.

I tried the Ale Cheddar, which had meatloaf, pickled daikon, and house-made ketchup. The cheddar cheese was blended with something milder and meltier, and held together well without separating. The meatloaf had an almost pâté flavor to it. Meaty and delicious, it was sliced very thin and totally encased in melted cheese. The daikon was a nice counterpoint, and had a firm but not too hard texture.

The Aussie Frites sandwich had delicious slices of duck fat fried potatoes, fungal raclette, and house-made (truck-made?) sweet chili mayo.

The sandwiches here are hearty enough that one would suffice for lunch, and they offer several soups in cup and bowl sizes if you want a little extra something something. They have a twitter, and if you find yourself near their parking spot of the day, it's worth a stop.

-SdJ

The menu of Grilled cheeseseses

The Ale Cheddar

The "Aussie Frites" sandwich

Mmm... Crusty sourdough

Stop sign on the truck. Wise words. Word.

Drink Menu. They make al their own sodas here apparently?