Cheap chow near NY Hilton?

[chowgirl]

I'm heading to NYC in March for a conference and will be staying at the Hilton on 54th and 6th. My meal allowances are pretty miniscule by NYC standards, so I am trying to find the cheapest but tastiest options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner near the hotel. More concerned about breakfast and lunch options within walking distance of hotel as I plan to do most dinners with friends and family in the city.

Thanks in advance.

[Blumie]

Topaz, on W. 56th between 6th and 7th, offers solid (if unspectacular) and moderately priced Thai.

[JoLi]

Agreed! Especially for lunch, all items are under $10.

[MikeG]

I meant Hallo Berlin's cart near 5th (the restaurant owner actually runs the cart himself.) The OP is coming in March, which or may not be cold - around here you never know with early Spring. ;) Lines aren't usally silly except maybe at the very height of lunch hour, so go a little early (12-12:30). When he runs out of things, he's out until the next day, so going later doesn't work out very well.

[bigmackdaddy]

The name of cart stand is Hallo Berlin (or Berliner), they also have a restaurant on 10th Ave by W.44th Street if you don't feel like dealing with the cold.

[JoLi]

The cart mentioned above is not the same as Hallo Berlin.

I do second the chicken on rice cart on the SW corner of 53rd and 6th avenue. make sure to go after 8pm as the day cart is different and not nearly as good. Be prepared to wait in a long line.

[bigmackdaddy]

The Hallo Berlin cart on W.55th of 5th Ave, the Hallo Berlin on 10th Ave. by W.44th and the Hallo Berlin in Upstate NY (rt 11 near Binghampton, NY) are all the same people. Unless some buy outs occured that I do not know about. Same owner, same Schaller & Weber.

[bigmackdaddy]

Whoops! My apologies, Ms JoLi. I re-read the original cart and it's location, etc, post. You're absolutely right. Please forgive my presumption and transgression. Have a Berlin Weenie on me.

[JoLi]

No problem! I still need to try Hallo Berlin.

[Sean Dell]

Big thumbs up to the burger joint in the lobby of the Parker Meridien (56th). You'll spot it by the line of hungry people, so really try to get there before noon if work allows. Otherwise, early evening.

- Sean

[pacz]

^ditto the food cart and the extra white sauce^

[rinamonkey]

The chicken and rice cart. It's amazing. Ask for extra white sauce.

[cheftamara]

Isn't that food cart right on the corner? Forgot the name of it. Delicious. Follow the smell. It's the one on the SW corner of 53rd & 6th.

[MikeG]

"Wu Liang Ye has a lunch special for $6.95"

I don't know if it's true for all the locations, but the one on 48th St. stopped offering the specials for sit-down lunches several years ago. They're still available, but only to go. (And you should call ahead or be prepared to wait as long as 15-20 minutes during the height of lunch time.)

[belle]

I really like Soba Nippon for Japanese noodles and their lunches are 10-15 or so and they give you a lot of food.

[MikeG]

(Sorry, Sapporo is on 49th St., not 48th)

[MikeG]

China Fun (on Broadway & 52nd St.) is good, if hardly outstanding, Cantonese/HK Chinese. Noodle soups and dishes and dumplings are better executed IMO than random dishes from the main menu. I'm very, very fond of Wu Liang Ye, but it's completely different. I'll also add that their takeout lunches are not their best stuff, though I did used to eat it 2-3x a week when I worked nearby. lol

If you feel like a little more of a walk (I'm thinking lunch time), there's a decent ramen place on W 48th just east of 7th Ave called Sapporo. A little grungy, but I'm told not un-reminiscent of neighborhood "ramen joints" in Japan in that regard. The food isn't bad at all (that's a compliment) and prices are reasonable.

There are also a lot of carts around that part of town at lunch time. I think most of them are grossly overrated but you can go look and smell for youself - you won't be able to miss them. If he's there that early in the year, there's a German sausage vendor near 5th and around 55th St worth the walk and even a wait in line (from me, a huge compliment.)

Apple Jack diner is absolutely nothing to write home about, but you can get a decent full breakfast there at not-so-touristy prices. That's on Broadway around 54-55th Sts. (And FWIW, it's a pretty typical "NYC diner", warts and all.)

A little further away is 9th Ave, probably the most concentrated site of "interesting, cheap" (more like "cheaper" these days) food in Midtown, but a bit of a hike if you're on a tight lunch schedule.

[wench31]

For cheap and good Italian food, try Ralph's Restaurant at 862 9th Ave. It's on 9th and W.56th St.

http://www.menupages.com/restaurantde...

[RGR]

If chowgirl is willing to go as far west as 9th Av., there are other good inexpensive options in the 50's there.

Uncle Nick's for Greek and Old San Juan for Puerto Rican/Argentinian. Menupages has the details.

[scooter]

Wu Liang Ye - Szechuan, not super cheap but well-regarded 36 W 48th St

Burger Joint in the Parker Meridian 118 W 57th Street (near 6th Ave.) - get there before noon, the wait can be a stressful 30 mins

La Bonne Soupe, bistro, a nice value - 48 W 55th St (btw 5th & 6th aves)

[RGR]

Wu Liang Ye has a lunch special for $6.95, which includes a main course, choice of rice, and spring roll. Served weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The restaurant is on 48th, b/t 5th & 6th.