NYC Tastes

Working in Times Square just got a whole lot better last week.  NYC's newest food hall City Kitchen finally opened its doors and unleashed a slew of great food options.  There's a couple East Village favorites like Whitman's flipping their incredible burgers... ...and Luke's Lobster churning out all three of their rolls Lobster, Crab and Shrimp. One of my neighborhood favorites Ilili Box has all sorts of Mediterranean delights like their rich Duck Sharma, Phonecian Fries and crispy Brussels Sprout topped with mint yogurt and fig puree. Ramen fans won't be disappointed with Kuro Obi.  The Kuro Moderne from this Ippudo offshoot is just as porky and rich as the original and the fat, delicious Hirata Pork Buns make an appearance as well. Azuki has a long sushi counter at the end of the hall with fresh sashami, house rolls and salads. Plus there's all sorts of tacos from Gabriela's Taqueria including Al Pastor, Cr...

Midtown got another great lunch option this Fall with the addition of Luke's Lobster.  Located in between 43rd and 44th street, this location has a long spacious interior complete with picnic style seating and a big patio in back perfect for catching a little afternoon sun. Obviously the thing to get here is seafood be it shrimp, crab or lobster.  I was planning to have a big dinner later that night so I just wanted something small.  Lucky for me Luke's lets you order their rolls in both full and half portions which is perfect if you just want a little nosh. Chilled lobster meat held together by just a touch of mayo, lemon butter and spices all inside a buttery toasted roll.  It's a little taste of Maine smack dab in the city. Luke's Lobster 207 East 43rd Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenue New York, NY

To kick off the start of College Football Super Saturday Funday we decided to head down to Luke’s and check out the lobster rolls. Luke’s is a really tiny place on 7th street right near some of my other favorite food spots like Caracas Arepas, Porchetta, Wechsler’s and Abraco. The small store only has about two tables and a couple seats up front for dining. We decided to place our order to go so we could find a more spacious place to eat our food. Luke’s has a chalkboard menu up front listing their items and the specials for the day. I was surprised to see some of the big meals they advertised like“A Taste of Maine”. It came with three different rolls, a pair of empress claws, chips and a drink all for $20. That’s a pretty good deal. I wasn’t feeling like a huge meal however so I stuck with the standard lobster roll. Luke’s lobster roll is smaller than Pearl’s but also less money at only $14 a roll. They use the standard buttery toasted hot dog bun and fill the roll wit...