Great news for all who love good, cheap food, and waiting in long lines

There will be a Trader Joe's in Chelsea!

The huge space that used to be Barnes & Noble on Sixth Ave and 21st Street will now house everyone's favorite high quality yet low cost grocery store. Lookout, Whole Foods!

Trader Joe's Official Site
Trader Joe's on Wikipedia
Cute You Tube unauthorized commercial made by a TJ's fan

Lunch Special @ Hill Country

So, you know how a make-your-own salad pretty much anywhere will run you somewhere between $8-$10? Well, at Hill Country you can get a delicious make-your-own salad, a delicious quarter chicken, and a drink (such as a Texas sweet tea) all for that same price. Go there. This is BBQ at it's best, people.

"Anyone can cook"

That's what I learned from Ratatouille so I decided to see if it was true. I chose to make my second favorite food: penne alla vodka.

Picture 1: The cooking process


It took over an hour to buy everything and prepare it. It was pretty good. My roommate described it as "delicious" but I don't know if he was just saying that. I've tasted better penne alla vodka. I don't know what the secret is. Perhaps I should use less tomatoes and more cream next time. I also did not have parmesan cheese, and I think that could have enhanced it.

Picture 2: Today's lunch

Don't Forget about KoFoo

We have been pushing so hard to find new and relevant material for the blog that I have been neglecting the 2 or 3 places that used to be the only 2 or 3 places I EVER ate around here. So, taking a break from the new and exciting Chelsea lunch scene, I returned to my roots yesterday. That's right, I'm secretly Korean. KoFoo is still delicious and they still give you enough food to feast for 2 days. Yesterday I had the Jap Chae and today I had the rice it is served on top of mixed with the side of Kimchi (plus Nicole's side since she hates it). I know the kimchi is not for everyone (I saw the horror in Terry's eye's when he smelled what was cooking in the kitchen) but I wanted to put in a plug for this restaurant since I've heard a lot of talk about people being "over it". Get back on it people. Remember where you came from.

$1.30 Lunch

I admit there is nothing satisfying about yogurt and peanut butter and jelly for lunch but I was quite pleased at how much I paid.

2 Yogurts = $1.20

PB&J = ~$.10

Actually, with this soda I just got, the cost just went up to $1.55. Oh well. I'll probably have to use all this money I saved to get a larger dinner anyway.

Must be An Indian Thing

Books & Bagels

I found myself complaining about my lunch to Allison so I figured I'd share it...

Joshua (2:13:41 PM): I would like to tell you about my lunch
Allison (2:13:53 PM): go on.
Joshua (2:14:04 PM): I went to Books & Bagels and I couldn't decide what to get
Joshua (2:14:17 PM): but they had a new item on the menu: avocado and roasted pepper on focaccia
Joshua (2:14:28 PM): however, it was higher priced than everything else on the menu at $8
Joshua (2:14:29 PM): still, I got it
Joshua (2:14:49 PM): while it was cooking, I realized I should have gotten the macaroni and cheese or the bialy pizza
Joshua (2:14:51 PM): but it was too late
Joshua (2:15:15 PM): It tasted decently but it was a mistake.

I can't say I was completely disappointed though, the bread was actually really good. However, I need to stay away from the vegetables next time.

Books & Bagels is a kosher-certified cafe on 19th street between 6th and 7th ave.

Burrito Bol 2

I think I can say without hyperbole that today was the most roundabout trip to Chipotle of my life.

The plan was to make up for lost time this lunch break with the love of my life, Boston Market. Upon arrival, I saw that the line was out the door, and BM was not in the cards for me today.

When hungry and listless on 8th & 23rd, my mind automatically goes to Kofoo. This turned out to be an even worse option, as there were at least 10 confused looking people ahead of me in that tiny little restaurant. My social phobia kicked in, and with "Terrible Lie" filling my headphones, I fled.

It is in moments like these that I usually fall under the spell of Pita Grill. Remembering a couple unfavorable posts on this very blog pertaining to PG, I knew that that would be a foolish choice.

I had little choice but to go to Chipotle. The odds were certainly against me--the line had almost lapped itself when i got there, and there was a man dressed in tinfoil standing outside the door trying to interview people. I took a moment to reassure myself of the efficiency of the Chipotle employees and my own uncanny ability to awkwardly ignore freaks, and I stepped inside.

I am not going to lie--the atmosphere in Chipotle was frantic. The line moved more slowly than usual, partially due to bottlenecks in service and partially due to people in line not paying attention when a 4-foot gap has opened up in front of them. It is possible that some thought me guilty of the latter, as when I am lined up at the door, I always leave a gap in front of me so that people may enter and exit comfortably. It should be noted that do the same when driving.

By the time I got to the counter to construct my burrito bol, the employees were downright manic. Several had veins in their foreheads that were in danger of bursting. The process was so rushed that I was not even warned that my guacamole would cost extra. I then laughed to myself, imagining throwing a fit over the price ("nobody told me it was extra!!").

As a meal though, a burrito bol can hardly be beat. My meat of choice is carnitas (shredded pork). It practically melts in your mouth. I also would be tempted to try to order just a bowl of their rice. It is consistently delicious.

I learned a lot about myself today. Some good. Some bad. Did I eat lunch, or did lunch eat me? We may never know.

The aptly named "Spice"

Much of the office ordered from Spice today and I happily jumped on that bandwagon.

Pros: My chicken red curry definitely had some spice to it (hence the title of this post) and those shrimp fritters were quite good as well.

Cons: It seems they increased their prices from the time we called in the order and the time we actually received our meal. (Still, the prices are quite good.) Also, what was supposed to be a vegetarian soup came with a seafood surprise (pictured here).

All in all, though, Spice offered up a solid Thai meal. Let's do this again sometime.

Fish n Chips from F&B

As lunch time approached today, I was overcome by feelings of uncertainty. I had not even given my lunch a cursory pondering up until that point.

I hastily decided to make today Boston Market Day, since I skipped that little slice of heaven last week. On the way there, I resolved to get the largely unknown breaded chicken cutlet with white sauce as my main course, with mashed & gravy and stuffing as my sides. I entered Boston Market and saw a long line and the ol' surly, detached staff I've grown to love. As I perused the menu, I realized that my beloved chicken cutlet has gone from being largely unknown to utterly non-existent.

It was at this moment of realization (an anagnorisis, if you will) that I made the snap decision to get lunch two doors down at F&B.

F&B is mainly known for their "gourmet hot dog" selection. I certainly appreciate hot dogs, but I have a tough time making one the main event in a meal. I saw a fish n chips poster on my way in (F&B oddly does not have a proper menuboard above the point-of-sale, which is disconcerting), so I decided to go with that. I made it a combo for an extra 25 cents, and got lemonade!

This meal did not disappoint. F&B is not reinventing the wheel with this fish & chips thing, but the beer-battered fish was impeccable, and the fries were well above average. If I didn't sit in such a prominent position in the office, I probably would've dipped my finger in the tartar sauce.

I look forward to making F&B a regular lunch place going forward.

Madison Sq. Food Market

This market is unique (see photo) and closes on November 1st, so check out the food scene at Madison Square park before then. You don't have to eat Wilbur to have a good time. In fact, I recommend the crepe's. Warning though to go early because you'll wait in line for an hour if you try to order a crepe between 12:30 and 2:00 and after that they're practically out of food. The puffs (chicken and pumpkin) are a great option for those short on time and the fried banana (battered and smothered with nutella) might have been worth the $5 I spent on it. I liked it so much I went back for dinner (there's beer and wine, which of course is not relevant to the lunch blog, but a nice to know if you are considering dinner. Enjoy.

Updated Fresh&Co. From Guest Blogger Nancy Meyer

Today’s update to Fresh & Co. experience:
Today, I decided to have the same sandwich but with a side salad (yeah, I am a creature of habit or I wouldn’t have gone to the no-name deli most days for so long). I remembered from yesterday, Fresh & Co. doesn’t have small side salad’s you can get off the shelf. So, I stopped at Guys and Galliards along the way. While I was waiting to pay, the young woman at the cash register jokingly asked the gentlemen in front of me where he was yesterday and then to determine if he was a traitor, asked “did you go to that new place down the block (referring of course to Fresh & Co.). He laughingly said no, but then she said, “It looks all clean and new, but I hear they have rats.” I looked at her with surprise on my face and she repeated it again to me. Okay, so instead of being appalled and getting something else for lunch, I ignored her warning and stuck to original my agenda and got the sandwich.

Lunch tasted fine, but now I wonder about Fresh & Co. …..was the rat warning something the cash register lady was told to say to all customers that stray, was it a rumor she believed, or was it the truth..…what do you think?....and does it make you hesitate to try Fresh & Co.?

Fresh & Co. 2

After reading about RSX's "Wingday," I gots me a hankering for some buffalo wings, or something similiar. I checked Fresh & Co.'s menu and guess what? They offer a Buffalo Chicken Crisp Panini Melt served on Whole Grain Focaccia Bread! I promptly reached for my coat and was off. Several minutes (and a few pedestrian mishaps) later, I was sinking my teeth into one and it was goooood! Guest Blogger Nancy was correct about it being pricey, but this is Manhattan, duh! One other note: It could've used a little more chicken for my taste.

Fresh Review from Guest Blogger Nancy Meyer

FRESH & CO.

Okay, so I’m finally tired of the hot and cold salad bar at my usual deli on the corner of 7th and 27th (the no name Udon place). Since yesterday was such a beautiful day, I decided to venture further down 7th to the new Fresh & Co. and was rewarded with a pleasant experience. The atmosphere is bright, new, clean and spacious. The food selections are impressive, including pizza, Panini’s, make your own salad bar (well, you don’t really make your own…..you tell the person behind the counter what you want), pasta (like Terry heard), etc.

Being my first time, it was a bit overwhelming and the lines were long, especially for salad which was what I initially wanted to get. So, I decided to go for a ready made sandwich and fruit salad. There were quite a few interesting choices and I opted for the turkey, watercress, cucumber with lemon/dill mayo on whole wheat bread (all sandwiches were on whole wheat bread). I wasn’t disappointed; it was very tasty and satisfying.

Two notes of caution: (1) to avoid the lines, go either a bit before or a bit later than the rush (2) It was a bit pricey for what I had….about $11.00. Thanks goodness due to OTX’s generosity, my seltzer was only $.25.

Wingday

RSX NY has a new ARM and what better way to celebrate than with a lunch filled will buckets of wings, waffle fries (sides of cheese -OBV) and some fried chicken. I'm originally from Upstate NY - home of the Bufallo wings and I LOVE WINGS! I found that Atomic Wings (has multiple locations throughout NYC some better than others) has delightful wings - medium extra wet are my ultimate favorite...plus, you can't go wrong with waffle fries with cheese!

Here are some pictures from our "hot" team lunch:




Meet Bryan Goletz...he loves wings, too! (especially while watching the Yankees in the playoffs!)

Roasted Turkey & Brie from Cosi

I've been absent from blogging the past two days, because I've been fortunate enough to be given delicious yet unbloggable lunches Tuesday and Wednesday.

Today, the plan was to head to Johny's. On Thursdays they serve beef stew, and who doesn't like the sound of that?

Life got in the way, however, when I got to Johny's and saw approximately seven people waiting to order ahead of me. Plus, I realized that this is far from beef stew weather.

I found myself directionless, with my tail between my legs. It was in this state that I remembered the existence of Cosi.

As lunch options go, Cosi is woefully uninteresting. And it has a terrible name. For years, I refused to recognize it as anything other than Xando. And when it was called Xando, I refused to recognize the "Zando" pronunciation, in favor of "X and O."

While Cosi is a terrible name, and while it definitely belongs on Stuff White People Like, I am still a sucker for this sandwich. It's simply turkey, brie and honey mustard on flatbread. And it's delicious! The cheese is definitely bottom-shelf, but for $8 including chips (or carrots! hahahaha!), what more could I ask for?

Fresh & Co.

http://www.freshandconyc.com/

A new location opened this week at 30th and 7th. What with this being a lunch blog and all, I won't bother to discuss my delicious scrambled eggs on whole wheat sesame bagel sandwich washed down with a strong Sumatra brewed coffee, breakfast I enjoyed yesterday, but I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention because it appears to offer a lot in the way of lunch too. There are even rumors of a made-to-order pasta bar! Please share should you decide to pursue it.
Thanks,
T

Survey says . . . eh

Once in awhile Nicole and I decide to go to pita grill even though we always leave slightly angry at the mediocre menu, overpriced food and rude staff. I check in a few times a quarter to see if any of these components have changed. To save you the trip, they have not. I will report back in Q1'10 when I'll inevitably go there again, order the same thing, and feel the same remorse. I always get the vegetarian platter. It comes with 5 falafels, 2 grape leaves, hummus, babaganosh, salad, taboleh, carrot tahini and a pita. It is a ridiculous amount of food, but $12 is more than I usually spend on lunch. I recommend this to anyone who is really hungry and equally indecisive. You do not have to choose when it comes to the vegetarian platter. It comes with everything. Except meat. And hotness (it's cold). The vegetarian platter is like the Jonah Hill of lunches. There is a lot of it, and it's enjoyable, but when it comes down to it, there are better options out there.

Cheeseburger & Onion Rings

Today, I made the fairly lengthy trek to New York Burger Co on 21st & 6th.

While there are several places to get burgers along the way, I find the trip to NYBC to be intensely rewarding.

The burgers are simple, yet elegant. Mine simply has Monterrey Jack and shredded lettuce. As an avid fruit hater, I ask them to hold the tomato.

While french fries are the classic hamburger companion piece, I choose to wash my burger down with NYBC's onion rings. They're so enormous and greasy that they serve them with a fork.

EDIT: Please note that I waited for my burger alongside Mo Rocca.

Deep Fried Butter

http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/03/deep-fried-butter-to-hit-texas-state-fair/

Gettin our Ud-on

Three bloggers enjoyed udon for today (Alex was kind enough to sacrifice for the sake of blogging diversity). Since this will likely result in 3 entries, I am not going to speak to how delicious, cheap, hearty and satisfying this stuff is. I am just going to tell you where to get it. For the longest time when people would ask, I would say, "it's at the place next to the rainbow deli." I was always pushed for an actual name and came up short. But that wasn't going to cut it for the lunch blog, so I took it to the next level and did some research. When I first looked, I thought it must not have a name because it was seemly nowhere to be found. But then logic took over and I realized that everything has a name. So I took 5 steps back, stood on my very tippy toes and and scanned the back of the enormous green awning. There, in tiny, barely visible print: Lily Farm. What a lovely name. Unfortunately, this name is not going to help you unless you are at least 5'6 with 20/20 vision and have some time on your hands to search. So we are back to where we started. There is amazing Udon at a on 7th next to the rainbow deli. Go enjoy.

Smoked Turkey & Brie

Today, I am enjoying this beauty from Austin's Cafe.

The contents are simply smoked turkey, honey mustard and brie.

I am uncertain about Austin's' choice of baguette as the bread. I am more accustomed to Cosi's flatbread presentation. The baguette thus far has been a bit on the chewy side.

Not pictured: Delicious split pea soup.

We lunched and we learned... but we didn't blog about it!

We were all so busy with actual work today that we didn't blog about lunch on the lunch blog. This is egregious. Let's get our priorities straight people.

So, since I'm sure you're all just dying to know, here's the lowdown: Bill hooked us up with some fancy pizza. Thanks Bill. Another shout-out goes to Jim for accompanying the pizza with a great presentation.

Pita Grill & Tim Horton's

I stopped by Pita Grill on my way out (7th & 26th/27th). The verdict: not bad. I ordered a chicken and rice bowl. It had feta and golden raisins and some other stuff. All the ingredients were fresh and tasty but the bowl was almost all rice. Very expensive rice. Annoying.

Next stop: my beloved CANADIAN Tim Horton's (calling it Timmy Ho's will earn you street cred. up North) (7th & 32nd). Got an iced cap. for dessert. Cappuccinos classify as dessert here because they're amazingly sweet. Don't bother ordering this if you want anything that resembles coffee. On a side note, I realized why the Cruller is my favorite donut. This donut has twice as many calories as many others.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

This is the first year of the Mad. Sq. Mark't (~ 25th & 5th) where you can find such treats as Fatty Crab, Cabrito, Hill Country, Suzette, and Viking Danish Cuisine, among others.

I homed in on the crepe place (Suzette) where I went with the chicken curry puff as well a fried banana smothered with nutella for dessert ($5 for both). I can't provide you with any pictures because I devoured everything in seconds. Deeeelicious. I hear the pumpkin puffs are also amazing... and then, of course, there are the crepes....

This gem and the rest of the "mark't" will be open until November 1st.

Click here for more info: https://www.madisonsquarepark.org/programs/default.aspx

Healthy vs Cheap

Today I decided to go to Whole Foods for a 'healthy' lunch. I haven't been in a while and when I got there I remember the reason why...not only are the lines awfully freightening, but the options are overwhelming! I finally decide to make my own rice and bean plate because they had delicious looking sweet plantains (mmm, plantains)...

Step1 - the inspiration is to be healthy so I go for brown rice and add a little barley and wheatberries...Step2 - the beans...they are beautiful looking black beans that didn't look canned, these looked fresh...Step3 - the mouth watering plantains piled on to hopefully supress my sweet tooth from jumping into the kitchen for a kit kat later on...and finally Step4 - some grilled chicken just for fun.

At this point the plate was super heavy and I was extremely nervous to see what Mr Cash Register had to share with me...ends up it was $12!!! $12 for rice, beans and plantains! I only had 3 tiny peices of chicken! I was sooo annoyed!!!

Then I realized...I could have gone across the street to the Spanish restaurant and get a half of chicken, full plate of spanish rice, beans and plantains for $6 - and it would last me 2 days! Not only the price difference - but this "healthly' version is dry, flavorless and gross.

So why did I stop going to Whole Foods for lunch? oh yeah, easy to remember - it is overwhelming, has long lines, and is SUPER EXPENSIVE!!! (and not to mention it's only been a few minutes since I'm done eating and I'm hungry again...totally not satisfying...awesome...time to go get that kit kat).

Throwing Down the Guantlet

I am eating a combination of leftovers and Trader Joe's so nothing worth blogging about, but since it has come to my attention that this blog is gaining some street cred, I want to throw out a challenge to anyone reading. I do not think this can be done, so there will be prizes* if anyone can find one of the following:

A Thai restaurant in the area with a better lunch deal that Spice
A sushi restaurant closer than Kami with a 2 roll lunch special that includes both soup AND salad
A halfway decent Mexican restaurant anywhere in Manhattan (I wouldn't even bother trying with this one)

Keep in mind, a breakthrough in any one of these categories could change lunch at OTX forever. This is your chance to make company history.

*Note: Prizes will most likely be lame and of little monetary value

Burrito Bol 1

Today's lunch is far from original -- a Burrito Bol from Chipotle with carnitas, black beans and guacamole. When I'm feeling especially shameless, I ask for extra cheese.

Boston Market Day

Hopefully, this will be the first in a long ongoing series of posts.

At least once a week, I get lunch from the oft-forgotten, under-appreciated Boston Market. These are among the most satisfying meals of my life. Today's choice was turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy (obvs) and corn. I cannot make any promises in regards to saving room for cornbread.

Going Green

When is the last time you saw packaging this inventive? If it has been too long, head over to Bombay Garden on 7th between 24th and 25th. $7 will get you a curried meat or vegetable of your choice along with naan, chutney, the vegetable of the day, some shredded lettuce wrapped in tin foil (advertised as "salad") and a ridiculous amount of rice. I had some curried chick peas because I love chick peas and they're high in fiber. I feel full. Uncomfortably full. And I haven't even started in on the tin foil yet.

Every once in awhile I get an odd hankering for Toasties spicy chicken combined with their sesame ginger dressing. I cannot explain why this combination is good. Today, I must be looking skinny because the guy making my salad put an entire chicken on it. I had trouble getting to the greens through all the carnage. Now I am debating how to get my leftovers home. Growing up in New Mexico, I am of the belief that any type of leftover can be combined with rice, wrapped in a tortilla and considered a whole new meal. I don't just see a pound of chicken sitting on my desk right now. I see a pound of potential.

3 Words: Deep. Fried. Oreos.

Get them at Rub on 26th between 7th & 8th.

Twinkies: "5 ingredients come from rocks"

read on here: http://www.divinecaroline.com/22107/35281-twinkie--ingredients-revealed

Thanksgiving Special

Today, I am giving thanks for a great work week by picking up the Thanksgiving Special at my new spot, Toasties. My sandwich consists of turkey, stuffing and gravy. I had them hold the cranberry sauce, but now I am questioning that decision. Today is not the day for regrets, however. I am focusing on being thankful for a satisfying lunch.

Custard Comments

I love Shake Shack more than it is healthy to love an establishment. I want to marry the Shack someday and have little Shack babies.

That said, I've been dissapointed with the custard flavors of late. Septembers Balsamic-Fig? The seemingly ever-present Salted Caramel? Ruby Red? Come on. Red's not even a flavor. It's a color.

Ko Foo Ramen

I think I have to stop ordering Ramen from Ko Foo. There are several reasons for this, all of which I believe to be valid. First off, it has to be terrible for you. I am a salt junkie. Seriously, when I was younger (not that much younger actually, or at least not younger enough for it to be socially acceptable), I used to pour salt in my hand and eat it. When I was younger than that, I used to make myself Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup and pour soy sauce into it. A lot of soy sauce. That is how much I love salt. While the ramen from Ko Foo is Delicious, I found myself all strung out and dehydrated after work yesterday. I must have emptied my Brita 7 times, and it was never enough. There is some serious sodium in that Ramen. But it's addictive. Here I am less than 12 hours after my hydration crisis and it's all I can think of to eat. That's not healthy. I have to cut it off. But can I go cold turkey? Do they make a sodium patch, or some gum. I would love salt gum. If someone hasn't invented that yet, they should.

Reason #2, it's a widely known fact that Ramen costs 50 cents at the grocery store, meaning it probably costs half a penny to produce a package of Ramen. I am paying $6.50/week to support my habit. The added value of Ko Foo is that they make the broth spicy and add rice cakes which are chewy and delicious. They also include sprouts and scallions, but honestly who cares? I think I could make a similar lunch for under $1.00 whereas other items at Ko Foo (the Japchae for example) I couldn't make if I tried my absolute hardest and even if I could it would be expensive. I know this to be true because I recently tried to make Japchae from a recipe Lilyan gave me at it was a complete disaster. And expensive.

So, in conclusion, I am asking for your help. If you see me eyeing the ramen on the menu, stop me. Remind me that I can get udon for $1.50 less that is just as good or that I can get something fancy at Ko Foo that will help salvage New York's water supply later on. I appreciate your help. And I'm glad we had this talk. I seriously need to get to work.

Bagel Day

Grease Monsters Part II: Eye Candy

10 Secret Menu Items

By Stacy Conradt

(Mental Floss) -- Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to seek out covert items at fast food chains around the country.

Not all food items are always listed on restaurant menus.

Be warned, this mission includes very real dangers such as hardening arteries and skyrocketing cholesterol. We've compiled a list to get you started.

1. If you're at Starbucks and in need of just a little caffeine, don't worry -- there's a tiny option for you. It's the Short size, and they don't advertise it. It's like a little baby cup of coffee. It also comes in handy when you're scrounging for change and don't have enough for a tall (not that that has ever happened to me).

2. It's a good thing we don't have Jamba Juice here in Iowa, because I would be all over candy-based smoothies. Because it's considered a health-food chain, Jamba Juice doesn't officially list these on their in-store menus, but the Web site Mighty Foods assures us that the secret flavors exist.
The ones they confirmed with the company's headquarters include Strawberry Shortcake, White Gummy Bear, PB&J, Various flavors of Starbursts, Fruity Pebbles, Push-Up Pops, and Skittles. Other tantalizing flavors that are rumored to exist: Chocolate Gummi Bear, Apple Pie, Sourpatch Kid, Tootsie Roll, and Now and Later.

3. This one might be my favorite. At Fatburger, you can order a Hypocrite -- a veggie burger topped with crispy strips of bacon.

4. Chipotle has a whole secret menu that is limited only by your imagination -- they have a store policy that says that if they have the item available, they will make it for you. Things that have been tested include nachos, quesadillas, taco salads and single tacos. Some stores are testing out quesadillas as a regular menu item, however, so maybe someday soon you won't need a super-secret handshake to order one. Mental Floss: 7 food promotions gone horribly wrong

5. If you're at Wendy's and you're really hungry -- like, three-patties-just-won't-cut-it hungry -- go ahead and order the Grand Slam, which is four patties stacked on a bun. This option is only available at select Wendy's, and it's also known as the Meat Cube.

6. Several places, including McDonald's and In-N-Out, will serve you the Neapolitan milkshake. It's just what it sounds like -- chocolate, vanilla and strawberry shakes layered in a cup.

7. In-N-Out Burger's "secret menu" isn't so secret these days -- in fact, they've posted it on their Web site. But in case you're not in the habit of surfing fast food Web sites, here's the skinny on their rather un-skinny items: ordering something "Animal Style" at In-N-Out means you're going to get it with lettuce, tomato, a mustard-cooked beef patty, pickles, extra spread (it's sort of Thousand-Islandy) and grilled onions. You can even get your fries Animal Style. Mental Floss: Why is it called "Thousand Island" dressing?
"Protein Style" is a burger wrapped in a lettuce leaf instead of a bun. A Grilled Cheese is two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato and spread on a bun (grilled onions if you so choose).
And you can get just about any combo of meat and cheese that you want if you order it like you're ordering lumber: 3×3 gets you three beef patties and three slices of cheese, 4×4 gets you four of each, and so on. According to photos posted at SuperSizedMeals.com, one gluttonous patron requested and received a 100x100 at a Las Vegas store a few years ago. One item not listed on the Web site secret menu: the Flying Dutchman, which is two slices of cheese sandwiched between two patties, hold the bun.

8. Feeling a little health-conscious at Popeye's? If you are, you really should have gone somewhere else. But there's a little hope for you -- ordering "naked chicken" will get you breading-free poultry. The word is that this is on the menu at some Popeye's, but not all of them, although it is an option at all of them.

9. Like Chipotle, Taco Bell will make you just about anything within reason as long as they have the ingredients for it. Since most of the food at Taco Bell is made out of the same basic items, that means you can probably ask for most discontinued items and get them. One "secret," though, is that they have a not-advertised green chili sauce at most locations, and apparently it's excellent.

10. Some Subways will still make you the popular pizza sub from the 1990s. Once the chain decided to make their focus healthy eating, the pizza sub disappeared from the menu in most places (the word is that Canadian and Mexican Subways still offer them on a regular basis). But if you ask, lots of places will still make it for you. Be warned, though -- Jared would not approve of the nine slices of pepperoni and copious amounts of cheese slathered in marinara sauce.

Today's Bulgogi Bob

My lunch lacked originality today. When the words, "What's your order?" popped up on AIM, I was in no mood to innovate. Still, the Bulgogi Bob (thinly sliced lean beef marinated in special kofoo sauce with onion, carrot, scallion over rice) from Ko Foo remains a classically simple and quick lunchtime treat. Special thanks to Hillary and Jose for making it all happen.

Grease Monsters

Alex's onion hash from brgr had alien grease that soaked through 7 layers of foil, 2 tiers of a paper bag, and 17,000 napkins (approximate numbers). Still we have deemed it worthwhile due to extreme deliciousness. Check back with her in an hour to see if this verdict stands.

Welcome to the Blog

This blog was inspired by me having free time while waiting for tabs and a healthy debate about the merits of Brgr. I have never blogged before, but have always thought I should start since I have a lot of thoughts that I'm sure no one cares about but in my head, people are just dying to hear them. So I thought a lunch blog was a good place to start. We can refer back to it when deciding where to eat so that Jose never forgets again that burgers are a lunch option in America.