Secret Lunch Spot in Midtown at Tuscany Catering

January 2, 2008

People constantly ask NYC Food Guy for below-the-radar places to eat. But with an army of food bloggers running all over NYC, that task is becoming harder. Thanks to Zach at Midtown Lunch, we might have just the spot: Time for NYC Food Guy to check out the chicken parm hero ($7.50) at Tuscany, a hole-in-the-wall catering spot that also serves quality, made-to-order Italian food to individual patrons.

A cheesy, sweet-sauced mess of a hero, the chicken parm contains some thick and well-fried white meat chicken cutlets, elevating it a notch above the Ray’s Pizza and Lenny’s of the world.

A well put together sandwich stands on its own. Read on to discover even more delicious options at Tuscany.

Check out more sandwich reviews here or

NYC Food Guy has had a lot of chicken parms in his life; I’ve had them dry, overly cheesy, and over-sauced. I’ve received stale bread, flimsy bread, and one time no bread at all, just chicken and cheese in aluminum foil. While Tuscany’s version didn’t buckle my knees, it achieved a nice balance among all the ingredients. It tasted sweet and fresh. Baked in a gas-fired pizza oven, the bread was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The hero suffered due to the chicken to cheese ratio, which would have benefitted from at least one more half cutlet to even things out.

Key to success: request some extra sauce on top after the sandwich bakes and maybe even a request a side order for dipping. The sauce itself is nothing impressive but it’s sweet and tasty and gets the job done without overpowering the hero by making it too soggy or forcing all the chicken out the back. Ordering the hero on a baguette, which I was forced to do once, is also a solid and sturdier option…

…compared to the ordinary Italian Bread:

With a limited sample size for comparison, it may be premature to call this the best Chicken Parm in Midtown but NYC Food Guy feels confident in nominating Tuscany’s sandwich as a high-quality, DL spot for a satsifying, quick, and hearty bite.

Tuscany does deliver if you’re stuck at the office and they have plenty of gourmet options to choose from.

Salads range in price from $4 for a House Salad with Romaine, Mesclun, and Tomato to $12.95 for a Grilled Steak with Roasted Peppers Salad.

Sandwiches are broken down into three categories: Hot, Regular, and Focaccia.

Hot Sandwiches consists of Chicken Parm, Meatball Parm ($6.50), Roast Beef & Mozzarella on Garlic Bread ($7.50), Eggplant Rollatine ($6.50) and a few others.

The Roast Beef on Garlic Bread was pretty tasty, albeit it a little dry, the few times I’ve eaten it. The Meatball Parm was pretty delicious, loaded with three or four fat and tender meatballs spiced in the traditional Italian style.

Cold Sandwiches range from Grilled Chicken Breast Heroes ($7.25 to $8.95) with honey mustard and a few mayo choices (herb, pesto) to Rare Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream ($7.50) and Grilled Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Crust, Honey Mustard, and Romaine ($11.95).

Focaccia Sandwiches offer few options but the Genoa Salami with shaved Asiago, Mesclun, and Herb vinaigrette ($7.50) sounds intriguing as does the Smoked Chicken Breast with sundried tomato, arugala, and creamy dressing ($8.95).

I haven’t tried anything but the Hot versions of Roast Beef, Chicken Parm, and Meatball, but everything I’ve seen made to order looks pretty quality. There’s a small selection of Cape Cod potato chips and a cooler of drinks in the front so you can get a full lunch here.

There’s a skimpy hot plates section with dry looking Lasagna and Baked Ziti. I’d probably steer clear just because you’ll be in major food-coma status thereafter.

The most intriguing option may be the pizza. Tuscany makes Neapolitan and Pan Pizzas. The pan pizza is really just a round version of the airy Sicilian, but when dripping with oozey mozzarella and covered in fresh, greasy slices of sausage and pepperoni or wispy pieces of fried eggplant, you can’t really go wrong. I split a slice of the sausage/pepperoni pan pie with my brother today while we waited for the Chicken Parms and we were pleasantly surprised.

A Personal Pizza might be the way to go though I’m not sure if you can get a personal pan pizza. Options are standard but the Spinach with roasted mushrooms and mozz ($7.95) as well as the Artichoke hearts, roasted tomato, black olive, and mozz ($7.95), both sound like a nice break from the norm.

Pasta and Hot Entrees make up the final section of the menu. It seems like the pastas are made to order as the array they offer is not sitting out on the hot plates. Orecchiette, noodles resembling little shells, ($10.95) with slice grilled chicken and sundried tomato in a light tomato sauce sounds pretty tasty.

Hot Entrees range from Grilled Salmon with green sauce over rice pilaf ($11.95) to Grilled Filet Mignon ($17.95) served with a peppercorn sauce over rice pilaf or served skewered with zucchini, red pepper, and sweet onion, also served over rice pilaf.

You can’t eat inside Tuscany, this is a take out or delivery spot only and there isn’t much ambiance when you’re inside. You will almost assuredly walk by the simple storefront the first time you try to find it and once inside you will not be impressed, but listen to what your mother once told you and don’t judge a book by its cover.

Check out more great sandwich reviews here.

Tuscany (Free Delivery for orders of $5 or more)

61 West 55th Street b/t 5th and 6th Ave.

212-582-4421 (4422)

Catering: 212-582-0074

Link to Delivery Menu

Hours: 7AM – 8PM Mon. – Fri.

Delivery area: 59th St. to 48th St. from Park to 8th Ave. (they’ll deliver citywide for an additional charge)

Posted in Uncategorized