Burrito Box & Tuscany Catering: Midtown Redux

March 26, 2008

NYC Food Guy shines the spotlight on two Midtown spots that are still as good as the 1st time I reviewed: Tuscany Catering & The Buritto Box.

They were delicious the 1st time, curious how things could get better? Read on…

I love Tuscany Catering and the Burrito Box. Why? Because their food’s delicious and they’re hidden gems. And the fact that they’re in Midtown, the most barren wasteland for affordable, delicious food, only ups their stock. Without further ado, I give you food porn:

Tuscany Catering (55th b/t 5th & 6th Ave.) serves some of the best pizza and sandwiches in Midtown.

It’s main business comes from catering to offices but they also serve food from lunchtime until around 7:30pm. In addition to what you see below they serve a great Chicken Parm.

Sausage & Pepperoni Pan Pie ($3.50/slice)

This bad boy is thick, puffy, and light. It’s crispy and not too doughy and is filling enough to validate the price. The sauce is sweet and the meats are always crisp and tasty.

Regular Pan Pie Slice ($3.50)

Well worth the price because it’s so filling. Not their best slice but I show it to you so you can get a sense of what a slice looks like out of the pan.

More pan pies: eggplant parm and vegetable

A diesel Sicilian pie ($3.50/slice)

Each slice is $3.50 and huge. Sauce is the same as other slices, crust is big and airy, a little doughier than I like and not very crispy. Obviously very filling.

Below is the hot items area where you’ll order your sandwiches. The menu never changes. Meatballs, Eggplant Rollatine, Chicken Cutlets, Baked Ziti, Chicken Noodle Soup are all standard.

Eggplant Rollatine Hero ($6.50) on an Italian hero

I recommend the baguette for all heroes but they usually run out. The Italian bread is also tasty, especially when toasted, so don’t worry. All sandwiches are put together first then placed in the pizza oven to cook. You can see the melty ricotta peeking out on the top half. This was a good hero but in the end I’d go with the Chicken, Bacon, Mozz over both….

Chicken Cutlet, Bacon, Mozzarella hero on Italian bread ($7.50)

I added lettuce, tomato, and some hearty honey mustard as you can see in the 2 photos below. This sandwich is excellent. The bacon was well done, the cutlets are crisp and flavorful while remaining moist inside, and the cheese, as always, is plentiful. This is my new go to sandwich at Tuscany. I might not go with the Honey Mustard next time though, it wasn’t as sweet as I’d have hoped.

Fresh Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies ($1.00 each)

Don’t be fooled by the larger, pre-wrapped cookies on the counter in the back. You want the cookies cooling in the racks next to the register. These puppies are small and overpriced but they’re filled with so much melty, chocolate goodness it’s worth the price to finish your meal with this sweet treat.

The Burrito Box (9th Avenue b/t 57th and 58th St.) is hands down the best Tex-Mex delivery you can get in Midtown.

Find out why and see photos of their delicious steak quesadillas, grilled chicken soft tacos, and awesome chips and salsa here.

Grilled Steak Burrito ($7.95)

This torpedo is short but thick (that’s what she said) and jakked up with juicy steak, moist Spanish rice, black beans, and in my estimation, too much sour cream. I’d opt for sour cream on the side unless you like a lot in each bite. Either way, the steak is juicy, fresh, and flavorful and the beans and rice are cooked well, not too firm. Pair this with a larger order of store made chips and salsa ($2.95) and you’re in business.

Hard shelled beef tacos ($5.55 – two per order)

They’re the only thing in my many times ordering Burrito Box that didn’t really stand the stress of delivery. The cheese coagulated on top of the tacos and the shells got a little soggy, especially at the bottom. Eat these only in store. Go for the soft tacos instead. Check them out here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little show. You can’t go wrong with either place. If you know of any hidden gems that you’d like to see on NYCFoodGuy.com please get in touch and let me know.

I’m all about the hidden gems, ambiance be damned. My mission is to bring you the best and most affordable places everywhere!

Tuscany

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) – Free Delivery for orders of $5 or more