Frame Gourmet Eatery
“Nestled in back end of Penn Station, it is a gem in the hobo-urine scented neighborhood.”
“I was a little worried about lunch options in Midtown West being limited to the McDonald's on the corner and the Starbucks downstairs.”
“It is tucked away on 33rd street between 9th and 10th Ave next to AP building.”
Frame Gourmet Eatery
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
6 reviews
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Things I like about Frame:
– avocado salad (though it does get picked over during the lunch rush)
– their premade sushi and seaweed salad
– their iced coffee (you serve yourself so you can get that perfect ice-coffee-cream ratio)
– they carry Davidovitch bagels and a variety of cream cheeses in the morning
– all the cashier ladies are very pleasant
Things I don't like about Frame:
– they run out of everything bagels by 9:15 most mornings
– the hours posted say they close at 4pm but I sometimes see customers still in there after 5 and am generally confused about when the salad bar shuts down
– the prices of the salad bar, Korean food, salads, sandwiches, desserts, etc.
– no basic spinach/romaine/spring greens/arugula to add to the premade salads
– I paid $2.75 for a single-serve fruit Chobani yesterday. $2.75! At least they gave me a spoon and napkins but I had to vow never again.
I'll be back, but not for the yogurt.
If FRAME wasn't so expensive I might give it one more star. Before FRAME opened last year lunch usually consisted of me bringing lunch, going to the diner or subway. I still try to bring my lunch but I know if I forget, I can dash down the block to FRAME for a quick meal or to BISTRO on 34th which opened up around the same time as FRAME.
FRAME has fresh food and has pickles from the Pickle Guys in the LES, bagels from H&H (really good with lox) and bread and or desserts from Sullivian St Bakery. They have a salad section, soup section, a buffet section $7.99/pound, sandwich section and an Asian section with sushi, udon and really weird bimbimp (see Mike B's review). I usually stick with udon with shrimp shumai. With tax it's about $8.50. The sushi is expensive but they do have a brown rice option and if they don't have what you want they will make it for you. If you ask for all the toppings it's a very hearty meal for the winter.
They also sell random organic-ish food such as freeze dried corn and such. THese items are all expensive. They also have flowers and plants for sale which are ridiculously priced.
Additional seating upstairs.
The high levels of swank that they have going on with the decor is humorous. Options include salad, soup, sandwiches, drinks, udon, bibimbop, sushi, and baked goods. The by the pound tables are currently low on options, I am sure they will fill them up quickly, but at $7.50 a pound(or $3.50 per half pound as they phrase it) its not cheap. Most exciting to me were the baked goods they get from CeciCela and Sullivan St Bakery. I picked up a chocolate tarte thing made by Sullivan St and it was divine as expected. I noticed a rack of breads that looked very Sullivan Streetlike, and I found out that they were, but for now they are just a tease and display only. Frame could certainly stand out from the pack if their sandwiches came on Sullivan St bread.
I got the gourmet salad bar here at $9.50/LB. It is doubling the price of all places around this area. It is definitely using better ingredients and they are boasting no MSG is being used.
However, I don't see that justifies doubled price. There are a ton of variety here, yes. You can get western sandwiches, burritos, salad and soup but you can also find Korean bibimbop, Sushi, etc. There are also a decent selection of desserts and cookies.
Everything looks very fresh, clean and upscale. And you pay for it.
There really aren't a lot of lunch options all the way out here, so I've gotten to know this place pretty well since I eat here at least once or twice a week.
It's not a place I would normally choose to eat at, but it's better than a lot of other places in the area (such as the deli around the corner which we have named the Smelly Deli).
It looks nice and more upscale than a lot of the places around the area. There is also a cute sitting area upstairs.
Pluses: They carry good red velvet cupcakes, macarons and a wide selection of drinks. They also have decent sushi and udon (I like the veggie dumplings). The prepared foods section is also pretty good and what I usually hit up. They usually have some type of baked salmon which is delicious.
Minuses: Several coworkers have found a variety of bugs and other things such as glass in their food before. Which is gross. To be honest, there was a panic about the glass but I'm actually more disturbed by the bugs. Despite these issues, I still eat here, which may or may not say something about me… The prepared foods is charged by the lb and I've ended up walking out with a $18 lunch more than once. Which, needless to say, is not worth it!
Stopped here on the way to Javits for a bagel and iced coffee. The employees were very nice and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal! It can be a confusing set up at first glance but it works well. Kind of more of a market than cafe, but there is a little seating area which looks onto the street.