Does Green Symphony Deserve a Full ML Review?

Green Symphony Exterior

This week my lunchtime wandering took me to Green Symphony a Korean run deli with an emphasis on organic and (dare I say it?) healthy and flavorful food. I’ve noticed Green Symphony get the nod from multiple profiled lunchers including mostly recently Vendy Citizen Judge Zeina so I figured it was worth a shot.

Green Symphony Interior

The deli is fairly small but they pack a lot in. There were “express sandwiches” all under $6 in both vegetarian and non vegetarian options. But it was the two large steam tables filled with all manner of roasted organic veggies, brown rice, soba noodles, and health food staples like wheatberries and quinoa, that seemed to be the most popular.

Dalai Lama Bowl

I’m not quite the buffet pro that our fearless leader is so the $7.49 a pound price made me hesitant to go the buffet route. Instead I optedĀ  for the Dalai Lama ($7.95), an organic brown rice bowl topped with chopped greens, spinach, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, kimchee, soy bean sprouts, seaweed, homemade vegetable dumplings and sesame-ginger tamari sauce. The kimchi was very mild, almost more pickle-y than pungent. The dish came with 4 dumplings and a hearty serving of rice and veggies. If you have a big appetite or a fast burning metabolism I’d recommend trading up for a rice bowl with some extra protein. The bowl itself is a bit bland, but was helped considerably by the addition of the sweet yet earthy sesame-ginger tamari sauce.

The rice bowls and some of the sandwiches are all but hidden in plain sight on the paper menus available by the counter and can be found online. As Zeina recommends it’s better to order these in advance.

Chocolate Banana Cake
For dessert I grabbed a piece of their intensely dark, wheat-free chocolate banana cake which had a thin layer of fudgy frosting ($2.50). Delicious and a nice option for those who are craving a dense slice of cake

Any long time Green Symphony fans out there? Are there other dishes I should try? Any buffet tips? Should we give them a full +/- at last?

Green Symphony, 255 W 43rd St, (212) 391-4747

4 Comments

  • Absolutley delighted you gave this a shot. My coworkers and I tend to ask for a lot of variations but this really is a nice easy ‘regular’. The sesame-ginger tamari sauce is great but sometimes the Dalai Lama needs an extra serving of kimchi or a spicy sauce to mix in as well. Green Symphony is a great option when you want something fresh and health(ier)

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    I hated working in Times Square. I hated it. But I liked being near Green Symphony. If you’ve got food allergies or if you hate Duke’s (like me) – Green Symphony is your friend. The owners are so incredibly nice that you want to support them. The prices are good. The buffet is labeled for those of use who need to know “what’s in that”? I was partial to the buffet personally. I saw Martha Plimpton in there once. She was a spaz. I have to agree with Zeinmmuna above that it’s a great place to go when you want fresh and healthy options.

  • Yeah, this is a very good option for the nabe if you want vegetarian or low fat lunch options to feel less guilty about all the halal chicken lunches you’ve been scarfing down. The salads are fresh & have interesting dressings & the soups are good & taste very “light”.

    Good brands of yogurt, juices, smoothies etc…. recommended.

    My only complaint is that I wish they would vary the offerings more from day to day, but it’s a quibble.

  • Although the buffet can be pricey, it is definitely worth a shot for a filling lunch that won’t weigh you down.

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