There Are a Few Potential Midtown Lunches at Sachi Asian Bistro

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It’s a litte out of bounds, but I wandered over to the newly opened Sachi to see if I could get a decent meal without spending too much money. The sleek, modern restaurant is owned by Pichet Ong (the chef behind Qi Thai) and Andy Yang (the owner of the Rhong-Tiam food truck). We also got word that they offer some lunch specials at under $10.

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The menu does indeed list some lunch specials that start at $8.95. Options feel pretty diversely Asian with pad thai, ramen, bulgogi, and even a Singaporean laksa dish. I had a tough time deciding, but the one thing that was calling my name was outside the ML $10 limit. I had heard about the Shaking Beef and as I read the description, my mouth started watering so I mindlessly forked over the $13.

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In my defense, it sounded like I was going to get lots of food. The Shaking Beef Bento Box included soup, salad, a sushi roll, and a choice of dim sum.

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After a decent miso soup, a large plate was brought out and I think the size of the plate highlighted how little food I got for my $13. Bento boxes are usually crammed together in a small container so your mind at least thinks you have lots of food. Not the case here.

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I was particularly disappointed with the portion size of the beef. I can handle four California rolls or two crab shumai, but I did want more beef on the plate. That being said, the flavors were good. The charred beef and onions had a strong ginger flavor and a bit of sweetness. It was a little chewy and salty, but ultimately tender and cooked nicely. The saving grace here, as usual, was the rice. It was the reason I didn’t leave too hungry.

But $13 for rice doing its job is not quite what I was hoping for. Perhaps the true Lunch Specials are a better deal. I did notice that most of the plates on the other tables also looked rather small. But I’m willing to give this place another chance. And if you find yourself out of bounds, you could certainly do worse.

Sachi Asian Bistro, 713 Second Avenue (btw 38th and 39th St), (212) 297-1883

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