Midtown Lunch

I am always looking for a reason to travel to the farthest reaches of downtown, so on the recommendation of Lunch’er Katie, I headed down to the Water St. Gourmet Deli on Water (btw. Broad & Moore) for some Tabasco chicken. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into but figured since I liked all things spicy this wouldn’t be too much of a gamble. Find out what this lunch blind date looked like after the jump. Read more »

• Good wings can be found at Mudville 9. [Eating In Other Areas]
• Do you like free whiskey? [Downtown Eating]
• Anybody know of a good dessert/booze place? [Eating In Other Areas]

Taiwanese potsticker seller A-Pou’s Taste seems to be a permanent fixture in the line of carts on Liberty St. (at Broadway), and I had only eaten there when they were fairly new at the first ever Pushcart Market and still trying to work out some major kinks (mainly, long waits). Since then they’ve moved from the East Village to the Financial District and every time I walk by there’s a line so I figured it was time to eat there again for review purposes before the Vendy Awards this Saturday where they have a shot at being crowned the Rookie of the Year.

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As is customary here on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we’ll profile a different lunch’er and get their recommendations for places to eat in Downtown NYC. This week, we have Mark who dislikes being a creature of habit come lunch time, likes steak sandwiches and is looking for good deals without having to eat on a park bench.

Name: Mark Uhl

Occupation: Design studio manager

Where you work: Soho

Age: 37

Favorite Kinds of Food: North African, French comfort food, and Peruvian and Mexican in my Jackson Heights, Queens nabe.

Least Favorite Foods: Deli fruit salad (especially the melon), Greek diner home fries (I’d prefer to eat the potatoes raw and unadorned), cheese sandwiches, and meat on rice with white sauce from any Halal cart (it’s a great dish until you eat the whole thing and need to go home for the rest of the day).

Favorite Lunches Downtown: Papatzul on Grand (at W. Broadway) for mole de almendra – the best mole in NYC, Mooncake Foods on Watts St. (btw. Thompson & 6th Ave.) for the steak sandwich, Big Wing Wong on Mott St. (btw. Canal & Hester) for the pork and noodles, Peep on Prince St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan) and Spring St. Natural on Spring St. (btw. Cleveland Pl. and Lafayette) for the chicken burger. Read more »

The paper has come down on the new location of Chickpea on John St. (nr. William), and in its place are two flat screens flashing pictures of baked french fries and directing you to their Web site. That would be fine and all, if it weren’t replacing a sign that said the location would be open after Labor Day, you know, two weeks ago. I peeked inside to see how ready to open it looked, and I’m guessing in the next few days despite no signage being up. If anyone sees that they’re finally selling baked falafel and shawarma, let us know in the comments.

I, like most office workers in the Financial District, don’t really venture too far into the South Street Seaport area unless forced to for happy hour or out of town guests. The dining options are overpriced and mostly grim, targeted toward the tourists that are the bread and butter of the place. One day I wandered into the indoor “mall” of the Seaport, and discovered what may be the weirdest food court in Manhattan. Sure, there are a couple of chain restaurants (Subway, Nathan’s, Edy’s ice cream), but other than that it’s a collection of independent vendors heavy on the Americanized Asian food. See what your bourbon chicken options are after the jump. Read more »