Midtown Lunch

Normally when people go to Chinatown it’s for, well, Chinese food or maybe a little Vietnamese or Thai. While I’m sure there are a handful of Korean restaraunts lodged in that part of the city, I wasn’t really aware of them, except for Jup She (formerly Li Hua). It’s a tiny place on Grand St. (at Baxter) with no real sign so you have to watch out for it. The reason I trekked all the way up to Chinatown for Korean food is that there really isn’t much to choose from in the Financial District unless you want Soma By Nature, Bon Chon or Cafe Hanover. Plus, I’m all about a Korean lunch box for less than $10, which I feel is a rarity (especially judging by the crappy-looking box Chris tried at Cafe Hanover for more than $10). Take a gander at what was in Jup She’s arsenal after the jump. Read more »

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 Chloe who is in search of “love”-filled Mexican food and is wondering, like we all are, what happened to a certain BBQ truck.

Name: Chloe Knox

Occupation: Energy underwriting

Where you work: On Water St., close to Hanover Sq.

Age: 26

Favorite Kinds of Food: Sushi, falafel, churrasco with a ton of chimichurri & cebollitas, anything with garlic, dumplings, and most importantly – any and all authentic Mexican food: chilaquiles, tortas, carnitas tacos, etc.

Least Favorite Foods: Liver

Favorite Lunches Downtown: I gotta shout out Sam’s Falafel cart on Cedar (nr. Broadway) and the Gatehouse on S. End Ave. (at Albany) for sushi – you got me through those tough years in the World Financial Center dead zone.  Niko Niko on Pearl (btw. Wall & Pine) is great to grab right after the gym (I usually go for salmon sashimi & edamame), and Zaitzeff on Nassau St. (at John) is great for a killer burger with a bunch of their hot mustard & mixed fries. Read more »

It’s been mentioned twice now by profiled lunch’ers, but until a few weeks ago I had no idea the Barbarini empire existed. It’s on Front St. (nr. Beekman) off the main drag of South Street Seaport, on a nice little stretch of cobblestone street. One lunch’er recommended the spaghetti alla chitarra, while another mentioned the speck, taleggio and frisee sandwich. The little Barbarini empire exists in three forms: Mercato, Ristorante andAlimentari. The Mercato part sells Italian products, with a meat counter, and reminded me a lot of Despana. Make sure if you want anything to go, you go into the Alimentari entrance or you will look like a confused tourist. It was a sandwich I was after because although the homemade pastas sounded delicious, the cheapest one is $13 and I wasn’t prepared to eat spaghetti while sitting on a bench outside. Read more »

This is better than a wonton, courtesy of Me So Hungry

• Contrary to logic, the wontons are not the best thing on the menu at East Corner Wonton. [Me So Hungry]
• This sandwich from Grandaisy Bakery sounds tasty despite its lack of meat product. [Fork In The Road]
• A sandwich with roast duck and duck sauce, you say? [Serious Eats NY]
• Never fear, Hoomoos Asli has redeemed itself after a bout of mediocrity. [Lunch with Front Studio]

Do you like golden-hued pastries stuffed with meat? And would you like to pair one of those patties with some chicken and rice and peas for less than $10? Well, then Golden Krust is the place to be since they have a $5 lunch special of either curry or stew chicken with “veg” and rice and peas. I realize this is probably not as good as going to either of the Veronica’s Kitchen or Little Ochi carts downtown, but it is slightly cheaper and a little more accessible for those who work in the northern part of the Financial District. I went to the location on Nassau St. (btw. John and Fulton) to try out the lunch special and finally try one of their patties that I see everyone in my neighborhood eating. Read more »

There was a huge amount of excitement last year when word came that a cart selling banh mi was coming to the Financial District. Longs lines ensued. Really long lines. Well, the No. 1 Banh Mi Cart is still down here, at Pearl St. and Hanover to be exact. Prices are up $1 since Daniel visited and the menu is different. There’s also a giant picture of summer rolls on the side for identification purposes. Read more »