Midtown Lunch

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 Wan-Hsi and Landy, who are the co-founders of http://www.8coupons.com/ and just so happen to live and work part-time in the FiDi. And in true Downtown Lunch style they like meat and dislike vegetarian food.

Names: Wan-Hsi Yuan & Landy Ung

Occupations: Co-founders at 8coupons.com.

Where you work: The FiDi & Chelsea

Ages: 30 & 31

Favorite Kinds of Food: We love all kinds of food.  We’re not picky eaters… but if we had a choice, for Wan-Hsi, it would be meat or Japanese cuisine or anything with meat in it.  Did we mention Wan-Hsi likes meat?  For Landy, it’s sushi. More specifically tuna, but only the fresh ones.

Least Favorite Foods: Vegetarian.  Landy doesn’t mind not having meat in a meal as much as Wan-Hsi does, but she’s not that into vegan.  Although they both like tofu a lot.  Landy can eat edamame all day long (and has done it).  So maybe that whole vegan thing is not entirely true…..

Favorite Lunches Downtown: Niko Niko on Pearl (nr. Wall) & Hot Clay Oven on Maiden Lane (at Pearl). You simply can’t find a better deal on sushi here in the FiDi.  If you can wait (or eat again) after 3pm, all their sushi is 30% off. Hot Clay Oven is a new cool joint here in FiDi.  It’s basically Indian Chipotle without the crazy lines.  Their signature thing is their naan bread, which is used in place of the “tortilla.” They have a cinnamon dessert naan that’s to die for when you eat it right when it comes out of the oven.  Also, the mango lassi is probably one of the best lassis in NYC, and we love mango and have tried a lot of lassis.
Read more »

Even hardcore Downtown Lunch’ers need to lay off the street meat every once in a while and go over the $10 mark. So we’re breaking the rules to give away a dinner for 2 worth $120 at The Harrison on Greenwich & Harrison in Tribeca, courtesy of deal site BlackboardEats.com. I know there are a lot of freeloaders out there, so if you’re not already, sign up for BlackboardEats and then you have through Friday to let me know in the comments why you should get to eat dinner for free. On a side note, there’s an upcoming deal on the site for 30% off  at The Bailey Pub & Brasserie in the FiDi, which is normally out of ML price range.

The last couple of times I’ve been in the lower part of the FiDi there’s been the Dominic’s truck selling Italian sausages and (more importantly) cheese steaks on Whitehall (nr. Water). I haven’t tried it yet, and I thought I’d throw it out to you guys to see if anyone can tell me it’s worth eating at. In other words, is it worth venturing past the Trinidad & Tobago Cart and All American Diner I & II Truck parked nearby?

I don’t know about all of you, but normally when I want Indian food I don’t head to a place that’s a transplant from Long Island and touts how healthy its food is. In Soho the options are somewhat limited for Indian food options at ML prices (other than Lahore Deli), and Hampton Chutney Co. on Prince St. (btw. Crosby & Lafayette) is also one of the only places nearby that serves dosa. I was a little leery that the attempt at making my food healthy would sacrifice flavor, but I headed there anyway to see if it was Downtown Lunch worthy.

Read more »

Columbine has reopened next door to where it used to be on W. Broadway. Courtesy of Tribeca Citizen.

• If you like the sandwiches at Torissi Italian Specialties, prepare to get excited. [Grub St.]
• The food at Lahore Deli is just as good late at night. [Serious Eats NY]
• Some of the 10 best things to eat in Soho are actually $10 or less! [Fork in the Road]
• Could it be that the tortas as Toloache are as good as the tacos? [Eating In Translation]
• Soho’s panini shop Salume is one restaurant getting an outdoor pop-up cafe. [Eater]