Midtown Lunch

At first when I spotted the Taco Mexicanos truck on Maiden Lane (at Water) last week, I was excited for their tamales and tacos since I love both of those items. Then I started thinking about the fact that they had something that other places in the Financial District didn’t: Ecuadorian food. That’s right, they have hornado, encebellado, guatita and the favorite of late-night drinkers everywhere, salchipapas, aka hot dogs and french fries. After asking what all they had for the day, and what was recommended from the Equadorian offerings, I was steered in the direction of the hornado ($7) after being asked how hungry I was. Check it out in all its porky glory after the jump. Read more »

In what may be a record for quickest opening and closing, Soul Daddy – the product of the reality show America’s Next Great Restaurant – is already shuttered after a little more than one month. It was all over Twitter late yesterday and sure enough, when I walked by after work the Soul Daddy flag was still up, but the place was hiding its shame with paper over the windows. I guess not enough people liked whole wheat biscuits and baked chicken.

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 Jessica who gets grossed out by overly-meaty lunches, so it’s a wonder she reads this blog!

Name: Jessica Thurston

Occupation: Policy analyst and food blogger at Crust: Baking for Sustaining

Where you work: 26 Federal Plaza, Tribeca

Age: 23

Favorite Kinds of Food: Thai, Cuban and French

Least Favorite Foods: I’m a vegetarian, so anything meat-centric or extremely heavy and fattening isn’t too appealing to me.

Favorite Lunches Downtown: The chilled avocado sandwich at Pecan Fine Foods on Franlin (at W. Broadway), especially when a warm walk in the sun is a needed distraction during the day; Wasabi-crusted tofu and a pear ginger muffin from Birdbath Bakery on Church St. (at Thomas); A mix of grain salads and roasted vegetables from the food bar at Zeytuna on Maiden Lane (at William) in the Financial District when I can’t make up my mind. And if I have time for a long lunch with co-workers, I can’t resist the blood orange margarita at Red at the South St. Seaport.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Avocado rolls (sensing a theme?) at the Sun Cafe on Reade (btw. Broadway & Church) followed by whoopie pies from Tribeca Treats on Reade (btw. W. Broadway & Church).

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The opening of the Nixtamalito Taqueria kiosk was a big deal for the area around city hall and the 1 Centre St. building that was mostly void of decent lunch options. Since that opened several of the other kiosks nearby that were vacant have become occupied, selling things like burgers and cafe fare, quiche and gluten-free pizza, fancy grilled cheese and shaved ice. One more is set to open next to Nixtamalito, selling Korean BBQ, making this one of the most concentrated areas of decent lunch options downtown. Click through for a look at what municipal workers and those on jury duty can look forward to come lunch time.

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