Midtown Lunch

I’ve long been meaning to check out Sunrise Mart on Broome St. (btw. Wooster & W. Broadway) but I knew it would require a train ride and the focus of a ninja to avoid leaving this place with enough food for five lunchers. The other day I had some extra time on my hands and decided it was time to see what kind of lunch I could get for $10 or less.

There’s a seating area up front to enjoy your lunch, either procured from the back counter of hot food, or from the cases of sushi and bento boxes. Or I suppose you could buy a bag of shrimp chips and call that lunch. While you’re eating, you can enjoy the cries of “Sumimasen” coming from the cashiers every five seconds.

There are so many choices it’s a little mind-boggling. There are various hot dishes and cups of french fries on the counter as well as signs advertising ramen soup and Japanese curry. These tempted me, as did the reasonably-priced sushi rolls (mostly $6.99, with sashimi for about $11). But then I saw the selection of bento boxes in the refrigerated case and I knew what my lunch would be.

There were several varieties of both Japanese and Korean bentos and I went with one called sake nori ($7.49) which included salmon, tempura fish, a tiny eggroll, pumpkin, pork gyoza and some nori. The salmon was awesome and it was a large piece for the price I paid.  I really can’t complain about anything in this bento.

I’m not quite sure why but I impulse bought a salmon onigiri ($1.99) because clearly I needed more rice and salmon. After eating about a third of it I gave up and came to the conclusion that a couple of these on their own would  make for an insanely cheap and filling lunch.

Anyone who complains that Soho is expensive for lunch clearly hasn’t been to Sunrise Mart (or works on the other side of Broadway). I feel like there’s something for every kind of cheap luncher here and you can pick up some soy sauce on your way out.

Sunrise Mart, 494 Broome St. (btw. W. Broadway & Wooster), (212) 219-0033