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 Jeff who’s a relative newcomer to the Downtown Lunch scene but has already managed to find most of the quality places for Vietnamese sandwiches.

Name: Jeff Baum

Occupation: Litigation paralegal

Where you work: Broadway and Liberty St.

Age: 30

Favorite kinds of food: Spicy, authentic Thai food, or a really good steak.

Least favorite foods: Generally not the biggest seafood fan, especially for lunch.

Favorite lunches downtown: If I can spare the time to walk up, Xi’an Famous Foods on Bayard St.  (btw. Mott & Elizabeth) in Chinatown for liang-pi noodles is untouchable. More locally, I really enjoy the sloppy bao at Baoguette on Nassau (btw. John & Fulton) and the Taiwanese dumplings at the A-Pou’s Taste Cart (Multiple Locations). My grandfather and I try to get together for lunch every few weeks, and for a nice, sit-down place that’s pretty reasonable, Les Halles on John St. (btw. Nassau & Broadway) was excellent.

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I know many of you who work in the far reaches of Soho or the upper part of Tribeca by the Holland Tunnel probably frequent Mooncake Foods on Watts (btw. Thompson & 6th Ave.) because there’s not much else in the area other than a couple of Latin luncheonettes and some street meat carts. I however, had never made it there for lunch despite hearing nothing but good things about its food. The other day I was looking for an excuse to leave the Financial District for lunch, and what do you know, the Vietnamese pork meatball hero ($8) at Mooncake called my name.

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If you don’t have lunch plans on Thursday and happen to be near City Hall, there’s a rally planned by the Street Vendor Project (yes, the people behind everyone’s favorite gluttonous event, the Vendy Awards) from noon to 3 p.m. in support of two bills. Those bills would lower fines, such as the $1,000 one that vendors have to pay for minor infractions. According to the SVP, they’re trying to get 1,000 vendors plus supporters for the rally. You can find out more info about the event here. Graphic courtesy of the SVP.

Mmm…soup in sandwich form. Courtesy of SENY.

• The Taim location coming to Mulberry St. will be its flagship! [Grub St.]
• North End Grill serves a bacon & peanut butter pizza at the bar. [FitR]
• A look at the new ‘wichcraft sandwiches. Sign me up for the gruyere! [Serious Eats NY]
• It’s recommended you eat Oro’s fruit tarts in a timely fashion. [Lunch Studio]