Midtown Lunch

There’s isn’t much on offer for lunch in the seedy stretch of Canal St. near the Holland Tunnel other than a Roll & Go selling pizza and hot dogs, and West Side Coffee Shop with its Latin fare in heaping portions. As I was walking by Tribeca Bagels between Broadway & Wooster the other day I noticed a sign offering beans and rice with an array of proteins, next to one advertising $1.99 cheese pizza slices. A step inside this bodega/bagel shop/deli mashup showed that that do indeed offer beans and rice, and a by-the-pound buffet with some weird variety.

The rice and beans is $6.99 and comes with steak, chicken, scrambled eggs or meatballs as your topping choices. I went with chicken, and was asked if I wanted onions and peppers, which I did. Then some chicken was thrown on the griddle with the vegetables and cooked for a good five to 10 minutes. This is not exactly as speedy as I’d imagined.

While I waited, I checked out the by-the-pound buffet next to a counter where everyone seemed to be eating those cheap slices of pizza. In addition to french fries and onion rings, there were toasted bagel halves, fried plantains, fruit, rice and a few unidentified meats in sauces.

My meal was finally ready and I could smell the peppers and onions through the bag. After I dug through the thin, chopped up chicken breast and deliciously greasy vegetables, I uncovered the real gem of the meal which was the beans and rice underneath. The chicken was a little dry on its own but once mixed with the saucy beans was delicious. If I were to do it over again I’d probably go for the steak since it probably wouldn’t be as dry.

If you’re looking for beans and rice they do them up right, but if it’s good meats AND beans and rice you’re looking for, you’re better off around the corner at West Side Coffee Shop even if it is more expensive.

Tribeca Bagels, 374 Canal St. (btw. Broadway & Wooster), (212) 226-8518