Midtown Lunch

When it comes to pasta, the two options at lunch time are either hitting up a sit-down place, or settling for what comes off a steam table at many pizza shops. Zigolini’s does a good made-to-order pasta, but they remain closed after hurricane Sandy. Another option that some of you have recommended is Koyzina Kafe – an otherwise generic deli on William St. (at Cedar) that has a make-your-own pasta bar where you can watch your lunch being cooked in front of you. After a taste, I thought their pasta definitely has a leg up on what comes from a steam table.

The first thing to note is the pasta at Koyzina is a buck or two more than what you would pay at other Italian places in the neighborhood. I didn’t mind this since I saw them cook the pasta to order and then throw it in a pan with whatever ingredients you want. It’s a good change from baked ziti or penne alla vodka.

I ordered the brutto musso – aka rigatoni with tomato sauce and meatballs. They throw some fresh basil leaves in the pan with the sauce and pasta and sprinkle some cheese on at the end if you want. It was a simple pasta, but ended up being pretty tasty, even if the $8.75 price tag was a little steep.

They are generous with the meatballs (I counted nine of them), even if some were a little dry on the outside, perhaps from their time in the frying pan. Otherwise, I thought this was a good dish with better sauce than I’ve found at similar places. You also get a small square of bread with your meal, but it’s entirely skippable if not useful for sopping up sauce at the end.

If you want pasta for lunch at Downtown Lunch prices, you probably won’t be disappointed with Koyzina.

Koyzina Kafe, 62 William St. (at Cedar), (212) 344-9898