Midtown Lunch

The pernil and other meaty products from Sophie’s Cuban (Multiple Locations) get most of the attention, but they also offer a few seafood options on their daily menu, and a couple of special dishes on Fridays. If you want to get lunch for less than $10, the fried fish special will not only fill you up, but it’s pretty good if you make one important addition.

There’s also a shrimp dish on the regular menu, but it’s more than $10, so I went with the more humble fried fish ($9) which comes with two sides. On Fridays they have cod fish stew, if that’s your thing.

As my sides I got rice and black beans, and plantains, and they give you so much rice that it could be a meal on its own. Between that and the huge piece of fish that was taken from a warming cabinet and placed on top along with a handful of plantain pieces, this could easily feed two and keep both people full until dinner. I also got the optional marinated onion that I was offered, because I almost always say yes to more food.

The key to enjoying the fried fish here (which is a little dry from its stay in the heated cabinet) is to dress it up with some of the green sauce, aka crack sauce, that Sophie’s offers. It not only helps out with blandness issues, but adds some needed moisture. It’s not on the menu, but I’d say the fish would make an excellent sandwich with some green sauce, lettuce and perhaps plantain.

My only gripe with my meal was the level of salt involved in the beans and rice. I love salty things, but I drank about two huge glasses of water after eating lunch, so you may want to have some liquid handy to quench your thirst. Otherwise, this would make a fine, filling Lenten lunch if you’re tired of falafel or fish McBites from McDonald’s.

Sophie’s Cuban, 141 Fulton St. (btw. B’way & Nassau), (212) 608-9900; 96 Chambers St. (btw. B’way & Church), (212) 608-9900