Midtown Lunch

I can’t always offer a good explanation of why I like a place, and Jou Jou Cafe on the corner of Nassau and Maiden Lane is one that stumps me a bit. It’s not the tastiest or the cheapest or the nicest or the most creative, but I still find myself coming back.

Maybe it’s the always-very-friendly staff, or maybe the consistently interesting selection of sandwiches. Or maybe it’s just that while Jou Jou is not superlative in any one category, it does well in all of them. Whenever I go – which is pretty often – I feel like I’ve gotten a good meal for a good price.

You’ll find drool-inducing photos of two such meals after jump.

Tasty Meal #1:

It’s a hot pressed sandwich with portabello, mozzarella, grilled onions, and pesto ($5.95), and it’s excellent. Just the perfect blend of flavors. It’s not huge, but it’s not tiny either, and hot sandwiches always seem more filling to me.

Tasty Meal #2:

The “Cranberry Sandwich” ($6.50) is another winner. I’m seeing more and more renditions of Thanksgiving leftovers sandwiches out there, but this one is a good specimen of the breed.It’s got turkey, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and cranberry relish, but the best part is the bread it’s served on, which is raisin-pecan. The whole sandwich has a nice sweet-tart-savory balance going on.

In addition to the variety and creativity of their sandwiches, I actually think the bread is what helps set Jou Jou apart from other sandwich vendors in the area. Even though the sandwiches are pre-made, the bread is always fresh and delicious.

So there may be no single compelling reason to go to Jou Jou, but there are lots of pretty compelling reasons, which have proved sufficient to get me there on a regular basis. So if you haven’t yet, swing by Jou Jou one of these days and see if they can’t compel you.

Jou Jou Cafe, 24 Maiden Lane (at Nassau), (212)619-1089