Midtown Lunch

Now that’s a handsome sandwich. Courtesy of Serious Eats NY

• The prosciutto cotto, brie and grilled zucchini sandwich at Pepe Rosso To Go is good, but another sandwich in their roster is better. [Serious Eats NY]
• A mannequin of a small child beckons you into a Chinatown clothing boutique where ice cream and tea await. [Grub St.]
• Fro-yo and coffee purveyor Joyride made its first trip downtown and plans to be in Tribeca on Wednesdays. [Tribeca Citizen]
• Strawberry tarts are like the supermodels of the pastry world, and the one at Ceci Cela does not disappoint. [Lunch with Front Studio]
• Those behind the revamp to Pier 25 in Tribeca are on the hunt for snack vendors. Might I suggest a taco stand? [Eater NY]

Bacon? Check. Mac ‘n’ cheese pancakes? Check. Courtesy of Blondie & Brownie

• The Mo’betta at Shopsin’s looks like a heart attack on a plate, but is a feast for the eyes. [Blondie & Brownie]
• The food at the new Bouley Studio may be slightly out of ML price range, but I still want to go to there. [Serious Eats NY]
• Banh Mi Saigon’s banh cuon salad is pretty refreshing, and its new space still has jewelry, contrary to popular belief. [Lunch with Front Studio]
• The sandwiches at Salume are good, but a bit on the pricey side, while the shop is nicer than your average deli. [Feisty Foodie]
• Bluebird Sky has both a peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich, and muffuletta. Sold! [Grub St.]

Who doesn’t like a good blood sausage? Courtesy of Serious Eats NY

• Spanish food purveyor Despana has a menu ripe for nibbling and picking for lunch. [Serious Eats NY]
• The sandwiches at Grandaisy Bakery in Soho are a good substitute when the line at Alidoro is too long. [Lunch with Front Studio]
• Not all pork buns at Mei Li Wah Bakery in Chinatown are created equal. [Food In Mouth]
• Eating at Congee Village nets some hits and misses, but it’s large and has a full bar. [Feisty Foodie]

Clay pots: Better with meat and rice than plants. Courtesy of Eating In Translation

• Chinatown’s A-Wah serves its specialty bo zai fan, or clay pot rice, with all kinds of tasty toppings. And you can actually order the crispy pig hanging in the window. [NY Times], with a bonus slide show at [Eating In Translation]
• The fried chicken leg over rice at Excellent Pork Chop House is “the bomb,” and the pork chop is, well, “excellent.” [Food In Mouth]
• The Post tells of three “secret” spots in the Financial District to go eat your lunch so you don’t anger your co-workers with your kimchi and anchovy sandwich. [NY Post]
• A fourth location of Birdbath Bakery is opening on Church St. in Tribeca, meaning more hoity toity baked goods for your belly. [Eater NY]
• The Meatball Shop on the LES grinds an insane amount of meat for their meatballs. Why must this place be so far from the FiDi? [Grub St.]

Why would anyone not want to eat fried dough? Courtesy of Lunch with Front Studio

• There is a magical cart on Canal St. in Chinatown that sells 15 hotcakes for $1 and apparently some people need convincing to try them. [Lunch with Front Studio]
• The otherwise pretentious-sounding Pecan Cafe in Tribeca sells a lunch that offers both a crapload of food and comes in just under the ML price guidelines. [Serious Eats NY]
• The guacamole at Pinche Taqueria is sad and watery, and the tacos are bland. On the upside, as least they were kind of cheap. [Feisty Foodie]
• If only the almost out-of-bounds Doughnut Plant were a little closer to the Financial District, and this doughnut could make friends with my stomach. [Blondie & Brownie]
• Oh dear…J&R Electronics now has a cafe serving crepes, sandwiches and coffee, but hopes to add other European foods. This still isn’t as strange as the Russian bath restaurant on Fulton St. [DNA info]

All of this can be yours for less than a 10 spot, courtesy of Serious Eats NY

• The thali plate at Hampton Chutney Co. gives you a crapload of food for just under $10, making it a true Midtown (or in this case Downtown) Lunch. [Serious Eats NY]
• Speculation continues on what’s going into the Goldman Sachs building in Battery Park City. This week’s word is both Shake Shack AND Blue Smoke. [Eater NY]
• Wo Hop has been serving up Americanized Chinese food in Chinatown for more than 70 years, and Sam Sifton compares the taste of its wok-kissed food to “that of an endearing hobo, full of pipe tobacco and sweet wine.” [NY Times]
• The Bon Chon on John St. is “pretty satisfying,” although the food, much like ghosts, defies conventional photography. [Lunch with Front Studio]
• La Cense Burger Truck is a marketing ploy to sell you delicious meat, but they turn out a decent burger that’s not too dry. [Money Grub]

Oh yeah, that’s a good looking summer roll, courtesy of Food In Mouth

• Ah, yes, it’s summer in the city, meaning a time for delicious summer rolls at Pho Grand and musings on Lebron James coming to New York. [Food in Mouth]
• Mario’s Pizza on Houston St. using a very familiar face as its mascot and namesake, and some wonder how they haven’t had the pants sued off of them. Oh, and the pizza’s pretty bad too. [Fork In The Road]
• It seems like everyone’s checking out new real panini sandwich shop Salume: one site terms it “the best prosciuto-based sandwich I’ve had this year,” and another thinks it’s the bee’s knees, but wonders if the diminutive size and price might impede the shop’s success. [Serious Eats NY] and [Lunch with Front Studio]
• The FiDi location of Hello Pasta on Maiden Lane doesn’t have an opening date yet, but a midtown location opens next week, meaning we’ll get to find out how just how crappy a build-your-own pasta chain is well in advance. [Eater NY]