Midtown Lunch

The Plaza Deli at John St. & Pearl pretty much screams “I’m a generic deli!” when you walk by. I noticed, however, that they’re making attempts at serving more types of food than sandwiches, soup and things off a steam table.

According to two different sandwich boards leaning outside, they are selling bibimbap and “ramyun” aka ramen. I’m sure neither item is mind blowing, but hey, at least they’re trying!

After a grand opening went awry due to hurricane Sandy, Dough Re Mi is finally opening today serving us doughnuts, bagels and grilled cheese, among other breakfast and lunch items.

The shop at Water St. and Coenties Slip was set to open in the fall of 2012 when the hurricane flooded the area and caused extensive damage in the storefront. You can read the whole story here, but the news you really care about is they’re finally ready to feed us. According to their Facebook page, the hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and if any of you check them out on opening day, let us know how the food was in the comments.

Dough Re Mi, 36 Water St. (btw. Coenties Slip & Broad), (212) 947-4400

For the past couple of years, I’ve really been wanting to try out the angus burger at Bon Chon on John St. (at Cliff). Then the place nearly burned down and they were closed for a time earlier this year. Thankfully, they’ve reopened with the same menu, and I could fulfill my need for a burger topped with kimchi and an onion ring.  Read more »

There are some carts in the Financial District that you kind of have to be lucky to catch, and such is the case of R. Retha’s. The cart – formerly the called Jamaican Dutchy, parking in Midtown – materialized downtown at the corner of William & Beaver before it was seen being towed away with a yellow sticker meaning it had been shuttered by the Department of Health.

Then there was word that the cart had returned, but every time I’d walked down in search of curried meats with some peas and rice, it was nowhere to be found. Had it disappeared again?

The good news is they’re still parking in the Financial District (or at least they were on Monday in the pouring rain), but you have to test your luck to see if they’re there. And if they are, might I suggest some curried goat?  Read more »

Sometimes you only have $6 in your pocket and you don’t want a traditional street meat lunch or pizza. What’s a Lunch’er to do? When I’m in this predicament, I sometimes head to the 99% Vegetarian Food cart that’s been relocated, along with three others, to the corner of Liberty St. & Nassau after a CitiBike rack was installed in their longtime spot around the corner off of Broadway.

 This time, I finally tried the veggie burger, and I’m so glad that I did.

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When last I ate at Pita Press on Cedar St. (btw. William & Pearl), it was two years ago, and I went vegetarian. Since then, GRK has opened with a flashier space on Fulton St., wowing me with their rotisserie versions of pork and a Thanksgiving special of turkey.

I’ve always liked Pita Press though, and they have the more extensive menu of the two Greek spots. I decided to return and see how their rotisserie pork stacked up. The weigh in, straight ahead.

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It was a bit surprising to see that Zigolini’s at Pearl St. & Coenties Slip was planning to add a Mexican component to its solid lineup of Italian-tinged lunch offerings. The place is called Guac Star, and it opened alongside the  sit down bar and restaurant and the takeaway deli portions of Zigolini’s that had been closed for seven months after being heavily damaged by water during hurricane Sandy.

We’ve all been to those generic delis that sell pizza alongside burritos and sushi, so I was a bit hesitant to try Mexican food made by a place with an Italian name. Thankfully, they don’t try fusion here, and I came away impressed with the burrito I tried, even though it ended up breaking the $10 barrier (oops).

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