Midtown Lunch

Every once in awhile, I get a craving to try some weird food. And by “weird,” I don’t mean “hey wow, man, when I mix my ketchup with mayonnaise, it tastes awesome” kind of weird. I’m talking rocky mountain oyster weird. I’m talking Spicy & Tingly Lamb Face Salad weird. And today, I’m talking Cow Foot Soup weird. Why do I enjoy this kind of thing? I don’t know. But I don’t think I’m the only one with this wonderful/horrific affliction, so that’s why I’m sharing this with you all today. The one thing I’ll promise you is that I won’t eat anything too disgusting. That is, unless it tastes really, really delicious. Enough of that, though. On with the story.

So I’d been going to Veronica’s Kitchen for a good long time now and it wasn’t until relatively recently (probably last spring) that I’d heard about a rival Caribbean food cart on Whitehall between Bridge and Pearl Streets.  Since then I’ve eaten here a number of times, though I’m still a loyal and frequent visitor of Veronica’s Kitchen.  I’m not here to tell you which one is the best one, only to share the goodness.  The dishes I’ve gotten have ranged from their rotis to their soups to their oxtail.  And it’s all been good, my friend.  There’s just something about Caribbean food that really tickles my fancy and I haven’t met one I don’t like. Not yet anyway.  To try an entice you to join the love, this time I decided to show you the jerk chicken and cow foot soup. Read more »

If there’s one place here in the Financial District that I can’t believe I haven’t been yet, it’s Cafe Hanover at 5 Hanover Square.   I have heard a LOT of buzz about this undercover Korean joint disguised as a generic deli and I always told myself “hey, you should go there next week.”  But things would come up, new places would come on my radar, and Cafe Hanover was being perpetually pushed back.  Well, my friends, “next week” has finally come and I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed. Read more »

I will start this review by confessing that I have never actually been to the beloved Pakistan Tea House. They may have the best Indian food on the downtown scene, but they’re a hike from my office, and I just haven’t made it up there yet.

What I do know is that I’ve got no use for Diwan-E-Khaas. I have to respectfully disagree with Daniel’s positive assessment of their food and say that nothing I’ve ever had there (and I’ve had a lot) has been very good, and some has been very bad. So I’m very happy to have a place like Ruchi around. Their food is neither awesome nor an amazing deal, but very good Indian food for under $10 is something this neighborhood needs. And Ruchi’s got that covered.

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I like exploring downtown to find promising places to eat, but I always prefer to follow a good lead. I was absolutely starving at 11:30AM on Friday, and so I followed Lunch’er Matt’s suggestion and my stomach’s desire for a hearty meal down to Kosher Luncheonette on the corner of Fulton Street and Cliff Street.

Matt recommended the falafel, so I got myself one of those, but as I was voracious – and so that I could give you guys a better sense of what Kosher Luncheonette has to offer – I also got a kasha knish and a bowl of tomato rice soup.

That morning I think I could have gnawed on a shoe and been happy, but even in that state I could recognize that Kosher Luncheonette’s food was not only far better than a shoe but was really good on its own right. My falafel was good, but the other food was even better, and I’ll be heading back to Kosher Luncheonette regularly for my lunchtime Jewish comfort food needs.

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Last time I talked about the Grotto, there was much hubbub over the elusive Bacon Jalapeno slice.  Was it really there? Or just a figment of my imagination?  Lucky for us, Mike, owner and operator of the Grotto, stepped in to inform us that it was real and that it was now available in slice form.  While I’m sure a good number of you dropped whatever you were doing and rushed over to the Grotto to grab a slice, not everyone downtown was so lucky.  After all, it’s a big chunk of Manhattan we work in and not everyone has the flexibility to saunter down   For those unfortunate souls, I’m here to give you the scoop. I know, I know, not exactly a fair trade but I’ll do what I can.  I know it ain’t cabbage and corned beef, but tormenting pictures of some delicious pizza after the jump…
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Chris and I were surprised to see the relatively new Swich (on Maiden Lane btw. Gold and William) all papered up today. Not usually a good sign.

But a closer look at the sign on the door suggests that all’s well and that they’re just doing some minor work. Full story after the jump.

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At Midtown Lunch we’re always looking for outstanding dishes, but we also like to get as much food as we can for as little money as possible. Cafe 52 may not serve the best food in the Financial District – not even close – but if you’re looking to stretch a dollar, and maybe your waistline as well, this is the place for you.

Tucked away in the back corner of the United Federation of Teachers building at 52 Broadway, Cafe 52 is unassuming to say the least. But a sign inside the door reveals what might be the best bargain in the area: $4.75 for a sandwich/salad/pasta, a cup of soup, and a garlic knot. That may only sound OK at first, but the portions here are huge. The food isn’t amazing, but it’s pretty good, and you definitely won’t leave hungry…

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