Midtown Lunch

Our friendly neighborhood Swich (83 Maiden Lane) reopened last week and before too much time went by, I wanted to make sure I got in there to see what the revamp was all about. After all, it really wasn’t open all that long before they shuttered up, announcing they’d be back shortly with a new sense of style and self-worth. Now with their fancy new awning, they’re back to show us what they’ve learned on their little spring break. Let’s see what they’ve got, shall we? Read more »

When I encounter restaurants that are trying to be cool, I usually turn and run for the hills. Fancy fonts, aggressive graphic designs, and cutely-named dishes are big red flags in my book, and I have a general rule that the more bells and whistles a restaurant has on its website, the worse its food is going to be. If you’re spending time on Flash animating a dancing cat in a chef’s hat rather than on perfecting your food, you need to get out of the restaurant business.

So by all rights Swich on Maiden Lane near Gold Street should have scared me off. The design screams “WE ARE A TRENDY PLACE TO GET A SANDWICH!” The menu offers “Deconstructed” sandwiches instead of salads. The website features a cartoon history of the place. Danger, Will Robinson!

But “the exception proves the rule,” as idiots are fond of saying. Despite the worrisome signs, Swich delivers interesting and well-made food that’s worth checking out.

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Midtown workers shouldn’t have all the fun, so to even the score, I’ve brought on Daniel Krieger as an official Downtown Lunch Correspondent to write up some of the tasty stuff you can get in the lower half of Manhattan. He’s a great photographer (ensuring good food porn), but more importantly he is a lover of cheap, unique and delicious eats (or as I like to call it- Midtown Lunch’ish food.)

Last week I ventured into the deep fried underbelly of the city known as Sea World. It was the food equivalent of a whorehouse, and just being there was like bathing in a pool of oil… delicious oil. In an attempt to even out my arteries, I tried something a bit healthier this week. Columbine (on West Broadway, near the corner of White St.) is where I went for my weekly cleansing. Everyday you’ll find different specials, which are quite often the best thing to go for.

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