Midtown Lunch

It’s that time of year when everything smells like hot garbage and cold lunches start to sound good. Yesterday was a scorcher and at first I was thinking a sandwich sounded good for lunch. But then I remembered that a new location of Xi’an Famous Foods had opened on Bayard St. (btw. Mott & Elizabeth) and that they had a few cold noodle dishes. This immediately sounded like a way better idea than a sandwich so I made my way to the J train for the first time in a long time and headed up to Chinatown.

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When the Jamaican Dutchy cart migrated down to the Financial District from midtown I was a little surprised because this neighborhood used to be a lunch dead zone. That’s changed and we now can boast three Caribbean carts serving roti and various meats over rice and peas. And judging by the lines, those working in the land of chain lunch spots are happy to have another cart option. I stopped by to try their jerk chicken, which I think is a good measure of any Jamaican cart. Read more »

Ever since the Frying Dutchmen truck launched selling one item (fries) I’ve been waiting for them to come downtown so I could see if this was really something you could call lunch. They were parked on Water St. & John today so I wandered over in the heat to have something of a second lunch.

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At times I stumble across things that at first confuse me, and then I just try not to think too hard about them. Take for instance this Mexican food cart called El Gringo that’s coming soon outside of Zigolini’s at Water St. (at Coenties Slip) – a  source of delicious pasta and burgers. I was checking on the progress of the Rhong Tiam Express (of which there seems little) going in next to Zigolini’s and instead found this cart. If anyone who works nearby sees it’s up and running let the rest of us know since good Mexican is fairly non-existent in that area.

It’s not every day that we fully endorse shelling out $17 (plus tax) for a lunch that may or may not fill you up, but if you like seafood-filled buttered hot dog buns at all you’re going to want to check out Luke’s Lobster. The shop opened on S. William St. (btw. Hanover Sq. & Broad) on Friday, joining two other locations in the city and the just-launched truck. Brian had absolutely raved about the lunch he had when the truck stopped in midtown, so I was excited.

There was a line when I got there for a later lunch but it had mostly died down by 2 p.m. It helped that they have a lobster roll express window where they only sell that one item. For everything else you have to step inside the small nautical themed shop, and that’s what me and a co-luncher did. Plenty of butter and seafood-straight ahead… Read more »

A couple of days ago a post in the forums about a sighting of the Jamaican Dutchy cart on William St. (at Beaver) caught my eye. I didn’t have time to go investigate, but I didn’t have to because yesterday the midtown site confirmed that yes, the cart had moved downtown, but you may recognize it by the sign for “R. Retha’s” and the Jamaican flag waving above. There was a huge line when I walked by yesterday so it seems you guys didn’t need my help in sniffing this one out. As you can see, they have all of the good stuff but I’m interested in how it stacks up against old-timers Veronica’s Kitchen and the Trinidad & Tobago cart.

I knew before heading out to the new Shake Shack on Murray St. (btw. West & N. End Ave.) in Battery Park City that I would be in for a wait. As I walked up I could see the mass of people waiting from a block away and steeled myself. Although I did have to wait in line for 30 minutes, and then wait a bit longer for food, I’d have to say they were ready for the crowds. And I rewarded myself for my wait by ordering one of the downtown-themed concretes. Read more »