Midtown Lunch

St. Patrick’s Day here in New York is a thing of beauty. If you’re in possession of any Irish blood, this is the time of year it you can feel it bubbling to the point where you want to and quite often do dance in the streets, preferably after drinking copious amounts of green beer. I, however, am of German heritage. We don’t believe in fun, or saints for that matter. We believe in strict order, whether it’s in your drinking or in your work. And unfortunately, these same rules and regulations are enforced at my place of business, where bars and lunch shall not meet. But that shouldn’t stop you from having a good time, should it? Check out the list below for all the Irish pubs in the Downtown. And by “all” I mean “the ones I know about that sport something on the menu under $10.” If you don’t see the spot you’re planning to consume your liquid lunch, put it in the comments and direct the masses.

• Ryan Maguire’s Alehouse – 28 Cliff St. @ Fulton St.
• Jim Brady’s Restaurant – 75 Maiden Lane @ William St.
• Killarney Rose – 127 Pearl St. @ Hanover St.
• The Beekman Pub – 15 Beekman St. @ Nassau St.
• The Irish Punt – 40 Exchange Place @ William St.

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…
Read more »

Sound the funeral dirge; Express BBQ (27 Park Place @ Church St.), downtown’s go-to spot for barbecue (at least when Picnick Smoked isn’t around), appears to be shuttered for good.  This news comes to us courtesy of Lunch’er Andy who noticed something wasn’t quite right when he came off the E train this morning.  And Kevin only just took a closer look at this place! In Andy’s own words, “Sad day when downtown BBQ loses a venue.”  Amen to that.  I guess we’re back on the hunt for mo’ betta’ BBQ again.

I don’t get out to Flushing nearly as much as I want to these days. Or pretty much ever. It’s just so far. The only time I really get out there is if a friend has an extra Mets ticket and is looking for someone to go with ’em, which, quite frankly, also doesn’t happen often enough. But getting on topic, with all that great Chinese food I hear about out there, when one of those Flushing legends finally landed in Manhattan, I had to go. There was no if’s, and’s, or but’s. I had to go.

Xi’an Famous Foods, located on Forsyth (careful, the address is tricky), is that place. I had heard so much hype about it, particularly the noodles, I had to get up there and see what it was all about. And as you can probably predict, I wasn’t disappointed in the least.
Read more »

No, no, you’re at the right place! This isn’t Midtown Lunch: Philadelphia, I promise, though after Jamie’s video about how to eat soup dumplings, it doesn’t look like such a bad place to be.  Which is why I’ve chased down a little corner of Philly and taken a closer look. Carl’s Steaks has been on the collective ML radar for awhile now, Zach having reviewed it back in the day up in Midtown, but for some reason the Downtown outpost has eluded us. But not anymore. Last week I went in, shook hands with Carl himself, and took a big, greasy bite out of Philly.

Read more »

First the bad news: My return trip to Express BBQ was not as awesomely tasty as the first. Finding decent pulled pork is a huge thrill for me, however, so that would have been a tough visit to top.

The good news: Express BBQ serves up decent brisket and tasty mac and cheese. Kreuz Market it ain’t, but the brisket is smoky and flavorful like the pork, and a little bit of bbq sauce makes up for the fact that’s a touch on the dry side.

The mac and cheese is solid as well, and the price for either is reasonable, solidifying Express BBQ’s position as a Downtown Lunch destination.

Read more »

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…

Read more »