Midtown Lunch

Every once in a while I’ll get an e-mail telling me about a place to eat that I’ve never heard of, but it’s usually something out of ML price range and/or out of bounds. Last week I got a note from lunch’er James that made me actually want to go to the edge of Soho for lunch. Here’s what he had to say:

I just wanted to point out Tauro Restaurant, which is situated on 284 Hudson Street.  This is a great find for someone who yearns for heaping portions of rice and beans, mofungo, and various other Latin specialties.  I usually opt for the roasted pork (pernil), which is succulent and tender.  Rather than spend my money on Sophie’s, Tauro is laid back, but tends to get a little busy during peak lunch hours.  You come out of there satisfied, full, and ready to conquer the rest of the afternoon.  I’m working my way through their menu, but I always go with the Latin specialties rather than the American section of their menu.

What’s that you say? Heaping portions of rice and succulent fatty meats? I don’t know what it is about that dead zone near the Holland Tunnel, but I’ve had good Latin food in the area before and was willing to go out of my way to check out another option. Read more »

If you work in Soho the options for finding the Midtown Lunch trifecta (cheap, filling and slightly gross) are limited. Tucked into a tiny space on Crosby St. (nr. Houston) next to the Housing Works store is Lahore Deli. It’s nearly out of bounds, and I didn’t even know it existed until I heard about its reliably good food. It is a lunch’er’s dream with its selection of curries and Indian and Pakistani foods. After eating so many disappointing Indian steam table lunches, would this finally be a good one? Read more »

The Ear Inn is one of those places that you really have to want to go to since it’s off the beaten path in SoHo, and not exactly a typical lunch destination. Despite that, when I and my co-luncher walked in for a later lunch on what was a holiday for some people, the place was still full and not just with people drinking at the bar. It had been recommended not once, but twice by profiled lunch’ers who work in the area and that was good enough for me.

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If there’s one place in Soho that’s always on everyone’s list to check out, it’s Italian sandwich shop Alidoro on Sullivan St. (btw. Spring & Prince). I am not a big sandwich person and no one really told me just why this place was so awesome. Was it the bread, the ingredients, what?!? After seeing it listed in a Downtown Lunch’er profile and then another, (and finding out even Zach has eaten there) I took the train up there (and really I should probably take advantage of this before they make good on the talk of getting rid of unlimited-ride Metro cards). Bread, meat and cheese after the jump. Read more »

It’s pretty rare that I step into a restaurant and feel like it might be a little too hip for my blood, because usually I avoid these places. The other day I wanted to go up to Soho for lunch, and looked for recommendations from some recent profiled lunch’ers who work in the area. Lunch’er Sherry had recommended Peep on Prince St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan). Thai sounded good to me, and I was intrigued by the lunch special that gets you a choice of a bunch of appetizers and a main course for $7 or $8. Any place that doesn’t give you a crappy default soup with the lunch deal is OK in my book.

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I know what you’re thinking: You go to Torrisi Italian Specialties, a sandwich shop that has eggplant and chicken parm, and you get a freaking turkey sandwich? Well, let me just say that this is no ordinary Boars Head turkey on a roll. That was clear when I saw the two amazing-looking turkey breasts sitting on a cutting board and a guy slicing large chunks off of one of them. And then the three people in front of me ordered the turkey sandwich, so I felt like I was on the right track.

Let me back up a minute, though. Torrisi, located on Mulberry St. (at Prince) in Soho, has pretty much received nothing but glowing reviews since it opened. And Ed Levine from Serious Eats NY reviewed the place back in February and raved about that turkey sandwich (and the chicken parm). Clearly, a field trip up north was in order. Read more »

Anyone working the Soho area is probably aware of Despana, the Spanish food shop on the edge of Chinatown/Little Italy. Those of us downtown are sadly out of luck unless you have time for a subway lunch, which I found is totally doable from the Financial District if you have a full hour on your hands. It’s not exactly a cheap lunch option, but you can get out of there for less than $10 if you are a light eater, or you can go a little overboard. Lunch options include mostly sandwiches and tapas with some desserts to choose from to. If you really wanted to you could get one of the tapas and a dessert and come out at around $10 for a light lunch. I went the sandwich route and was not disappointed. Find out what I chose to put in between two pieces of bread after the jump. Read more »