Midtown Lunch

While walking by the Yushi on Pearl St. (btw. Maiden Lane & Pine) I noticed that he windows are all papered up although the lights were on inside. This could mean that there is some sort of renovation happening inside, or that Yushi is no more and something else is moving in. This location had to do a lot of work to reopen after last year’s hurricane and then they were operating during limited hours and running on generators. If I get word on what the situation is, I’ll post an update.

I spotted this sign in the window at Yushi on Pearl (btw. Maiden Lane & Cedar) on Monday, and while initially the words “banh mi burger” were what drew me in, other text at the bottom of the sign was more interesting. Apparently on Wednesday’s this summer they offer a banh mi burger, and if you get one and then e-mail feedback to info@yushi.com you can get a free order of dumplings on your next visit. I can’t vouch for how good Yushi’s dumplings are, but it’s free food, which I always endorse.

It’s been a good three months since hurricane Sandy left the Financial District a mess of generators and shuttered restaurants and buildings. Some places have managed to reopen because of minimal damage, but with or without phone or Internet service (or in some cases, electricity, but we’ll get to that). Many that were completely obliterated by the flood waters still remain closed with papered up windows and vague notes in the window about reopening soon.

The lower part of Maiden Lane, or as I call it “chain row,” was especially hard hit, along with other low-lying spots along the bottom part of Pearl St. and at the South Street Seaport. Two affected lunch spots were Yushi on Pearl St. and Hot Clay Oven nearby on Maiden Lane. Both were shuttered after the hurricane, and only one has reopened. I reached out to both of them, and found out that opening the doors for business isn’t an instant cure all.

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Sometimes curiousity gets the best of me and I end up eating something that I know full well is probably going to be terrible. You see, I love a good banh mi, even if I have to shell out more than $5 for it. A good sandwich is a good sandwich and sometimes you have to pay more than rock bottom Chinatown prices, especially in the Financial District. The thing is, though, that we have several sources of Vietnamese sandwiches in the area that are actually good so when a chain steps up and sells something called a banh mi, it had better be solid. Yushi on Pearl St. (btw. Maiden & Pine) tried its best, but really they should just stick with their Yu Bowls and overpriced dumplings and leave the sandwich game to someone else. After the jump I will tell you what happens when you try to make a Vietnamese sandwich with sourdough bread.

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While walking by Yushi on Pearl St. (btw. Maiden Ln. & Cedar) last week, this sign was outside touting what they call a banh mi, but what I call an Asian sandwich involving tofu and various vegetables. The ingredients actually sound pretty good, but it would be hard to bypass the build-your-own bowl bar for a sandwich.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when walking into the freshly opened Yushi on Pearl St. (btw. Cedar & Maiden Lane), but I certainly didn’t think I’d find a Chipotle-esque setup serving build-your-own rice and noodle bowls. I hesitantly joined the line after bypassing the premade hot food display of noodle dishes, overpriced dumplings, soups and the cold options of sushi rolls and salads. It turned out that deciding to fashion myself a “Yu Bowl” was a surprisingly excellent choice.

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Last week we told you that signs had gone up on the new Yushi location on Pearl St. (btw. Maiden & Cedar). Since then they’ve taken the paper down from the windows and everything looks ready to go inside, which is good because they’re opening on Monday. This joins the location in the World Financial Center food court and one in Midtown, and furthers the creep of chain places from Maiden Lane.

Yushi,  Pearl St. (btw. Maiden Lane & Cedar), 4 World Financial Center, www.yushi.com