Midtown Lunch

At first when I spotted the Taco Mexicanos truck on Maiden Lane (at Water) last week, I was excited for their tamales and tacos since I love both of those items. Then I started thinking about the fact that they had something that other places in the Financial District didn’t: Ecuadorian food. That’s right, they have hornado, encebellado, guatita and the favorite of late-night drinkers everywhere, salchipapas, aka hot dogs and french fries. After asking what all they had for the day, and what was recommended from the Equadorian offerings, I was steered in the direction of the hornado ($7) after being asked how hungry I was. Check it out in all its porky glory after the jump. Read more »

In what may be a record for quickest opening and closing, Soul Daddy – the product of the reality show America’s Next Great Restaurant – is already shuttered after a little more than one month. It was all over Twitter late yesterday and sure enough, when I walked by after work the Soul Daddy flag was still up, but the place was hiding its shame with paper over the windows. I guess not enough people liked whole wheat biscuits and baked chicken.

As is customary here on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we’ll profile a different lunch’er and get their recommendations for places to eat in Downtown NYC. This week, we have Jessica who gets grossed out by overly-meaty lunches, so it’s a wonder she reads this blog!

Name: Jessica Thurston

Occupation: Policy analyst and food blogger at Crust: Baking for Sustaining

Where you work: 26 Federal Plaza, Tribeca

Age: 23

Favorite Kinds of Food: Thai, Cuban and French

Least Favorite Foods: I’m a vegetarian, so anything meat-centric or extremely heavy and fattening isn’t too appealing to me.

Favorite Lunches Downtown: The chilled avocado sandwich at Pecan Fine Foods on Franlin (at W. Broadway), especially when a warm walk in the sun is a needed distraction during the day; Wasabi-crusted tofu and a pear ginger muffin from Birdbath Bakery on Church St. (at Thomas); A mix of grain salads and roasted vegetables from the food bar at Zeytuna on Maiden Lane (at William) in the Financial District when I can’t make up my mind. And if I have time for a long lunch with co-workers, I can’t resist the blood orange margarita at Red at the South St. Seaport.

The “go-to” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often: Avocado rolls (sensing a theme?) at the Sun Cafe on Reade (btw. Broadway & Church) followed by whoopie pies from Tribeca Treats on Reade (btw. W. Broadway & Church).

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