Midtown Lunch

The string of restaurants on Maiden Lane continues to grow, with signage up on the Potbelly Sandwich Shop going in next to Hot Clay Oven between Gold & Pearl. The store location was announced more than a month ago to some people’s delight and others’ disinterest. This is the first NYC shop for the Chicag0-based chain but their Web site is void of any mention of this location so it’s unclear when it’s opening. If any of you are fans, weigh in on what’s good at Potbelly in the comments.

A huge kosher restaurant called Milk Street Cafe announced it was moving into the old Mangia space at 40 Wall St. back in August of last year. Well it looks like it’s about to open soon, according to a sign in the window. The food hall will have a bunch of stations including breakfast, pasta, panini, salads, sushi, a grill, carvery, rotisserie, baked goods and something involving “Pacific Rim specialties.” It won’t be entirely vegetarian, with chicken and beef served alongside the seafood options. I know there’s at least one good kosher option in the FiDi with seating, but this sounds like it will be a huge boost for those who otherwise have limited falafel-heavy lunch options.

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 Callie who is looking for some good Battery Park City lunches and her dislikes include everything this site is against.

Name: Callie

Occupation: Risk analyst

Where you work: 55 Water St.

Age: 22

Favorite Kinds of Food: Cheese, meat, combinations of cheese and meat, sushi, French, Italian, Thai, Korean, Indian, Peking duck, soup (especially spicy soup), anything I can smother in ketchup, baked goods. I appreciate good, fresh, thoughtfully-prepared foods of all kinds.

Least Favorite Foods: Wraps, most deli sandwiches, chain pizza, the cupcake fad, overpriced pub food on Stone St., cucumber.

Favorite Lunches Downtown: Taim Mobile, Alfanoose on Maiden Lane (btw. Broadway & Nassau), Adel’s Halal on Maiden Lane (at Front) for the falafel and spicy rice; Toloache on Maiden Lane (btw. William & Gold) for the pozole de pollo and guacamole; Mexicue – I got 4 sliders once and almost had a heart attack at my desk. I think the BBQ brisket is my favorite; Financier (Multiple Locations) for the financier sandwich and la crevettes salad; Table Tales on Water (btw. Beekman & Peck Slip), Adrienne’s Pizza Bar on Stone St. (nr. Hanover Sq.), Harry’s Italian on Gold St. (at Platt) for the meatball parm. Pita Press is a new favorite – their zucchini and feta fritters in pita is awesome when I’m not feeling like souvlaki but want some tzatziki sauce anyway.

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A couple of weeks ago while alerting you all that Sophie’s Cuban was now selling its legendary green sauce I realized something shameful: I have never eaten at Sophie’s. Sure, I’ve had roast pork from other downtown spots like the West Side Coffee Shop on the fringe of Tribeca, and at the Roxy, but Sophie’s eluded me. I’d also been meaning to try the pernil at Lane Cafe that I stumbled upon a while back. And so on two different artery-clogging days I got pernil plates from each place to see which one was better. That’s right, it’s a roast pork battle the likes of which the Financial District has never seen. Read more »