If You Have to Lunch “Healthy”, You Could Do Far Worse Than Nanoosh
When Nanoosh opened up a couple months ago, I wasn’t really sure what to think. With the bright colors and san serif font, it looked like all the other new chains popping up around town. Plus, with all that talk about being organic and healthy, it didn’t really call to me the way a various fried chicken spots have, but I still made my way back a couple times. Surprisingly, I found that I actually enjoyed it.
On my first visit, opening day, I had the Hummus Nanoosh platter ($8.75), a swirl of hummus with a pile of beef in the middle mixed with caramelized onions and mushrooms. As I said then, it all looks pretty small at first glance, but the hummus adds plenty of weight that can fill you up easily.
The hazard is that all that hummus can get thick and boring on its own. The chicken in the Hummus Chicken platter ($8.25) doesn’t have the flavor that the beef has and might get dull before you’re done except for the onions and mushrooms which add a sweetness to the meal that breaks things up really well.
Somewhat surprisingly, I think I actually enjoyed the Nanoosh Wrap ($8.75) as much if not more than the platters. The whole wheat shell is really good (despite looking very much like it’s going to taste like cardboard) and the narrow wrap is jammed tight with ground beef all the way through, so you don’t get stuck with a half a wrap with no meat.
My biggest complaint with Nanoosh is that most of their meat fillings are limited to ground beef and chicken, but no lamb. A place like Nanoosh with real actual lamb, instead of gyro meat, could be something really special. Instead, it’s just good in a pinch or when I’m feeling like too much of a fatty.
The + (What people who like this place would say)
- Much better than you’d expect for an organic, healthy blah blah blah sort of place
- They serve beer, always a plus, even if it’s organic.
- They pack a wrap right, no meatless section at the end.
The – (What people who don’t like this place would say)
- How can you have Mediterranean food with no lamb?
- That much hummus can get to be a little much after a while.
Nanoosh, 173 Madison Avenue (33rd & 34th), 212-447-4348
Posted by ultraclay at 12:00 pm, September 13th, 2010 under *Mad btw. 33+34th, Middle Eastern, Nanoosh.
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A narrow wrap jammed tight with ground beef all the way through
Sounds like Saturday night at Mamacita’s place