Midtown Lunch

Obao, Midtown East’s branch of Michael Huynh’s Bao empire, has had its share of both cheerleaders and detractors on this site. With the majority of the menu items clocking in at $10 and over, the restaurant is firmly in “high-end to splurge” territory for Midtown Lunch’ers. However, there was an item that caught my eye one day recently when I was looking for a lighter, healthy-ish lunch: Obao’s Beef Salad.

My favorite thing about this salad is that it does not contain lettuce. It does contain flank steak, pineapple, mint, cucumber, and lime dressing. My version also contained carrots, which were not in the description, so they may throw in some extras (or substitute ingredients) if they have something else lying around. The meat is tender and plentiful, and the other quality ingredients come together in a way that makes this salad more than the sum of its parts. It is a little spicy, a little sweet, a little sour, and very refreshing.

The $10 price tag is a little steep for the amount of food that you get, but if you’re trying to make up for a little holiday overindulgence, this is a delicious and still-healthy alternative to your regular deli salad.

Obao, 222 E. 53rd St. (btw. 3+2nd), (212) 308-5588