Archive for 'Deli'

First Look: Open Kitchen Is A Gussied Up Generic Deli With Good Coffee

The newest addition to the genre of lunch spots serving many different types of things and having a by-the-pound buffet is Open Kitchen on William St. (at Beaver). The place occupies a huge retail area on the bottom floor of the William Beaver House condo building, and it’s perhaps the least-crowded lunch experience I’ve had.

Not all of the stations were up and running (still to come: Stir fry, ramen and specialty sandwiches), but most others were, along with the buffet which featured items that looked a bit tastier than the usual offerings. Prices are a bit higher than at the generic delis in the area, but the surroundings are also nicer, and they serve fancy Intelligentsia coffee. The good and bad about my lunch experience on what was essentially Open Kitchen’s opening day, straight ahead.

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Pastrami & Dressing In Perfect Harmony In Downtown Deli’s Reuben

It’s been a couple of years since I stepped into Downtown Deli on Church St. (nr. Park Place) in order to try their reuben on a recommendation from a luncher. I was thwarted when they were out of the proper meats and instead had a thoroughly OK brisket sandwich with gravy.

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Made-To-Order Pasta Is The Thing To Get At Koyzina Kafe

When it comes to pasta, the two options at lunch time are either hitting up a sit-down place, or settling for what comes off a steam table at many pizza shops. Zigolini’s does a good made-to-order pasta, but they remain closed after hurricane Sandy. Another option that some of you have recommended is Koyzina Kafe – an otherwise generic deli on William St. (at Cedar) that has a make-your-own pasta bar where you can watch your lunch being cooked in front of you. After a taste, I thought their pasta definitely has a leg up on what comes from a steam table.

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Watch Your (Food) Weight At Variety Cafe’s Mongolian Grill

It’s true this site has a bias against the many generic delis dotting the downtown landscape. It’s also true that some of them serve at least one thing that differentiates them from the others, whether it’s roast pork, rare roast beef or Korean food. A while back, someone tipped us off that Variety Cafe on Broadway had a mongolian grill where you pick your fixings and they cook it for you. After an investigation, it seems that you need to employ some sort of strategy to keep your lunch here under $10.

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Take Two Of Long Island Bagel Cafe: A Look At The Bagels In Sandwich Form

You may have read about the loaded knish I sampled at Long Island Bagel Cafe earlier in the week, but you may be wondering how their bagels are. I was too, so while I was there I also got a bagel sandwich since a salad or soup was unappealing. Like Leo’s Bagels or Zucker’s over in Tribeca, they make their own bagels in many varieties and offer all of the smoked fish and such that go along with them. I opted to go for a more traditional sandwich to offset the knish gutbomb.

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M&O Market Makes A Mean Roast Beef Sandwich

It’s been awhile since I’ve eaten a good deli sandwich so when the opportunity presented itself to check out M&O Market & Deli on Thompson St. (at Prince), I took it. This place is an old school bodega with a deli counter hidden in the back, and that’s where you want to head. You’ll notice a board with the usual Boar’s Head options, but you may want to see what the house roasted special of the day is. Some days they do turkey, others pork loin or meatloaf, but when I was there is was a giant hunk of rare roast beef resting in the deli case. Read more »

Investigating The Dirt Cheap Burger & Fries Combo At Rockwell’s

Sometimes I get a premonition when I walk into a place that looks like it hasn’t been renovated in 20 years that they’re going to feed me good food. This happened at Rockwell’s last week. The handful of times I’ve walked past the deli on Broad St. (at Water), I’ve made a mental note that they have a $5.95 burger, fries and soda deal advertised in the window but never got around to actually trying it. A craving for greasy food hit so I finally went to see what $6 gets you. The answer: A fair amount of food, a surprisingly decent burger (that you definitely need to customize) and mediocre fries.

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