Midtown Lunch

Every once in a while I get a strange urge to go into one of those chains that promises to feed me food that’s supposed to be bad for you, but that they’ve somehow transformed into a healthy lunch that will make me a well-oiled machine. I’m usually I’m a well-oiled machine because I’ve just eaten a greasy gut-bomb for lunch, not because I’m so full of lean protein. One of these chains is Energy Kitchen and although I’ve walked by the Nassau St. location (btw. John & Fulton) countless times I’ve never gone inside. Was it the “Nothing Over 500 Calories” emblazoned on the door that scared me away? Maybe. When profiled lunch’ers Charlene and Kate said they went there, and specifically mentioned the bison cheese steak wrap, I took notice. And further research turned up a bunch of commenters in midtown saying they chose this wrap over The Pump’s version of street meat. I mean, could this bison cheese steak thing actually be good for its advertised 474 calories?

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When I think about all of the food voids that we have in the Financial District, customizable pasta doesn’t immediately come to mind. Good Indian, Korean – hell, more food trucks on a regular basis – we’re missing them all. Now we have Hello Pasta and I am mostly thankful it’s not another generic deli. Two locations have already opened in midtown and the first impression seemed to underwhelm, but it didn’t classify as terrible. How would the new location on Maiden Lane (nr. Water) measure up? I headed over on opening day to stuff my face with pasta and find out. Read more »

I have been blogging from my hometown of Mitchell, South Dakota this week, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sample Culver’s, one of the Midwestern chains represented here. It’s based in Wisconsin and its specialties are butterburgers and frozen custard. As I will never pass up the opportunity to eat new, gross lunches I went to check it out. Read more »

I don’t know about you guys, but whenever I’m trying to decide what’s going in my belly for lunch I rarely crave chicken specifically. But when the combo Ranch 1 & The Original Soupman opened on Pearl St. and Hanover Square. I had to go check it out because after all, it is Zach approved. I happened to go on the day of the monsoon last week and broke two umbrellas in pursuit of my chicken lunch, but I would have to say it was kind of worth it. Read more »

I don’t really know what voodoo I was expecting Chickpea to perform with its baked falafel to make me forget it wasn’t fried, but it didn’t happen. The chain is focused on healthy eating, and nothing there is fried. Don’t get me wrong, in the absence of Maoz way downtown, I’ll take Chickpea if I’m not in the mood to eat outside or at my desk. What can I say, I’m a sucker for falafel chains with fixin’s bars? Read more »

The first Five Guys in the Financial District opened last weekend, and I went to check it out on the first day they were inundated with office workers. Also, I must confess that I have never eaten at Five Guys before (I know, I know) so I was really excited to see what all the hype was about. And really, who even needs an excuse to eat a burger and fries for lunch? Read more »

It’s a rare day that I venture into any mainstream fast food restaurant in the city, because why eat a Big Mac when I can have free reign over the fixin’s bar at Maoz or a banh mi from Baoguette? After passing by the Checkers on Chambers St. (btw. Broadway & Church) one too many times, I finally decided to get lunch from there and eat in the nearby City Hall Park. I stuck with the basics at this somewhat shiny new place, and I was not disappointed. Industrial beef patties after the jump!  Read more »