Midtown Lunch

I’m sure a lot of you were saddened when the Bistro Truck went on hiatus over some winter months. Now that they’re birthing a brick and mortar location on the Lower East Side, the truck has returned to the streets this week and said on Twitter that the truck will be in the Financial District at Old Slip & Water on Wednesdays (is there even parking spots left in that area?), and according to their Web site, in Soho on Tuesdays. They’ll be at Hudson & King today filming something for a U.K. Food Network show, so smile while you’re ordering that lamb burger.

Everyone moans about how terrible the burritos are in NYC, which perhaps explains why there’s a line out the door at every Chipotle come lunch time. There are some decent burritos, in my opinion, but I’m no expert. Lupe’s East L.A. Kitchen has been selling Mexican food on Sixth Ave. (at Watts) for 20 years according to their Web site, and I’d heard good things about their burritos so I decided it was time to give them a shot. Would I find the burrito of my dreams a short subway ride away?

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I was skeptical of the sign in the window of the Popeye’s on Fulton St. that said the store was closed to “make needed improvements to better serve you,” since no work seemed to be taking place inside the unpapered windows. When I walked by Friday there was a repossession by marshal’s sign on the door, and I’m pretty sure we’re now one fried chicken joint shorter. They closed for these alleged renovations after a shutter by the Department of Health for various violations, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Lahore’s food may not be pretty, but it’s a good deal. Courtesy of SE:NY.

• Saluggi’s is opening a sandwich shop in a couple of weeks. [Tribeca Citizen]
• The Arlette at Dominique Ansel is buttery, flaky and the size of your head. [Kathy YL Chan]
• Domo Taco truck’s nacho tots are a fragrant treat. [Blondie & Brownie]
• Pho Tu Do has “totally fine, unremarkable” food. [Lunch Studio]
• Lahore Deli gets a shout out among cab driver favorites. [SENY]

I was a little surprised to walk by the previously papered-up French Cafe Gourmand on Maiden Lane (btw. B’way & Nassau) this morning to see they were open and a couple of people were drinking coffee inside. I didn’t have a chance to go in and look at the menu, but a sign outside says they have coffee, pastries and sandwiches. You can expect a report soon, but I think we can all be happy with another place serving decent coffee and pastries that isn’t Starbucks.