Midtown Lunch

The week of the 2011 Vendy Awards coming up on Saturday on Governor’s Island continues today with another treat. Have you ever wondered what kind of work goes into your falafel from Sam’s or those stix from the Souvlaki GR truck? Now’s your chance to watch the vendors talk about their food and also give a little background into their operations. Get your appetite going for lunch and check out the videos from the two downtown finalists (and all the rest) after the jump.

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A couple of months ago the San Luis Taco truck (formerly called Tacos Mexicanos) rolled into the Financial District, filling a void with its Mexican and Ecuadorian food. They’ve bounced around in different spots since then but seem to have settled on parking on Front St. which is good because I think often fans of their food didn’t know where the hell they were from day to day. After my first taste of the truck’s hornado, I decided to return for something from the Mexican side of the menu and discovered that it was hard to choose when you have so many delicious options at your disposal

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In case you missed this breaking news story the other day, it seems that newish pizza place Liberatos on Cedar St. has become the official food provider for all of those protestors messing up our commutes. The pizza place was chosen pretty randomly, but I am disappointed that there wasn’t a better decision made here. I mean, Liberatos is OK but Adrienne’s and Underground Pizza are so much better!  Although I guess when you’re spending your day sitting around and eating free pizza sent to you from some guy from another country, it all tastes pretty good.

As is customary here on Midtown Lunch: Downtown, every Tuesday we’ll profile a different lunch’er and get their recommendations for places to eat in Downtown NYC. This week, we have Vendy Awards Managing Director Helena, who is no doubt busy ahead of this Saturday’s gut-busting event on Governor’s Island. Want to know what she eats for lunch on a daily basis? Hint: She likes the street carts.

Name: Helena

Occupation: Managing Director of the Vendy Awards

Where you work: The Street Vendor Project, William (btw. Fulton & John)

Age: 31

Favorite kinds of food: This is like asking a mother who their favorite child is, but If I must, here it goes: Spicy, brothy, noodley soups, black beans and rice, breakfast tacos, raw fish, channa masala, roti canai, thin-skinned dumplings, peak-of-summer tomato sandwiches with butter and salt, pozole, miso soup, snow pea greens with garlic, and Greek-style grilled octopus.

Least favorite foods: Mayo and goat cheese–I know, I know, it’s a shonda.

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The finalists for the Vendy Cup at this Saturday’s 2011 Vendy Awards were announced this morning, and it turns out that two of the seven nominated are downtown lunches. Souvlaki GR, which has become a mainstay at Old Slip, and Sam’s Falafel, home of a gigantic and dirt cheap vegetarian platter, are both nominated for the award that will be handed out on Governor’s Island. Stop by for lunch today and congratulate them, and maybe get a little food while you’re there.