Midtown Lunch

There’s a Thanksgiving sandwich hiding on the menu year round at Lenny’s – that sandwich and salad chain that seems to be trying to keep pace with Potbelly Sandwich Shop‘s expansion in the Financial District and Tribeca. For now there are two locations in the FiDi, with three more planned in Battery Park City, and on Pearl St. and  Park Place. I’ve never eaten at a Lenny’s but plenty of you seem to, and I was curious how their turkey sandwich would fare compared to others I’ve tried from places that aren’t chains. Surprisingly, it was pretty damn good.

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In case you didn’t get the memo, Clarke’s Standard now has combo meals. That means you can go into the location at Maiden Lane & Pearl St. and order by number if you so desire, but since this is not McDonald’s it might be best to actually say the name of the thing you wish to eat in a combo. Before, you had to shell out more than $10 for just the sandwich or hot dog if you wanted fries on the side. Now you can get two of those things plus a fountain soda in a “Butcher’s Combo” for less than $10 before tax. It’s a wise move, and in my opinion a good deal.  Read more »

Another highbrow coffee shop is coming to the Financial District, according to a papered over window at Front and Wall streets. Gregory’s Coffee, which has other shops in Midtown, has put up the above paper in a space that used to be a Starbucks. They offer the usual coffee, free WiFi and snacks, but as the window’s been papered over for a while there’s no telling when this location will open.

While walking by the Yushi on Pearl St. (btw. Maiden Lane & Pine) I noticed that he windows are all papered up although the lights were on inside. This could mean that there is some sort of renovation happening inside, or that Yushi is no more and something else is moving in. This location had to do a lot of work to reopen after last year’s hurricane and then they were operating during limited hours and running on generators. If I get word on what the situation is, I’ll post an update.

When I saw a man handing out food on Nassau St. next to Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches, I thought I was going to get a little free banh mi action. Instead, I discovered that a place called Pisillo Italian Panini had opened next door with a super-focused menu of only sandwiches. There are 25 varieties with fillings such as prosciutto, salami, tuna, sopressata, fresh or smoked mozzarella and various spreads and toppings it’s a bit like Alidoro in that there aren’t any parm sandwiches or other Italian-American concessions made. Prices range between $8.50 to $11.90 and note that it’s cash only. As always, if you eat there, let us know how the food was in the comments!

Pisillo Italian Panini, 97 Nassau St. (btw. Fulton & Ann streets), (212) 227-1304

I’ve eaten sushi from a drug store, surprisingly good sushi, and disappointing sushi from a place with sushi in its name. However, I’d never eaten a sushi crepe before so when Tous Crepes opened its doors with this item on the menu I decided to sidestep the long list of more conventional iterations. What happens when you substitute rice for a buckwheat crepe? Find out straight ahead.  Read more »

• Yuji Ramen becomes a permanent fixture at Whole Foods. [Eater NY]
• Go to Square Diner for the ambience, stay for a sandwich. [SENY]
• A branch of a gourmet takeout shop is coming to BPC. [DNAinfo]
• The bagel sandwiches at Davidovich are a steal. [FitR]