4:00pm white chocolate chip cookie

Moonlight III

It's a gorgeous perfect late summer day in Pittsburgh and we're on campus having a $4 lunch from the food carts parked on Margaret Morrison. The sun is warming our backs and the lawn is freshly mown.
Moonlight III, Margaret Morrison St, Pittsburgh PA 15213

4:00pm moelleux

The unexpectedly long lunch caused delays and scrambling for the rest of the afternoon. We needed a quick and tasty pick-me-up. Oro Bakery is our savior on such occasions. These thumb-print sized moelleux (without the liquid center) are not too sweet and cocoa-y; a two bite wonder.
Oro Bakery, 375 Broome St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Mulberry & Mott)

Sura

A horrible afternoon to have to run around the city for meetings and running errands, but we are still motivated by the need for lunch in the tummy. A last minute change in plan lead us to Ippudo, however we weren't sure if we could afford the 15min wait. We should have just waited it out, because the service was waaay slow at Sura, a Korean restaurant we had wanted to try around the corner. Not only was the service slow (our waiter on his first day was kindly apologetic) the food wasn't all that impressive either. Oh well.
Sura, 105 East 15th Street between 4th and 3rd Avenues

4:00pm chipless wonder cookies

Third day. Still delicious.

Savoy, with Tam

In case you didn't know, fried chicken is all the latest craze, which is why we just had to go to Savoy for their limited, off-the-menu, fancy lunch of heritage bred fried chicken. And thanks to the power of the internet, Tam joined us at the last minute. The crispiness was perfect, the flavoring just right but none of us could have anticipated the firmness of the meat itself, apparently a known tendency in free roaming chickens. It's fascinating how a lifetime of eating industrialized chicken can leave you unprepared for the real deal. Peter himself kindly came over to chat with us about the differences in the way chickens are bred and we left lunch all the more knowledgeable for it.
Savoy, 70 Prince St, NY, NY 10012 (at Crosby)

4:00pm strawberry magnolia

DO NOT be seduced by this photo. It was pas terrible and certainly not worth the $6.75 rung up on the cash register moments too late for us to change our minds.
Ceci-Cela Patisserie, 55 Spring St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Lafayette & Mulberry)

Bar Bossa

In an ongoing attempt to recreate the deliciousness of the first roast pork sandwich we had at Bar Bossa, today I politely asked them to replace the roasted peppers with pickled jalapenos instead. They didn't have pickled ones, just fresh, which helped a great deal but still didn't quite make it the sandwich of before. Next time I might be forced to ask them to forgo the cheese, add pickled jalapenos and don't accidentally slip any pork sausage in there. M. suggests I just stick with the known goodness of the egg salad sandwich instead.
Bar Bossa, 232 Elizabeth St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Prince & Houston)

4:00pm chipless wonder cookies

Yup yup yup day 2 of chipless wonders. And until the bag is gone I'm afraid our afternoon dessert post may be rather predictable.
Tate's Bake Shop, 43 North Sea Rd., Southampton NY 11968

Sanur, with Gordon

Good thing the Excellent Pork Chop House is randomly closed on Tuesdays because otherwise we would have never stumbled upon the basement of Sanur. Since Gordon, who has eaten practically everywhere in Chinatown, had yet to descend the skeptical looking stairway, we all decided on adventure for lunch today. Fortune followed us whereupon we devoured a delectably spiced watercress Malaysian style, a plate of fried pearl noodles and a half hainan chicken. It may be cheaper to avail yourself of the upstairs buffet but ordering off the menu had its own rewards.
Sanur, 18 Doyers St, NY, NY 10013 (near Pell)

4:00pm chipless wonder cookies

It is no secret we love our chocolate chip cookies exaggeratedly light on the chocolate chips, which is why we're such fans of the cookies from Tate's. So imagine my giddy excitement when I got a text from M. yesterday saying the Southampton bakeshop sells a version of their chocolate chip cookies containing NO CHOCOLATE CHIPS. NONE. They call it the "chipless wonder". And we have to agree, it is wonderful indeed.
Tate's Bake Shop, 43 North Sea Rd., Southampton NY 11968

Num Pang

Num Pang has long been on our list of places to check out, today the timeliness of a nearby meeting resulted in a long over due visit. I thought for certain a 15 minute subway back to the office and a flurry of calls before finally sitting down to lunch would result in a less than delicious sandwich but I was dead wrong. The five spice pork belly was lush and intense and the bread just right. It was messy but not too messy and bits of spiciness and vinegar tartness shone through. We're going to have to find more reasons to head back to Union Square. And soon.
Num Pang, 21 East 12th St, NY, NY 10003 (btwn University and Fifth)

4:00pm plum galette

These dark and luscious plums not only look stunning photographed against a black background but were the perfect (yes perfect) combination of sweet and tart. Summer day dessert yes. Thank you Ceci-cela.
Ceci-Cela Patisserie, 55 Spring St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Lafayette & Mulberry)

Emporio, with JB and MB

Thanks to a win in Michigan last week, Josh treated us ladies to lunch today at notable neighborhood newcomer, Emporio. The notable change to their luncheon menu is the inclusion of about a dozen pizzas, bringing more Neapolitan options to the neighborhood. Between the four of us, we split a bevy of dishes including the tasty and pretty fava bean salad pictured above, two paper thin pizzas and the orecchiette. The pleasantly cool atmosphere of Emporio was the perfect choice to spend a long lunch in the company of good food and better friends.
Emporio, 231 Mott St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Prince & Spring)

4:00pm apricot tart

Dear Claude,
It's rumored that you have left your patisserie in the capable hands of Pablo, even though just the other week we caught you in your chef whites behind the counter. Far be it for us to begrudge you your long deserved break from baking but if you do happen to be lurking about, perhaps you could address the apricot tart? It was a little off today.
Your fans for always,
Y+M
Claude's Patisserie, 187 West 4th St, NY, NY 10014 (btwn 6th and 7th Aves)

August

We're not the only ones gravely disappointed by the burger at August, Frank Bruni also poo poos the burger. But unlike Mr. Bruni, my beef lays in the bun. There are quite a plethora of burgers that arrive at the table, exhibiting worlds of promise only to be brought crushingly down by a poorly conceived or executed bun. And although you may think this photo looks delicious, I assure that bun was too dense, too hard and dare I say it, slightly stale? Which is a shame because the meat was delicious and the wafer thin pickles a delight. Better luck next time.
August, 359 Bleecker St, NY, NY 10014 (btwn West 10th & Charles)

4:00pm strawberry cheesecake

Another light as air dessert for another hot sweltering day. Although to be fair it's not quite as bad as yesterday and the rest of the week promises to be a bit cooler. Phew.
Eileen's Special Cheesecake, 17 Cleveland Place, NY, NY 10012 (at Kenmare)

L'asso

Our new friends from lunch yesterday reminded us of a lunch option we haven't written much about - L'asso. It's a good thing we're good listeners since the margherita DOC pizza we split turned out to be the perfect summertime meal. The light, tangy and tart margherita sauce with buffalo mozzarella on a super thin crust was quickly devoured. The proscuitto and parmesean bruschetta pictured above was less quickly eaten.
L'asso, 192 Mott St., NY, NY 10012 (at Kenmare)

4:00pm sponge cake

You won't be seeing anything too hot and heavy from us, no decadence in this slaughtering heat. These days we are all about the light as air.
Fay Da, 191 Centre St, NY, NY 10013 (at Hester St)

Hoomoos Asli, with the Storefront

The other week we got an email from the esteemed Storefront for Art and Architecture, apparently they are LUNCH fans! And since we are Storefront fans, nothing made more sense then to meet up at the newly reopened Hoomoos Asli. Which we did today with delight. We are not the only ones who have missed Hoomoos Asli, the place was a mob scene. The falafel sandwich is still as reliably good before and thanks to a tip from Hong I tried the mellawach kofte sandwich. In my version of heaven I will eat fried dough every day.
Blame the lack of photo on Time Warner. We will update when we can. Updated!
Hoomoos Asli, 100 Kenmare St, NY, NY 10012 (at Centre St)

peaches and nectarines

Without a cold body of water to jump into as refuge, days this hot are practically useless, especially when without A/C. Ugh. Consolation comes via sweet summer ripened fruit from the farmer's market. Beach... Agua.. Agua...
Union Square Market, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays, NYC

Xe Lua with Salaam Garage

A summery fresh lunch was in order this smoldering summer afternoon. Maggie joined me to discuss our upcoming photoshoot, and exciting plans for her 2010 trip to Vietnam with Salaam Garage over what else but Vietnamese food! Anyone interested in humanitarian media and the chance to make a sustainable difference through storytelling should definitely check it out, get involved or better yet, go on the trip. 5 spots left! In the meantime a nice bowl of Bun Tom Nuong will keep my jealousy grounded.
Xe Lữa, 86 Mulberry Street below Canal

4:00pm madeleines

A classic afternoon snack for a classic lunch earlier. What I don't understand is how it can already be mid-August. What happened to our summer? Lost in cool rainy days this year.
Oro Bakery, 375 Broome St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Mulberry & Mott)

Despana

A classic quick lunch, although we really did mean to sit at Despana and eat at the bar height counters. But after a couple minutes of waiting for our order in the cranked up air conditioning, we decided it was just too cold for our wimpy selves. It's a bit surprising because there has been a noticeable lack of frigid air conditioning temps around town. So if the heat is getting to you, head over to Despana where you will be nicely chilled and well fed too.
Despana, 408 Broome St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Lafayette & Centre)

4:00pm cherry turnover

If you have access to a toaster oven or any sort of oven at all then I suggest you run over to Rheon Cafe and pick up one of their turnovers, or more specifically this cherry one. Pop it in for a mere 7 minutes and you will have pure bliss. Pure bliss I tell you.
Rheon Cafe, 189 Spring St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Thompson & Sullivan)

Calexico and La Esquina

A Mexican medley consisting of a a chipotle pork burrito from the Calexico street cart and then a short walk east for a grilled corn from La Esquina. Satisfying, reasonably priced and fulfilling requirements for a brief walk and a quick lunch.
Calexico, Broome St near Broadway, NY, NY 10012 (north-east corner)
La Esquina Taqueria, 106 Kenmare St, NY, NY 10012 (at Cleveland Place)

4:00pm dark chocolate chocolate chip cookie

If you like monster, mega-sized cookies, Levain Bakery is for you. More cake or brownie than cookie, these creations are meant for sharing. Best divvied up between multiple friends.
Levain Bakery, 167 West 74th St, NY, NY 10023 (at Amsterdam)

Rheon Cafe

Coffee run time so we got to the corner of Spring and Thompson and there stood for a long while pondering the endless lunch possibilities. Finally proximity won out and we crossed the street to Rheon Cafe. It's a tad pricier than a typical sandwich costs but there are half options, special deals and today free apples. The cibatta-like bread was particularly fresh and enjoyable, making the extra dollar or two almost worth it.
Rheon Cafe, 189 Spring St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Thompson & Sullivan)

4:00pm cream puff

With an unassuming storefront which is really easy to miss, Panade has managed to hide itself from us all this time. But how we're glad to have found it! They offer a variety of choux pastries, both sweet and savory to make their cream puffs and sandwiches. We went for the classic vanilla, cream filled to order, and it was lovely. Brings me back to my childhood when "choux cream" (that's what they call it in Japan) was my absolute favorite dessert. We'll definitely be going back for more.
Panade, 129 Eldridge Street btwn Delancey and Broome

Jup She, formerly Li Hua

Good news fellow Korean food lovers living/working in/near Chinatown! Li Hua may have changed names, decor, chairs and some wallpaper but the food remains the same. Still the consistently reliable Korean food we know and appreciate, especially when the kimchi craving hits and Koreatown is just too far away. There is a bit of inconsistency to the new Jup She - a blurb on Village Voice says its a new owner, yet the waiter, when quizzed, said same owner. Doesn't matter much to us as long as the food is the same. Or I guess it would be ok too if the food were even better than before haha.
Jup She, 171 Grand St, NY, NY 10013 (at Baxter)

4:00 coffee eclair

It's so hot that even the coffee frosting melted off the eclair! We cannot pass by Claude's Patisserie without stopping in. This was picked up passing through the neighborhood yesterday. And even though a day old, the eclair was still delicious albeit a bit soggy. And a note to Claude's followers: we spotted him there making his quality control visit!
Claude's Patisserie, 187 West 4th Street btwn 6th and 7th Aves

Matsugen

Given today's sweltering sun, the imperative for lunch was something cool, calm and collected. First choice, cold soba noodles. Second selection, Matsugen, where we knew the serene setting would give us the best chance of a refreshing meal. The menu is diverse but the soba noodles are the main attraction. The homemade noodles are delicate and refined, a step better than our normal haunt, Soba-ya. The prices are also a step more but not entirely unreasonable for something so carefully made.
Matsugen, 241 Church St., NY, NY 10013 (at Leonard)

4:00pm cherry tart

As usual, the fruit tarts from Cafe Select bring a Cheshire smile of contentment to a warm summer afternoon. Is it the light puff pastry shell, the sparing use of ingredients or the scattered pieces of fruit?
Cafe Select, 212 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (at Kenmare)

Crosby Connection

Something must have happened between Elizabeth and Bleecker because the famed Crosby Connection just isn't the same. In fact, the sandwiches were so sub-par today that it's as if they were made in a roadside gas station deli and not the cafe of the Bleecker Street Theater. Hopefully it's just a temporary glitch because it would be a grave disappointment for long time fans of Noho favorite Crosby Connection.
Crosby Connection, 45 Bleecker St, NY, NY 10012 (at Mulberry)

4:00pm jelly donut

Even half squished from being carried around all afternoon, a jelly donut from Donut Pub is still wonderfully yummy. Or maybe that's sugar overload speaking.
The Donut Pub, 203 W. 14th St, NY, NY 10011 (near 7th Ave)

Civetta, with friends

Civetta is so newly opened their website isn't even up yet. But lunch is being served and that's enough for us. M. is out to meetings today so she wasn't there to help me discern what to eat or not but luckily I had a trio of French friends to help out instead. We picked a random selection and proceeded to critically try them one by one. Everything was pretty decent and in loose order of preferred dishes to non: (1) Shaved Baby Octopus, (2) Saffron Arancini, (3) Pasta, San Marzano (4) Potato Fritto, Sardines, (5) Chicken Liver Crostini. There is enough promise, and that pasta dish really was quite fresh, that we'll have to go back and try another round of tastes.
Civetta, 98 Kenmare St., NY, NY 10012 (west of Mulberry)

coffee roll

Salt in your coffee? We're wondering if Taiwan's latest fad, sea-salt foam atop sweet coffee, has found its way to the corner of Walker and Baxter. Because what we got from Dragon Land Bakery looked like an ordinary sweet coffee roll but turned out instead to have a kind of salty cream frosting instead. Interesting.
Dragon Land Bakery, 125 Walker St, NY, NY 10013 (at Baxter St)

Bo Ky

Chinatown is a plethora of cheap eating and sometimes we'll just wander down there and stop at random. Today chance brings us to Bo Ky, a long time staple of the cheap Chinatown eating scene. It's rare to see so many permutations of the lesser known but oh so delicious Vietnamese soup, hu tieu but Bo Ky seems to have almost all of them. Although surprisingly they do not have my preferred version, the My Tho (dai). Over at Viet World Kitchen Andrea has a great write-up of the Cambodian influenced Nam Vang style - pictured above.
Bo Ky, 82 Bayard St, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Mulberry and Mott)

4:00pm langue de chat

Do you know what a cat's tongue tastes like? Well, apparently buttery delicious, as these cookies were named after them! All kidding aside, the ones from Ceci-Cela are quite nice. However, their recent and multiple price hikes will soon prevent us from purchasing them. Maybe once the weather cools, we'll attempt to make them at home.
Ceci-Cela Patisserie, 55 Spring Street btwn Lafayette and Mulberry

Bone Lick Park

Once in a while we will literally stumble across a restaurant that we had no intentions of visiting. On such occasion, we go in with little or no expectations. As we entered Bone Lick Park we overheard a woman exclaiming, "That was like the best lunch deal!" Off too a good start. Then the service; maybe not so good. But we order the lunch specials - $7.95 for a sandwich and soup or salad, and it turns out the food is downright decent. The salad was nicely dressed, and while the pulled pork and brisket were both on the bland side, totally edible and the service just fine.
Bone Lick Park, 75 Greenwich Ave at 11th Street