4:00pm chocolate truffle

I would have picked up cookies at Grandaisy after lunch today but I also had to pick up something sweet for dinner at my cousin's tonight so I opted to sneak in an extra solo chocolate truffle in the bag of 9 that I picked up for him at Vosges.
Vosges, 132 Spring St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Greene and Wooster)

Ba'al Cafe and Falafel

I could have perhaps not tried Ba'al Cafe on the one day M. isn't around for lunch, especially since she noticed it first and her email to me was "yes! yes! yes!". But it couldn't be helped, the place is actually ideal for a quick lunch between errands. The $6 falafel platter is a steal, it comes with 2 sides of your choice and a pretty decent warmed pita. M. will be happy to know we have a good new Middle Eastern option in the 'hood. And as Beale points out, it's a win win location with Grandaisy next door for desserts.
Ba'al Cafe and Falafel, 71 Sullivan St, NY, NY 10012 (above Broome)

4:00pm cookies

When I was at New Kam Hing the other afternoon, there was something about these cookies that made me reach out for them.  Sheer curiosity perhaps.  They taste as if they take the left over batter from the sponge cake, add some additional flour, and  then bake them as cookies.  Not bad, not great.  They taste like they might be missing a bit of fat content and thus a bit dry.  They could almost be addictive, but are not.  Reminds me a bit of Stella D'oro, only if they were Chinese. 
New Kam Hing Coffee Shop, 119 Baxter Street, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Hester and Canal)

Osteria Morini

I am rushing to write this now because you still have 40 minutes to run over to Osteria Morini for this unique opportunity, half off 4 different types of panini! We tried the meatball (yum!) and the porchetta (a trifle dry but quite yum despite). They are not inexpensive on a normal day but the bread was so perfect and lightly toasted, and the fillings so tasty, that I think they will be worth going back for, regardless of the price.
Osteria Morini, 218 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (below Spring)

4:00pm cookies

Personally I am on my third day of apple pie leftovers, rejuvenated in the ever awesome toaster oven, but we also picked up some cookies from the lunch earlier today in case they turned out to exceed expectations. They didn't, but they weren't bad either.

AIA Center for Architecture

I'm always surprised that caterers don't put out a little card announcing their name. After all, it's little trouble to do so and if the unexpectedly good buffet lunch today made us happy, wouldn't it be nice if we could tell you who made us happy? I'll just speak out loud into the ether of the internet and hope this finds its way where it needs to be. Whomever supplied the Center for Architecture with really nice sandwiches today during a three hour seminar about wood, nice job!
AIA Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Bleecker and Third)

4:00pm apple crumble pie

When we got to the office on Monday morning, there was a big Tate's shopping bag with goodies in it. Yippie yay! This was the first time for us trying their pies and frankly we weren't all that hopeful, not because we don't trust Tate's, but because good pies are hard to come by. My first tiny spoonful was unheated, and slightly lackluster. The crust and the crumble were way too soggy. However 10 minutes in the toaster oven did it wonders, and now we had a warm, crisp not too sweet apple pie that we can look forward to having again and again.
Tate's Bake Shop, 43 North Sea Rd., Southampton NY 11968

Oxley's Carvery

We've been meaning to try this new Brit-ish butchery for one of their meaty sandwiches. Local friends have been giving it a general thumbs up, and the storefront is definitely inviting, but the lack of seating would require a lunch in the park or back in the office. So the crazy warm weather today gave us the perfect excuse. We tried the Corned Beef (pictured) and the Pork Loin sandwiches. Though the pork loin was a bit dry and bland, both sandwiched were acceptably tasty, with their moist and flavorful condiments. One big improvement would be for them to downsize the roll, not in size but in heft. Apparently others agree.
Oxley's Carvery, 202a Mott Street, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Spring and Kenmare)

4:00pm sponge cake

Since I was so furious at myself for getting the wrong thing at New Kam Hing last week, I was determined to do it right this time. Upon inspection, the spongecake was not as "flat" as I had imagined. But as others have noted, the ratio of the browned parts to the innards is really the key. These cakes are noticeably sweeter, egg-ier and vanilla heavy than the others I've had. And while the texture is still air light, it's denser. I'm not sure how I feel about all this yet. But they are undeniably good and addictive and I will be going back for more.
New Kam Hing Coffee Shop, 119 Baxter Street, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Hester and Canal)

Little Giant

We inadvertently walked into Little Giant at the exact moment that a 6-top was ordering drinks, 2 2-tops were about to get their food and 2 other 2-tops were waiting to pay. And unfortunately for her, one harassed looking server. But it was a great afternoon for a slightly leisurely lunch as the poor woman scrambled to take care of everyone at once. She did thoughtfully bring us two plates to share a really yummy yet plain burger and a not as tasty butter lettuce salad.
Little Giant, 85 Orchard St, NY, NY 10002 (at Broome St)

4:00pm cookies

I really could not decide between chocolate, chocolate chip or coconut so I pretended that I was buying them all for an afternoon gouter and espresso with some friends out of town coming by for a visit. The truth was that I wanted to try them all. In order of preference: coconut, chocolate and chocolate chip.
Birdbath, 160 Prince St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Thompson and Laguardia)

Hundred Acres

We wanted to satisfy both Good Friday (Fish!) and Earth Day but mostly only managed to find a market-driven menu at Hundred Acres with a fish sandwich on it. We were discussing the numerous parameters and complications in knowing whether or not a restaurant is committed to sustainable practices and concluded that it's near impossible to define. One place could only serve organic crops but if they come from southern India, the transportation energy cost might outweigh the benefits of locally raised food stuffs. Another might buy only from farms within 100 miles but what if they only served food on plastic plates with plastic forks? The whole dilemma reminds me of the Portlandia skit about chickens.
Hundred Acres, 38 MacDougal St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Houston and Prince)

4:00pm birthday cake and fruit tarts

This carefully constructed cake looks better than it tastes for hiding beneath this beautiful photo are 3 rice cakes, layered with peanut butter "frosting" in honor of Shawn's birthday. Afterward we had a fruit tart from Ceci-Cela.

Lahore Deli

We have book club tonight and since we're both behind in the reading, we collectively decided today would be a silent reading lunch. A quick walk to our favorite Pakistani taxi-cab feeding hole, Lahore, for some fresh air and back to the office for silent reading accompanied by chicken curry, lentils and a samosa. The mix was especially good today and a little spicier than usual. The food and the book.
Lahore Deli, 132 Crosby St, NY, NY 10012 (below Houston)

4:00pm chocolate, peanut butter and banana cake

I wouldn't normally think to mash up bananas and bake them with chocolate and peanut butter but you gotta leave it to Kristy, she's a maven of chocolate and peanut butter delights. I especially liked how the dark chocolate countered the sweetness of the banana.

Sanctuary T

We've been meaning to stop by Sanctuary T ever since friend KG started managing there. It was hard to choose from the diversity of options, English breakfast or fish and chips? Burgers or steak salad? In the end M. opted for an exceedingly healthy grilled tofu and quinoa salad served with a delicious side of market vegetables. And I might have to return for KG's suggestion of the vegetarian-friendly stuffed Holland pepper, which she claims will satisfy anyone who normally (me!) prefers a little meat in their meal. And since we were in a teashop but aren't accustomed to drinking tea at lunch, KG also treated us to a lovely sample of the jasmine silver needle.
Sanctuary T, 337B West Broadway, NY, NY 10013

boston cream donut

I usually opt for the powdered cream donut at The Donut Pub.  I happen to really like their bavarian cream; not too sweet, with rich vanilla egg flavor.  For some reason I went for the boston cream donut today, and am wishing the I hadn't.  It's still pretty tasty, but I find the chocolate frosting a bit too sweet with the cream combo.  I think I'll go get myself a glass of milk. 
Donut Pub, 203 W. 14th St, NY, NY 10011 (near 7th Ave)

Leftovers

Today's post is dedicated to the unglamorous, but equally important side of lunching.  Waste makes me feel horrible.  Wasted space, wasted time, wasted food, wasted anything.  And while I know it's a dieting no-no (well, I'm not on a diet) I try hard to eat everything I'm served, because I imagine all uneaten food going into the dumpster, and I feel guilty and unthankful. Recent studies show that anywhere from 30-50% of the food produced in the States or the world goes to waste.  That just makes me want to cry.  So should there be leftovers in the fridge, I'm rather diligent about eating them over the course of days, so as to not have to throw them away.  I thought about compiling all the food onto a nice plate for the photo, but that would require additional water to clean the plate, so I bagged that idea too. 

4:00pm coconut tart

I really want to shoot myself this afternoon.  I had always admired the small and nondescript but alluring storefront of Kam Hing Coffee Shop.  So I finally decided today was the day to go in an get the first thing that caught my eye.  Little did I know this is the place that is famous for their sponge cakes.  Both Kathy and Danny's recent posts have had me drooling with anticipation.  Oh well, I must go back, maybe even tomorrow. 
New Kam Hing Coffee Shop, 119 Baxter Street, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Hester and Canal)

Wah Mei Fast Food

After running an errand and realizing I had forgotten all forms of photo recording devices, I ducked into Wah Mei for a fast and cheap lunch that would solve all my Monday lunching dilemmas. Wah Mei, we love you for being fast, cheap and fabulously reliable.  Though to be terribly honest, the better chicken leg over rice to be had requires a longer walk down to Doyers to Excellent Pork Chop House. 
Wah Mei Fast Food, 190 Hester St, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Baxter & Mulberry)

4:00pm yodel

I'm going to be heartbroken when our project on 17th St ends and we will no longer be in proximity to Lulu Cake Boutique. First it was the homemade twinkie, now the "yodel", or if you prefer, the Ho Ho or Swiss Roll. Wherever your childhood allegiances lie, you will love Lulu's rendition. At first glimpse it looks too big to share in one seating but when you bite into it, there is no way, absolutely no way at all, that you will be able to resist finishing off the entire thing. And when you pair it with a fresh pot of Kava coffee from Caffe Pronto... you might be rendered speechless with glee.
Lulu Cake Boutique, 112 Eighth Ave, NY, NY 10011 (btwn 15th and 16th)

Saha Thai

I'm on a flight out of here later this afternoon so M. indulged me and we ordered in from Saha Thai. Next week we're going to try an experiment in which she picks all the lunch places and I obligingly and without complaint comply. Mostly to see how the lack of choice affects my happiness with lunch. Maybe we should have everyone dictate our lunch schedule for a week and see how that goes. I think we would be amused.
Saha Thai, 227 Centre St, NY, NY 10013 (above Grand)

4:00pm coffee cake

I do hope the new Parm will alleviate the over-crowding issues that Torrisi is dealing with. Because we are those people who like to eat there but are too lazy to deal with the hassle of Torrisi's popularity.
Torrisi, 250 Mulberry St, NY, NY 10012 (below Prince)

Bowery Beef and Tacombi, with Greg

We didn't mean to have a second lunch today when we set out to pick up Greg for roast beef sandwiches at Bowery Beef. The sandwiches were enjoyable in a low-brow kind of way, served on squishy buns and a slathered on spicy sauce, but small, ala fast food portion size. And since we didn't get any sides with lunch, our stomachs were already rumbling by the time we headed back to the office. At Elizabeth, instead of parting ways, we decided to keep strolling towards Tacombi for a quick taco to fill the void. A rather brilliant idea if I do say so myself.
Bowery Beef in the Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery, NY, NY 10012 (above Houston)
Tacombi at Fonda Nolita, 267 Elizabeth St, NY, NY 10012 (below Prince)

4:00pm oreos

I know I was taking a risk by going with the Rite-Aid on Broadway since the Spring and Lafayette Duane Reade Oreos we had last August were memorably fresh, but fortunately this package was relatively good. It's hard to buy stale Oreos, but stranger things have happened. Like the time all the orange Sweetarts in an entire roll had no tartness.
Rite Aid, 495 Broadway, NY, NY 10012 (above Broome)

Calexico Cart

I know, we're breaking the cardinal rule of LUNCH (6 weeks minimum before repeating a lunch) but the chilly weather's making us supremely lazy. It's only been 15 days since I solo ate at Calexico, but 4 months for M. In order to keep it lively, and not bore you with more praises for the carne asada burrito, we tried a pollo asada quesadilla too. See how thoughtful we are? It's not the most fantastic ever, but it is really nice how they roll it, squish it and grill it some more. We'd totally eat it again.
Calexico, Broome St near Broadway, NY, NY 10012 (north-east corner)

4:00pm "highbrow" chocolate chip cookies

When M. saw these "highbrow" chocolate chip cookies at Trader Joe's, she was immediately suspicious. Trader Joe's is notoriously secretive about its operations but there are whispers across the internet nevertheless. Their "highbrow" chocolate chip cookies are not just similar to our favorite packaged cookie, Tate's but EXACTLY THE SAME. Tate's are a smidge larger and thinner but in a blind taste test I dare you to tell the difference.

L'asso, with Saha

We were in sync with L'asso for lunch today, we and Saha, but probably because the steady rain outside deterred us from walking much further. Good thing because we had a great pizza today. L'asso is not always consistently consistent, but usually good enough that there are no surprises. Today, however, we had a fantastic pizza. The sauce was a trifle more tart than usual and the crust fresh and yielding.

4:00pm vanilla caramel vietnamese coffee cupcake

It's a mouthful, "vanilla caramel Vietnamese coffee cupcake", but it's kind of spot on. Get it? SPOT on. As in SPOT Dessert Bar. I know, I crack myself up too. But seriously, the cupcake is a wonder of tastes, Pichet Ong should get into the candy bar making business because each bite was like eating a caramel candy in the form of a cupcake.
Spot Dessert Bar, 13 St. Marks Pl., NY, NY 10003 (btwn 2nd and 3rd Aves)

Grand Sichuan

We could not resist the freakishly warm summer weather today, who can? It's practically too warm for jeans, especially on the sunny side of the street. Astor Place is just a little too far for Grand Sichuan, when it's possible to find Sichuan places in Chinatown, but it's still a nice departure. Nothing like a bit of spicy sichuan wonton to liven up lunch.
Grand Sichuan, 19-23 St. Marks Place, NY, NY 10003 (btwn 2nd and 3rd Ave)

4:00pm blondies

My heart swooned this morning at the presence of homemade blondies on the kitchen table from cpbgallery. The smallest bite yields an intense, almost caramel-like, sensation. They practically stood up and demanded a fresh pot of coffee.

Asia Dog

Welcome Asia Dog to the 'hood! It seems the new method for opening restaurants starts with flea markets or street carts, building up a loyal and steadfast following and then POW. The cutest little restaurant you ever did see, serving the brightest cheeriest hot dogs I ever did see. I'm not sure yet about the combination of super fresh vegetable toppings on hot dogs but I do know the "mash" of potato chips and sweet spicy sauce was yum yum. We'll be back!
Asia Dog, 66 Kenmare St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Mulberry and Mott)

4:00pm chocolate chip cookies

Last time M. was conveniently out of town so I ate the entire thing myself where we normally share. This time I knew better than to share and got two for the two of us.
Nolita Mart, 156 Mott St, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Broome and Grand)

New Chao Chow

Noodle Village has forever spoiled us for noodle soups. Even New Chao Chow, which normally does pretty well by us, just doesn't compare. Today we were the only English speakers in the place. The waiters loafed about, cracking loud incomprehensible jokes and raucously laughing about them. I was transported elsewhere, as we walked back to the office on Mott, surrounded solely by the tones of Cantonese.
New Chao Chow, 111 Mott St, NY, NY 10013 (btwn Hester and Canal)

4:00pm vanilla cream puff

What a total delight the new Panade store is! It's cheery and charming and now that we've had our dose of delicious cream puffs, we might just have to go back for a lunch and a sandwich.
Panade, 132a Eldridge St, NY, NY 10002 (btwn Delancy and Broome)

Souvlaki GR

At the new fixed location of Souvlaki GR, it might be a good idea to order one and a half of the wee pita wraps. Whether you choose pork, chicken or Serious Eat's (and ours) preferred option, the bifteki, they come cutely wrapped and are perfectly lovely lunch eating, but a bit on the small side. We ordered an additional plate of french fries and pretended we were in Greece with the white walls, blue windows, streaming sun and painted stone paving.
Souvlaki, 116 Stanton St, NY, NY 10002 (near Essex)

4:00pm paris-brest

He said "paris brest" but I thought he said "pain presse", which would have been a weird name for this choux dessert from Ceci-Cela. As it turns out, the Paris-Brest was invented in 1891, or 1910 by other counts, to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race.
Ceci Cela Patisserie, 55 Spring St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Lafayette and Mulberry)

Cafe Fiat

Of course it rained throughout lunchtime, making the short walk to Cafe Fiat feel way too long. But our new Pepe Rosso was worth it, the daily special of spaghetti and meatballs was homemade and comfy, just perfect for icky rainy days. All we need after that lunch was a cozy couch and a good DVD.
Cafe Fiat, 203 Mott St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Kenmare and Spring)

4:00pm brownies

It's a good day when an oven is used for the first time to make a batch of brownies for office potluck.

Office Potluck

Everyone must have been feeling the promise of warm weather yesterday for our monthly office potluck was filled with springy salads and chickpeas, served 3 different ways.

4:00pm donuts

Everyday is donut day here at Front Studio.  While having Peter Pan nearby would make our lives complete, The Donut Pub is a pretty worthy substitution. Enjoy the weekend!
Donut Pub, 203 W. 14th St, NY, NY 10011 (near 7th Ave)

Leftovers

This is no joke!  The Lunch ladies eat leftovers!  It's yucky outside, we've got very limited time for lunch today and there's entirely too much good food left from yesterday.  Everything still tasted pretty good - the salt bake squid didn't quite make it through day 2 though.