Moving On

You might have noticed we haven't been updating the blog, though we continue to eat lunch every day. We've moved to a more occasional model over at a Lunch Studio Facebook page, where you can join us for the same chronicling of daily lunches, interspersed with foodie news that we find compelling. The same feed is fed through the Lunch Studio Twitter so you can follow along there instead if that's your preferred platform. You can still look through this site for eating inspiration, everything we've eaten for lunch remains chronicled in images and text, including many places and dishes that will only exist here in our memories.

It's sad not to continue with the daily blog posts. We've met and made many friends in the almost 10 years we've been logging lunches. Though we won't be posting every single day, we are still here. We're still eating and still delighted with food in all its forms.

wichcraft

11 E. 20th St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 4 - Just Fine
Visits: Once in awhile
The erratic temperatures outside keep leading us to soup, soup and more hot soup. The tomato soup at wichcraft can be a good option. I tried the butternut squash, which is very in-season, and which was pretty nice.

Zero Otto Nove

15 W. 21st St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: Often
Rare that we order anything at Zero Otto Nove except our favorite pairing of salad and pizza, but this Friday past was so chilly we needed soup to warm up.

Sala One Nine

35 W. 19th St, NY, NY 10011

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: Not often enough
Sala One Nine gets high appreciation marks from us as it's rare to find a $12 lunch specials that is substantial and varied. The food is not wow, but it's a great spot to meet my sister for lunch. We all had the half sandwich, half soup or salad. The portions were satisfyingly significant and we're always fans of lentil soup, which they have on the menu every day. Even the salad that came with my sister's lunch was of a decent size.

ORamen

575 6th Ave, NY, NY 10011

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: First time
I'm not sure why there is nothing more written up about Oramen, newly opened on 6th Avenue between 16th and 17th. It's that kind of easy place to go with a selection of ramen paired into lunch sets. We were perfectly satisfied with the shoyu ramen, great and comforting on abruptly chilly days like today. We got one set with the kara age (fried chicken) and are already making plans for next lunch - the hamburg lunch set and maybe more kara age. As always, we're happy to have more non-Western lunching options in the hood.

Pondicheri, with George and Nancy

15 W. 27th St, NY, NY 10001

Rating: 2 - Super Happy
Visits: First time
Anti Jaisinghani is getting all sorts of great press for bringing her Indian sensibility to her first New York City location of Pondicheri. We showed up on Meatless Monday to a pleasantly half filled dining room and a dazzling menu from which it was near impossible to decide. M. and I split a dosa from the breakfast menu and the saag paneer curry from the lunch menu and were so incredibly delighted with lunch, we practically licked the plate clean. We're definitely going back to see what the regular lunch menu entails, but I'm sure we will not be disappointed.

Mira Sushi

46 E. 22nd St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 4 - Just Fine
Visits: When it rains
Mira Sushi is just fine, as it always is. It's most endearing trait for us is it's proximity to the office. Which means on bitterly cold days or torrentially rainy ones, that's where you will find us. Having a just fine lunch. Nothing to write home about.

Rosticceria @ Eataly

Rating: 5 - Disappointed
Visits: Once in a while
It used to be the prime rib sandwich at Eataly filled us with joy but at $14.80 a sandwich and a skimpier portion of meat, it's no longer the delight it once was.

Kunjip

9 West 32nd St, NY, NY 10001

Rating: 2 - Super Happy
Visits: Often
What we love about Korean dining is the anticipation of banchan at the start of the meal. We're like kids in a candy shop waiting to see what kind of little dishes make the table top array. M. tries something and points emphatically with her chopsticks if it merits trying. I pick another and shake my head don't bother. Today we split a duk mandoo soup and a soondubu jjigae stew and stumbled out into the mid October summer day stuffed to the brim and mindlessly happy.

Koa

12 W. 21st St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: Often
Koa keeps adjusting its lunch menu, but since it gets nicer with more options, we're definitely not complaining. The ramen lunch set we normally get with salad and vegetarian spring rolls now comes a la carte so if you're not especially hungry, or you're especially careful about money, you can have a bowl of ramen on its own. There were a couple different hot soup versions and two dry ramen noodle versions.

Breads Bakery

18 E. 16th St, NY, NY 10003

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: Once in a while
We don't eat at Breads Bakery for lunch all that often, despite their incredible array of baked goods. The eating space can be a crowded and hectic. But once in awhile it's worth going for the delight of the Tunisian sandwich. The spiced tuna on their fabulously fresh bread is pretty to die for.

Via Emilia, with John

47 E. 21st St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: Regularly
John had to be hard persuaded to order the tagliatelle al ragu that I always get, especially because M. was having it too and that made the same dish for the three of us. Which goes against all sorts of friends ordering rules, especially of the close friends type where the object is to order as many different dishes as possible to get the greatest variety possible. But in the end we prevailed and we all the three of us ate the same comforting ragu lunch.

Cafe Hanamizuki

149 W. 29th St, NY, NY 10001

Rating: 4 - Just Fine
Visits: Occasionally
This perfect fall weather, crisp and sunny, put us in the mood for a walk and we headed over to an exhibition at FIT called Proust's Muse, The Countess Greffulhe. It's hard to tell how exactly fashion daring the Countess was without context but the dresses on display were incredibly varied from ornate almost Elizabethan to flapper inspired. To go with the inspirational beauty of the Countess, we had lunch at Cafe Hanamizuki for the serenity of their battered white space and perfectly presented lunch trays. It's a nice lunch for us, but I can see how it might not be enough for someone looking for more heartiness.

Homes Kitchen

22 E. 21st St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 2 - Super Happy
Visits: Often
No matter how many times we eat at Homes Kitchen, we are never greeted with a warm smile or cozy hello's. And we are so ok with that. I love the brusqueness of the Chinese waitstaff at Homes, yes bordering on rude if you view it that way. We like to see it as completely straightforward and utterly practical. They take your order, the food comes out, you eat, they whisk away empty plates and bring back a check. No chit chat. Perfect.

Bombay Sandwich Co.

48 W. 27th St, NY, NY 10001

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visits: Often
Those of you who follow our lunching adventures will know we don't shy away from any type of food, though I have to admit a personal preference for meaty dishes. Until, that is, we discovered the lentil bowl at Bombay Sandwich Co. Even for a habitual meat eater like myself, the lentil bowl is utterly satisfying. The saltiness of the lentils cooked slow and soft over brown rice and complemented with a tart cucumber tomato salad with an apple garlic pickle is just lovely. One of our favorite lunches.