El Valle

450 E. 149th St, Bronx, NY 10455

Rating: 1 - Wonderful
Visit #: 1
In brief: I don't know what the yelpers have against the Mott Haven location of El Valle but M. and I were in ecstasy over the $6.50 lunch combo. You gotta love a place where they ask if you want a soda, I nod yes, and they bring me Pepsi. Because here soda means Pepsi. 
It could have been because this April chilliness was making us cranky with cold, but when the waitress set down plates of gorgeously charred chicken, a pile of white rice and a small cup of beans, we sighed in happiness. The chicken was even better than imaginable with the vinaigrette sauce that came on the side. M. and I wolfed, inhaled, devoured lunch and left on a blissful cloud of satiation.

Sophie's Cuban

28 E. 23rd St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visit #: 8
In brief: It's possible it's not the most authentic, but we don't care, Sophie's Cuban can be relied on for lunch satisfaction.

You are thinking, I know it, what the hell is going on with this 70 degree weather in the middle of October? Sophie's was empty inside, everyone was taking their lunches to go so we did too. Messy roast pork sandwiches are best consumed outside anyway, the juices can just drip right onto the pavement.

Sophie's Cuban

28 E. 23rd St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visit #: 6
In brief: A hustling, bustling chainlet of Cuban food, how authentic you say? I don't know and I don't care because they always serve with a smile and the heaping plate of rice, beans and roast pork fills us right on up.

I was going in for a filling excavation after lunch so I wanted something satisfying to hold on to, like a pile of rice beans and meat. Toward the end of lunch at Sophie's, the tables next to us were cleared out and a woman promptly began loading up the table with a million tiny little to-go cups. Then another woman came over and filled them with the green sauce. It was like watching a machine.

Sophie's Cuban

28 E. 23rd St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visit #: 5
In brief: A hustling, bustling chainlet of Cuban food, how authentic you say? I don't know and I don't care because they always serve with a smile and the heaping plate of rice, beans and roast pork fills us right on up.

This from I don't even remember when anymore, this week sometime. Between a Big Meeting we had been preparing for yesterday and a DOB hearing downtown, it's been an upside down week. Not to mention the antics of Halloween last night, which the crazy warm weather probably made crazier. At Sophie's we normally we get a meat entree over rice and beans but M. tried a sandwich, pretty good, she says, and I eyed a side salad passing by that I might have to try next time. Something about that very basic iceberg lettuce salad, a couple of sad carrots, onions and a light dressing, that I just like.

Sophie's Cuban

28 E. 23rd St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 3 - Feeling Good
Visit #: 4
In brief: A hustling, bustling chainlet of Cuban food, how authentic you say? I don't know and I don't care because they always serve with a smile and the heaping plate of rice, beans and roast pork fills us right on up.

After the less than stellar lunch of Tuesday, we needed something guaranteed, and fast. Considering I didn't leave the office until after 10pm, I'm glad we walked over for lunch to Sophie's Cuban to fill up on rice, beans and pork.

El Cocotero, with BB and Gordon

We loved the homey comfort of El Cocotero the first time we stumbled by, and we loved it even more today because Tia and Gordon are always game for trying a wide assortment of dishes. We had one cachapa (a sort of corn flour pancake), one arepa (different corn based pita-like shell), one patacon (similar to a panini but not) and a refreshing avocado salad. The piece de resistance was a hallaca we added on at the end for fear we had not ordered enough. Everything was good enjoyable with not one particular dish standing out, except maybe the stewed goat filling. A great place to go for meat and coziness.
El Cocotero, 228 W. 18th St, NY, NY 10011 (btwn 7th and 8th Aves)

Sophie's Cuban

I know, Sophie's Cuban is a bit of a mini-chain, but even so it's a decent meal for a decent price that I'm certain we will be partaking of again. It's a slightly cleaner version of the closed La Nueva Conquista and while the green sauce has nothing on Pio Pio, it's still a reasonably good lunch in our sad new lunching neighborhood. It's actually not that it's so sad, but across the board lunch is $1-2 more and we really miss the small cozy neighborhood type spaces of our old hood.
Sophie's Cuban, 28 E. 23rd St, NY, NY 10010 (btwn Madison and Park)

Cafe Habana leftovers

I had this last night for dinner, take out, and was not sure it would re-heat to any semblance of tastiness but surprisingly it did. Making for a perfect meal in a bowl while M. was occupied with other things besides having lunch with me today.

El Cocotero

We walked by El Cocotero on 18th today and decided to stop. The awning proudly declares authentic home style Venezuelan restaurant. I don't know about you, but when someone says "home style", we're automatically intrigued, even if the success rate of "home style" is probably less than 50%. The menu is extensive and nicely broken up into distinctive categories. We shared a little meaty appetizer, the pastelito de carne. I don't know why because the arepas would have probably been filling enough, the corn dough shell was packed with shredded pork, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and more. Definitely going back to try more.
El Cocotero, 228 W. 18th St, NY, NY 10011 (btwn 7th and 8th Aves)

The Pan American

Handful of months after their opening, Pan American suffered a fire in the building.  It took them longer to get back on their feet (it always does), they are back! We looked at their menu and saw some very reasonably priced items, and thought we should go back. We ordered the grilled cuban sliders and the avocado salad, which were both very tasty, with nicely balanced flavors and textures thoughtfully composed. However, we realized why the items were so affordable. They were equally small in portion size. Hence our meal turned into a mid-day snack. I could have eaten the salad and the sliders on my own, and still be hungry. Oh well, we were in a hurry so decided not to order more.
Pan American 202 Mott St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Kenmare and Spring)

La Nueva Conquista

We initially set out to get sandwiches from La Esquina, but we had so much trouble placing an simple order, we gave up and went to La Nueva Conquista instead.  Always packed, always friendly, we went for the beef stew we saw someone else get, instead of our usual roast pork.  I don't know if it was the right decision, but the stew was just as you'd imagine your mom would cook, even if she never made such a dish.
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)

La Nueva Conquista

We decided to have a "silent reading lunch" today, as we both had some mandatory reading to do.  It doesn't help that we're in 2 book clubs, which we admit is horribly dorky, but simultaneously makes us severely happy.  And so does the Dominican food from La Nueva Conquista.  Super simple rice and beans (yellow rice and black beans to be exact), with succulent and flavorful roast pork.  We couldn't ask for too much more. 
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)

Coppelia, with Tia and Gordon

Coppelia is exactly the kind of place I'd like around the corner from me. It's open 24/7 and the food is addictive like a bag of Cheetos. We liked the unexpectedly spicy mac and chicharon, and the crosquetas were a big hit. The ropa veija could have used a little more flavor or salt, or even better, a nice tasty fried egg on top. I love eating with Bionic Bites and Gordon, we're often attracted to the same things, bacon and fried things, plus we love ordering in quantity so everyone can have a bit of everything.
Coppelia, 207 W. 14th St, NY, NY 10011 (near 7th Ave)

La Nueva Conquista, with Hong

By 1:30pm they had run out of roast pork but I watched the guy in front of me order and I followed suit. The woman behind the counter used tongs to pick up a piece of flattened meat and then tossed it into the deep fryer. Minutes later it comes out, she chops it up and throws it over the mound of rice and beans. Add some lightly pickled onions and a plantain and you got yourself some genuine deliciousness. Ah Nueva Conquista, you seldom disappoint.
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)

La Nueva Conquista, with Thu-Thu

The super awesome thing about my sister spending her summer in our office is that we have a third lunch partner. Which means we not only get to order our tried and true favorite, roast pork over rice, but a new dish to try and share as well. I left it in M.'s capable hands, and was not at all surprised to discover she opted for meatballs. They weren't bad, could have used some sort of sauce I think. Interestingly the roast pork looked very safe and respectable today, not at all the usual full fatty fare.
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)

La Nueva Conquista

I wasn't paying attention when I took my first bite of lunch today. And since we're all about mindful eating, especially after reading this article about "lunch amnesia", I let go of all the silly distractions dancing in my head for just one second so I could take a second bite. Good thing I did because the second bite of our usual roast pork over yellow rice and black beans from La Nueva Conquista was breathtakingly good.
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)

Oficina Latina

The pricing at Oficina Latina is a little aggressive for lunch, or maybe that's a matter of perception of worth vs. cost. Even though the recalentado a caballo (white rice with spicy pork and bacon topped with a sunny side up egg) looked remarkably small, it was pretty filling. I could have eaten that bacon all day long. We paired it with a tuna salad, a perfectly innocent combination, but somehow the flavors were off so I ended up finishing all of one taste before having the other.
Oficina Latina, 24 Prince St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Mott and Elizabeth)

Bar Bossa

There's nothing too special about Bar Bossa, but I sure do get a craving for their egg pressed sandwich.  A lightly mixed egg salad, with olives, onions, parsley and spiced mayo.  I find it rather addictive.  There was a strange vibe in there today.  A bunch of American "guy" guys off from work, drinking alcohol sitting at the bar sort of watching the French Open on TV.  But every time we go there we still can't get over how much we miss Palacinka..
Bar Bossa, 232 Elizabeth St, NY, NY 10012 (btwn Prince and Houston)

La Nueva Conquista

It's only been 3.5 weeks since we were wowed by the stuffed peppers at La Nueva Conquista, but we went back anyway, wanting specifically their classic and reliable roast pork. My heart sank a bit as we approached the line curling outside around the front of the little hole-in-the-wall eatery. Sometimes they sell out of roast pork early and I prepared myself for a substitution of beef stew or ribs. Luckily no such substitution was necessary and we heartily dug into our anticipations.
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)

La Nueva Conquista

If you had been at La Nueva Conquista a little before 1pm this afternoon, you would have seen M. and I doing our happy dance. We went for the usual and delicious roast pork over rice but fell instantly in love with a tray of stuffed peppers. We were amply rewarded for the change in routine. These stuffed peppers were quite possible the most you could hope for in a stuffed pepper. Perfect in every way, including the $8 price tag for an enormous container of food. Considering we often split oversize meals like this, that's $4 each that we paid today for an incredible amount of soul satisfying happiness.
La Nueva Conquista, 236 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (above Spring)