Looking for new financial district lunch places

[auroragb]

Been working downtown for a while. So, I've developed a rotation of a few places for lunch:
hibachi at the Riverside Cafe
Rosario's
diwan-e-kaa (sp?)
#1 Little House
Cosi's
Burger Burger
Chipotle

Occasional treats at the following:
Ise
Seh Ja Meh
Alfanoos (sp?)

I tend to avoid sandwiches and empenadas.

However, I'm losing places with little to replace them. First Rosario closed and I had no Pasta options in the rotation. Now Seh Ja Meh is closed and lost my Korean option. I'm looking for places to replace them. Suggestions?

[Upperwestsider]

Agree with the statements about Ulysses (great deal, but it IS an Irish saloon) and Adrienne's (you might be better off taking the pie back to the office; that line--even in winter weather--isn't there for nothing). Additionally, if you want to make the walk, Nelson Blue is a terrific New Zealand restaurant at the corner of Peck's Slip and Front Street. Of course, once the weather changes all the Stone Street restaurants put tables outside.

[financialdistrictresident]

Underground Pizza.

Onda on Front Street is open for lunch now (they have been giving out discount cards to diners). Made Fresh Daily on Front is good <$10.

[sea97horse]

Seh Ja Meh is very good, very affordable, and has very nice staff. It's a great addition to the south-of-the-WTC gastronomic wasteland.

[ashleylee]

Soma (Korean food, 123 william st.) is my favorite lunch spot. Bibimbap(rice mixed with veggies) is pretty delicious.

[lanadai]

Seh Ja Meh reopened on Greenwich st

[ConOrama]

I miss working in the FD as well.

I really loved the food at Ulysses. Specifically the lunch 'specials'. Good burger also.

[nokitsch]

I think Pret-a-Manger is far better than Cosi for sandwiches and salads, so definitely try that. Fresh organic food, same prices. Also can't laud Financier enough. Of course if you grab a co-worker, you should gave Adrienne's Pizza. Also, the gyros at Zeytuna are MUCH better than Alfanoose. Sometimes I think I shout into the void when I say this - Chowhound surely has its favorites, lol. Also, Taste of Tokyo is a fine option for a lunch box.

You know what boggles me though - we don't have a single Vietnamese restaurant on Wall St. I mean, this screams business opportunity. Somebody, please!

[financialdistrictresident]

nokitsch, I finally had Adrienne's pizza during a working lunch. Their service remains an issue. Zeytuna is okay and in the summer they have outisde seating when you have time. I respectfully disagree re: Mangia. A bit pricey but quality and variety (and it's on Wall).

[lanadai]

Isn't there a new Banh mi cart on wall street?

[squid kun]

Not far: Water and John.

http://www.chow.com/manhattan_digest/...

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Vietnamese sandwich cart
Water St and John St, New York, NY 10038

[MShapiro]

They’re right where the smoothie guy resides when the weather gets nice (curious to see what happens in a month or so.) Sandwiches are between $5-$7, they have spring and summer rolls too. I had two of their sandwiches and if you don’t feel like going to Chinatown its not a bad option IMO. They have a cell phone # posted in front (I don’t have the #) so you can call ahead and have your order ready to pickup which apparently a lot of people do..

[chet steadman]

I have to disagree with you on Cosi and Chipotle. They are absolutely, and in every way, atrocious.

Mardi Gras on Maiden Ln for mexican food. Their pizza is very good for FiDi as well.

Mangia has by far the best "pay by the ounce" buffet setup, possibly in the city.

I've heard good things about the burgers at white horse tavern (the one on pearl st, not the unaffiliated one in the village) but haven't yet been.

Bon Bon for Korean-style fried chicken.

Casual Grill on John St. for chicken/avocado pita.

[auroragb]

Where is Bon Bon? One thing that confuses me about Mangia is why the bulk of their buffet cold? There are some dishes there (especially meat ones) that I thought would be better served warm/hot.

Unfortunately, distance is an overarching factor in the rotation, the next is speed. Nothing in the rotation is more than a 10 minute walk. So, my rotation is heavily influenced by that. A couple of places on my rotation but I wish weren't are Subway and Blimpie's. Distance and speed is just so important for lunch

For example, I don't think that good Chinese food exists within 15 min walking distance of Broad / Stone (regardless of price). However, #1 little house is at least edible and not too expensive. Diwan-e-kaas is cheaper and spicier than Balucchi's but Balucchi's is also sort of on my rotation.

As for Cosi's and Chipotle, I'm partial to Cosi's bread, but I don't go often because I don't like sandwiches. Chipotle's only when requested by others in lunch group. Although, I think either is a step above Subway / Blimpies

[teresa]

Bon Bon is at 98 Chambers Street (Between Church and Broadway) Here is their website (http://www.bonbonchicken.com/)

[chet steadman]

never actually been to bon bon, but we get delivery from there pretty often.

and i much prefer subway to cosi. they're both crap, but subway grew on me when i was in college (hours from the nearest decent deli) and a couple of times a year i'll get a subway club on their parmesan bread.

[financialdistrictresident]

Agree with chet steadman on Mangia, which I also suggested. Don't know about your cold buffet inquiry. I really like both their cold and hot dishes. I probably get the cold dishes most often. I especially like the variety of grain and bean dishes.

[chet steadman]

one possibility about the food being cold is that chilled food is more sanitary. not sure though, just a guess.

do you work at 85b, or just in the immediate area?

[financialdistrictresident]

I'm at 72 W and sadly ate at the corporate cafeteria almost every day last week . . . I had hopes for Fresco To Go but other then grilled pizzas, not impressed with what I've tried so far.

[MShapiro]

The Plaza Deli on John and Pearl has a nice salad bar, one of my former colleagues swore by their fried chicken. They also have the make your own salad thing and sandwiches – try the Italian or low-fat tuna. For pizza there's a place on William and Ann near Pace that has decent slices (the name slips me). For anything Asian just hop on the M9 and take it down to Chinatown, it’s a 5 – 7 minute ride to Chatham Sq.

[financialdistrictresident]

MShapiro, Rosario's? Wish I had time to get to walk/bus to Chinatown for lunch. It's great for nights and weekends.

[financialdistrictresident]

Shapiro, I meant Rosella's on William . . .

[nokitsch]

I think Mangia is nothing special, and RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. Yea, I understand they have to pay rent for their prime location, but it doesn't make their food taste any better.

[sedela]

What I miss from not being in the FD:

Naturally Delicious - their spinach burger is so tasty and they're only open on wkdays I think
Financier - the Le Financier sandwich
Zaitzeff

[stuartlafonda]

I don't get Zaitzeff. I had the burger(100% sirloin, not a good thing) done on the flat griddle. It was pretty tasteless. The fried onion helped a little, and it was cooked to medium,but with a plate of good fries and a small bottle of Poland Spring water it was $16. I thought the burger lacked flavor.

[kcijones001]

Acqua - Italian
21 peck slip (@ water st)

Soma by Nature - Korean
123 william st. (william & john)

[auroragb]

Acqua seems a bit far, but good to know
Soma is just right on the edge of too far. I'll check it out next time I have a craving for Korean

[DeeDee]

Le Financier on Stone Street has great paninis and salads.
Fresco Scotto to Go has excellent pasta, pizzas and salads as well.
Avoid Wall Street Burger Shoppe -- it's totally over-rated.

[lemonyc]

i love financier...great desserts !
is Harrys open for lunch too, or just dinner ?

[DeeDee]

Yes, Harry's is definitely open for lunch.

[financialdistrictresident]

Just tried the grilled pizza at Fresco last night. Second Financier on Stone or near the Federal Reserve is a good reasonable lunch place. My favorite place, though a bit pricey is Mangia. I also like Table Tales on Water & Beekman, Veronica's cart on Front Street (not too far from Wall). auroragb, you might want to do a search of this Board there are many recent threads.

[auroragb]

I go to Mangia for a treat, every once in a while.

Table Tales sounds interesting, but seems a bit far for me...

Veronica's cart sounds like right up my alley, I might check that out. Sounds like a place that has a line tho, so I'll try to be early.

[financialdistrictresident]

Veronica's usually has a long line because it's good and cheap. I've had curry chicken, fish, jerk chicken. Don't care for her baccalau, like Casa Adela's (LES) P.R. style better.

[financialdistrictresident]

Mangia on Wall has been closed for a few weeks.

I just discovered Underground Pizza. Made Fresh Daily on Front Street is also good. Today I had the spicy grilled cheese with chipotle onions.

[auroragb]

Hmmm... I occasionally go to Financier, but never really noticed their paninis.

Fresco Scotto is that new place on Pearl, right? I didn't know they had pasta. I'll definitely give that a try thanks!

I was also underwhelmed by Burger Shoppe. Burger Burger was more my speed anyway.

[financialdistrictresident]

Tried Fresco's pasta today. Skip it. I make better at home. Their grilled pizza was good. How about Backyard Chicken on Cliff and John?

[kobetobiko]

Hi FDR,

I have heard that La Maison du Chocolat is opening to a store on Wall Street. Soon we will have great macarons every day! ;D

[financialdistrictresident]

Kobe, sounds dangerous! All this eating and a desk job . . . Any ETA on opening date?

[auroragb]

There is already a number of chocolate places in the area right?
Jacques Torres on Water, Godiva's on Maiden Lane, and another place on New St.

How's La Maison different?

[Lucia]

It's better

[kobetobiko]

The sandwiches at Financier are pretty good! Especially the hot ones, like the special with prosciutto (special on Thursdays?) Their quiches are also very good!

[financialdistrictresident]

Hi Kobe. Always a fan of Financier for pastries, a new discovery for me on the lunch front. Had lunch at Financier on Stone Street last Friday. Salmon salad was lovely and under $10.

[iraform]

Seh Ja Meh is just relocating. It is moving to Greenwich and Carlisle, in the space that used to house a Mexican restaurant. It is scheduled to reopen there before the end of the month.

[auroragb]

Yeah, I know, I got one of those "we're moving" cards when I went there just before they closed. But Greenwich / Carlisle is just not walking distance for lunch for us working on Broad.