|
|||||
Union Square and Grammercy: Two Good Lunch SpotsI’m always looking for cheap lunch spots to get a bite with friends. During the last couple of days, I wound up at two satisfying eateries. Pongal, an Indian spot on Lexington, along the strip of Indian eateries that dominates the portion of Lex spanning 26th through 28th, was definitely a notch above the generally ho-hum buffet dens in the neighborhood. The extensive menu has a dozen or more dosas but my friend Georgia and I opted for the Pongal Lunch, one of the three prix-fixe mid-day options the place offers. It came with a toothsome masala dosa, iddly (steamed rice cakes with chutney and sambar–a pea and vegetable stew), and medu vada (tender doughnuts made from lentils), accompanied by chutney and sambar. The place is bright and spotless with a contemporary design that’s far more soothing than the nearby Indian dining spots. Today, I met my friend Charles at the Union Square eatery, Chat & Chew. The place is Comfort Food Central and I was sorely tempted to try the grilled cheese, since I consider myself somewhat of a maven. But I decided to go the healthful route and picked Chew’s Kitchen Sink salad, a brimming plate full of greens, grilled chicken, ham, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, olives, tomato, artichoke hearts, green beans, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, and hard boiled egg. Needless to say, I didn’t finish this veritable feast on a plate but I was tempted. For one, the chicken was the most tender I’ve ever had in a salad. Usually I avoid ordering Whatever Salad with chicken, because the bird typically comes all dried out. Not this time; I gobbled it all up. The eggs were nicely cooked and the greens were your standard salad lettuces but the chicken was downright heavenly. Charles says the desserts are fabulous, especially the red velvet cake. I’m definitely making a return trip to try that and other items on the menu! This a great place to stop before or after a run to the Greenmarket. Chat ‘n Chew Pongal
Related posts: |
Follow Food and Things
  
|
||||
|
Copyright © 2012 Food and Things - All Rights Reserved |
|||||
