4:00pm

Dear friend Kristina popped by last week unexpectedly bearing gifts. We love presents! Here are our nyokki grassyheads cheerfully growing hair. They are from Japan and they make us smile. Next week, hair styles.

Sparky's

Not very impressed with lunch at Sparky's today although their socially and environmentally responsible mantra helps to offset the so-so sandwiches. That and the outdoor seating they just installed - the sidewalk out front is nice and fat, perfect for people watching.

4:00pm Longue du Chat

Longue du chat biscuits are a light and dainty afternoon goûter. A great accompaniment to our daily spot of espresso.

'wichcraft

Our last 'wichcraft sandwich choices were definite repeats, the roast pork and marinated white anchovies were delicious. Today's pastrami and chicken salad were ok, but probably not worth ordering again. Although the beautiful weather goes a long way to assuaging a not so great lunch choice.

4:00pm Clafoutis

Balthazar's version of the French custard-like dessert, clafoutis, is a nice afternoon treat. Typically cherries are used, but in this case the raspberries add a pleasant tartness to the custard.

Bar Bossa

A fine lunch for a post-holiday Tuesday, roast pork sandwich with jalepenos adding a tasty, tart spiciness. Bar Bossa hasn't been open that long and even less long for lunch, but as it's the same people who started Palacinka, you can be assured the atmosphere is perfect for relaxing sunlit meals.

4:00pm Gingerbread men

...and we're outta here! Good night, and good luck!

La Esquina Cafe, lunch with Brett

Eureka! Finally a new lunch discovery worth writing home about! The pollo rostizado (rotisserie chicken) sandwich at La Esquina's cafe around the corner surprised us with its deliciousness. The most unbland chicken sandwich we have ever eaten, moist pulled bits of rotisserie chicken, avocado and a chipolte mayo offset by shaved onions. Hurrah René! And yippee Brett for a most pleasant last minute call to lunch.

4:00pm Gingerbread men

A happy image for a happy warm almost summer day.

Parisi Bakery

It's nearly impossible to avoid sandwiches in the park once the weather's warm enough. And as much as we enjoy trying new things, sometimes you just want a reliably tasty sandwich. Especially since bad subs are a dime a dozen. So when you're trying to avoid a potentially bland and unfufilling hero, there is no better place than Parisi's.

4:00pm Banana Bread Loaf, part II

Thank goodness it's just the beginning of warm weather. When there's a run of nice days like this all we want to do is be at the beach, not working a deadline.

Palacinka, lunch with Tasha G.

We timed a 10 minute walk today, figuring that was a reasonable amount of time to get to somewhere for lunch on a normal day. Walking almost straight west from the office we ended up at Palacinka. We love Palacinka for its laid back atmosphere and their always enjoyable crepes. The afternoon sunshine hits the interior just right for lunchtime.

4:00pm Banana Bread Loaf

Exciting happening today in the world of readers! The New York Public Library opens its first new branch since 1989 right here in our neighborhood. Officially listed at 10 Jersey Street, it's tucked away on Mulberry below Houston. It's pretty cool that in a year where a Barnes and Noble closes at Astor, a library opens on Mulberry.

Ray's Pizza

05-22 Ray's Pizza originally uploaded by Front Studio.

Most people stop by Ray's for a slice, not a sandwich, but sometimes it's worth checking out other menu items. Sometimes it's not. The meatball hero here is passable but too garlicky, Ben's in Soho is far tastier. Better to stick to the pizza at Ray's when looking for a quick bite to eat.

4:00pm Chocolate Chip Cookie

Overheard on NPR:
Sunny skies for Tuesday. Mostly sunny skies for Wednesday. And Thursday. And Friday. And Saturday. And Sunday.
Finally! It's good and proper spring into summer weather.

Le Jardin Bistro

For outdoor summer dining we used to eat at the now closed Va Tutto - while their food was unremarkable it wasn't bad either. For some reason we never tried next door at Le Jardin Bistro until today. The quality of sunlight streaming into the backyard garden is perfect at lunchtime. The food, however, was disappointing - we didn't finish our plates but instead had two helpings of the very delicious bread.

4:00pm Red Velvet Cupcake

There is something better than TGI Fridays for a birthday lunch - it's a Sage American Kitchen red velvet cupcake for an afternoon goûter. A delicious splash of color and taste for a gray Friday.

T.G.I. Friday's, lunch with Dave and Marc

Literally T.G.I. Friday! We kid you not, we had lunch in midtown today amid americana kitsch overload, complete with tourists. Our old CMU classmates, Marc and Dave, joined the FS office for a birthday lunch adventure. No better way to celebrate another year than to spend it trying something new. Haha.

4:00pm Petit Fours

These petit fours from Tisserie are little bites of heaven. The interior looks like your average upscale cafe-style bakery but a friend recently tipped us off to the delectable dulce de leche mini tart. The seasonable fruit tarts are pretty good as well, although maybe it's just that all good things come in small packages?

Mesa Grill, lunch with Marie A.

It was a proper ladies luncheon with Marie of MADS today at Mesa Grill, complete with salad. Although Bobby Flay doesn't make a dainty ladies salad, this smoked lamb cobb salad (with bacon, yum!) is a proper meal.

4:00pm Oatmeal Raisin Walnut cookie

Freaky weather this afternoon, one minute we're walking around in sunshine looking for a reliable tasty dessert to wash away the disappointing lunch, the next minute there's enormous sheets of rain coming down.

Crosby Connection

One of the rarest images you will ever see on this site - eating lunch at our desks. Even when there is no time to go out for lunch we always try and sit at the windows for a change of scenery. But alas, once in a while it happens. Worse yet, the Italian tuna sandwich from the Crosby Connection was kind of bland. We've heard some good things about this hidden sandwich shack but we're not sure it can compare to Parisi's.

4:00pm Cheesecake

Overheard today at Eileen's Cheesecake:
Girl: Do you have any low carb cheesecakes?
Woman behind the counter: No.

Yeah, that's right. 'Cause what would be the point of eating a low carb cheesecake??

La Esquina Taqueria, lunch with Tam N.

Today we had lunch with fellow food lover and somewhat new friend, Tam. She kindly came to meet us near the office at La Esquina where we happily ran into an old friend, Rene, or Chef Ortiz if you want to be formal. Rene has worked wonders for the mini-empire of La Esquina, so much that we continue to go for the food even if we're not overly fond of the scene.

4:00pm Peanut Butter Cookie

Not that many people these days bother with sending out real mail, but we still do. And for those of you who do, you'll see that the US Postal Service not only raised postage rates (again) today but they've changed the way they calculate rates for a postcard vs. letter vs. envelope vs. package. And they've created the "Forever Stamp", good indefinitely for sending a letter - regardless of how prices might change in the future. All interesting concepts, it will be interesting to see how things pan out.

May Wah Fast Food

Sad news today, May Wah Fast Food just became a tiny bit smaller than the hole-in-the-wall it used to be. This Chinatown joint used to boast a take-out counter with a 6 table seating area next door. They've closed the seating area so you can still order the delicious cheap-ass Taiwanese style fried chicken (or try the fried pork over rice) but you can't sit and enjoy free watered down hot tea with your meal.

4:00pm Cookies

TGIF! It would be so nice to be sitting outside sipping on some happy hour beverages. Alas, we sit in the office with our espresso and cookies, working away trying to maximize our workday...

Province

If only Americans were more hip with the Asian concept of fast food, we might be a little happier and healthier for it. In China you can stop on the street and pick up steamed buns to go like they make at Province, albeit not as "fancy" or refined. In Vietnam it takes 10 minutes to order a bowl of phở from a street side vendor, eat and walk off fully satiated and in Japan, a bowl of ramen noodles can be wolfed down at bar counters all over the country.

4:00pm Mini Chocolate Brownie Drops

It's spring pledge drive time at WNYC. This morning we have resolved not to be too annoyed with the incessant pleas for donations. They deserve all the support they can get and as we are daily NPR listeners, it only seems fair that we resist feeling irked about it.

Lombardi's Pizza

Despite their recent renovations and hoardes of tourists, Lombardi's Pizza remains an entirely satisfying lunch experience. It's not an ultra refined fancy pie but reliable and tasty nevertheless.

4:00pm Birthday Cake

It is always a pleasant surprise when 2-day old birthday cake for a 1-year old baby still tastes moist and fresh.

Bánh Mì Số 1

Our local bánh mì joint is back! And it looks like Bánh Mì Số 1 has undergone some major renovations at the same time it looks kind of the same - a tiny, no seats, pick-up only shop tucked away on the south side of Broome. They did raise the prices a bit but the extra $.75 is worth it. Our favorites are #1, #2, #3, #4 and #9 (đặc biệt, thịt gà, nem nướng, chã, pâté and chã).

4:00pm Mini Chocolate Brownie Drops

A spot of chocolate and an espresso are a good accompaniment to this unremarkable but pleasantly nice Tuesday afternoon.

Caffe Falai

By now we have tried the baked eggs with tomato sauce and wild mushrooms, spicy salami panini, speck and fontina panini and the seared tuna salad. The only thing left for us at Caffe Falai would be the pasta. The lunches have been inconsistant, almost good but sometimes missing the mark. There is still potential here, we just haven't tasted it yet - maybe it's all to be found in the pasta.

4:00pm Banana Bread Loaf

We like to support our local businesses, as evident from our daily lunches at a different neighborhood spots. This banana bread loaf is from the tea shop at McNally Robinson, our neighborhood bookstore. We love the thoughtfully curated atmosphere. It's imperative that we go local when we can - if Barnes and Noble can't afford their Astor Place location, what does that mean for the small guys?

Snack

We got a lunch tip today from Joanna, editor at large for Cookie and Bene, but weirdly half the things on Snack's menu today were not available including the tuna sandwich Joanna recommended. Fortunately for us the pulled lamb sandwich was a tasty substitution.

4:00pm

Here is a thought provoking image to leave you with on a warm sunny Friday. On a recent trip to Seattle, our friend Maggie stopped at Archie Mcphee for some Strawberry Flavored Gummy Bacon.

Aroma Espresso Bar

Some great people watching today coupled with a not so great lunch from the windows of the Aroma Espresso Bar on Houston. The Caesar salad tasted like romaine lettuce liberally sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and Italian, yes Italian, dressing. The bread, however, is quite enjoyable as its soft fresh squishiness is like a gourmet version of Wonder Bread with a heartier crust.