VEGGIE BURGER AT FIVE NAPKIN

In the past few years, Five Napkin locations have sprouted up in NYC and all over the country.  Their burgers are solid.  Burger Joint, Shake Shack and even Five Guys have the edge on them for an upgraded fast food burger, but their veggie burger is definitely one of the best in the city.  Since I'm mostly a carnivore, if I'm eating a veggie burger it has to have some substance.  Five Napkin's beet-heavy patty more than makes up for the loss of meat.  Piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, bread and butter pickles, and their 5N Sauce (basically thousand island dressing), the burger is moist and flavorful.  The taste of beets is definitely present, but even if you're not a beet fan this burger might turn you into one.  Add some shoestring fries and you have a solid lunch or dinner.  The only veggie burger in the city that I'd rate higher would be Hillstone's, another beet-rich patty that's a drop crispier and thicker.

Multiple Locations
http://5napkinburger.com/

MILANESE AT VIA QUADRONNO

If you're on the Upper East Side and have a hankering for the kind of panini you'd get in Northern Italy, then Via Quadronno is the place for you.  They have an all day menu of about two dozens special sandwiches that range from paninis with wild boar prosciutto, to a smoked ham with three cheeses and tabasco.  The Milanese is one of their stand-outs.  Generously filled with bresaola (air-cured beef), rucola, and hearts of palm, the sandwich is as rich and luxurious as its $13.50 price tag; but it's filling and decadent enough to eat as a once-in-a-while treat.  The bresaola is juicy and flavorful and contrasts well with the spicy rucola and tangy hearts of palm.  They have a full dinner menu as well, which I assume is just as good as their paninis.

VIA QUADRONNO
25 East 73rd. Street
between Madison & 5th Ave.
New York City, NY 10021Phone: 212.650.9880

Email: info@VQNYC.com    

TURKEY CLUB AT W.M. POLL

Purveyors of gourmet food since 1921, you'd be hard pressed to find better sandwiches on the Upper East Side.  While the sandwiches don't come cheap at W.M. Poll, for $10 bucks you can get a solid turkey club.  The turkey is fresh, not Boars Head or some other brand.  The bacon hasn't been cooked hours ago, and the sandwich is big enough to cut in thirds.  Besides an array of fresh dips and soups, the real star at W.M. Poll is their baked potato crisps that are made fresh every day.  Try the rosemary, you won't be disappointed.  Great place to get catering if you live nearby as well.


William Poll
1051 Lexington Ave
(between 74th St & 75th St)
New York, NY 10021
williampoll.com

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL AT PICCOLO CAFE

An oasis amongst chain sandwich shops, the Piccolo Cafe in Midtown serves quality imported food from Italy.  Walking inside is like entering a tiny sandwich shop in Florence.  The chicken schnitzel with lettuce, marinated cherry tomatoes, and a paprika mayo is a fine example of what they do best.  The focaccia bread is freshly baked, the chicken is breaded to a crisp, and the paprika mayo gives a sandwich a nice spicy kick that couples well with the saltiness of the marinated cherry tomatoes.  For $10.00 you'd practically pay the same thing at Cosi, Pax, or Europa to get the same sandwich you've eaten a thousand times before.  The cafe has sister locations in the Gramercy area and Hell's Kitchen as well.   Check 'em out, but be forewarned because there's only a few seats and the place usually has a line out the door, so it's best to get your lunch there to go.

Piccolo Cafe
238 Mad. Ave.
212-447-4399
http://www.piccolocafe.us/

SALMON FOCCACIA At L'EXPRESS

Hands down, one of my favorite sandwiches in this city is the Salmon Foccacia at L'Express.  Pretty much everything at L'Express is solid, but the salmon sandwich is the gold standard.  The foccacia bread is fresh and sprinkled with rosemary.  The salmon is perfectly cooked and sliced thin.  But it's the added caramelized onions and a stellar lemon-caper mayo that truly makes the sandwich standout.  The mayo should be bottled and sold on it's own: it's tangy and the capers give the sandwich a nice saltiness that counterbalances with the salmon.  Served with killer shoestring fries and a petite salad for $12.95, it's a lunch that will keep you satisfied throughout the day.

L'EXPRESS
249 Park Avenue South  

New York, NY 10003(212) 254-5858
lexpressnyc.com

HOT TURKEY FROM DEFONTES

I could literally just review the sandwiches from Defontes and be perfectly happy since they are that good.    The hot turkey with swiss, fried eggplant, and natural jus is no exception.  First of all, it is a monster of a sandwich.  The turkey is piled high and the natural jus keeps it moist since there is nothing worse then dry turkey.  Swiss always balances well with turkey, but it is the fried eggplant that is the real surprise and gives the sandwich a great, innovative crunch.  I like mine with lettuce, tomato and mustard, only because I like mustard on everything.  The sandwich tips the scales at $10.50, but if you consider it two sandwiches in one then it's a bargain.  Their macaroni salad is pretty top-notch too as a side.



DEFONTES OF BROOKLYN
261 3rd Avenue  New York, NY 10010
(212) 614-1500
defontesofbrooklyn.com

TUNA MELT AT KEKO CAFE

Eating at the Keko Cafe in midtown is like being transported to a long gone era in Europe.  Time seems to slow down, as well.  French music plays over the speakers.  Only soccer is shown on the TVs. The menu is influenced by the Tunisian flavors in their crepes, pizzettas, and salads.  The tuna melt is always a good choice, too.  The baguette is fresh and the tuna has a perfect ratio of mayonnaise to fish along with a nicely melted swiss cheese.  It is served with olives and pickles for $7.49.  Smack in the middle of busy midtown, the Keko Cafe is a much-needed reprieve.  And just like in Europe, the waitstaff won't be rushing you out of the door.

Keko Café
121 Madison Avenue (between 30th & 31st St.)
New York, NY 10016

For Take-Out & Local Delivery orders
please call: (212) 685-4360
or fax: (212) 725-2874

www.kekocafe.com

GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN AT MILANT

Sometimes you want a one-of-a-kind sandwich and other times you're in a rush and just need a quick bite.  The Grilled Lemon Chicken at Milant in Murray Hill is just that sandwich.  The lemon sauce is tart and its served on crusty French bread with roasted peppers and a kick-ass honey mustard, definitely not the standard grilled chicken that you'd expect from an average deli.  Milant has about thirty other choices of sandwiches with salad specials that include various dishes from crab cakes to grape leaves to smoked tuna and pasta all for under $7 bucks.  All sandwiches come with the soup of the day for free so if you're looking for a cheap and good eatery in midtown, you could do a lot worse than Milant.


Milant Gourmet Deli
158 E. 39th St. (btw. Lex & 3rd)
212-682-0111