Taken to Lunch

Two work friends and I stepped outside for lunch today. A real treat, considering how busy I am. The day began with an overseas conference call (who on earth decided on Mondays at 9, and why did I agree to it?). I have a deadline tomorrow, questions from two contractors and a truckload of emails.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was ready for a break. It was grey and pissing rain outside. My buddies and I scurried around the corner to a diner.

I had the veggie panini, my homage to The Diet. It was a bundle of avocado, broccoli and pepper jack cheese. At $9.95, it came with fries.

Buddy A had a bad cold and opted for the Soup of the Day, split pea. He asked for bread alongside. It was $3.50 for the soup and $1.50 for two slices of rye bread. Unbelievable.

Buddy B ordered the 'California burger platter', which was a burger with a heaping side of witled, inedible greens. The waiter assured him that french fries were coming as well. The whopping total: $13.95 for the burger-salad and an additional $3.95 for the fries. Buddy B hit himself because he turned down his two-dollar ramen noodles to lunch with us. D'oh.

The thing about New York is that you do not have to spend a huge amount of money to eat well. Like most places, it just depends whether you know where to go.

Obviously, we didn't.


Photo by myself, in the East Village.