Serious Eats: New York
Lunch for One: Ciao for Now
Over on East 12th Street is Ciao for Now--coffee shop, meets lunch spot, meets after school hangout for parents and their elementary school children. It's breezy, laid back (though ridiculously efficient), and everything comes with a smile. The food is not exactly amazing; it's straightforward fare, something you could likely reproduce at home, but often times it's nice to be served. And there are real highlights on the menu. Order at the counter, and make your way to the dining room on the right. They deliver to your table.
On weekdays they offer "Daily Working Lunch Specials," which includes the dish of the day and dessert--a pretty good deal for $8.50. I lunch'ed on a Friday, when the special was Mac & Cheese Two Ways: "Traditional super cheesy Ciao mac or sun-dried tomato and spinach." They were sold out of the latter, so I went with the former, extremely cheesy and creamy indeed. It lacked a crunchy breadcrumb topping, and wasn't particularly memorable, more cream than cheese, under-salted. But it was more than satisfying. Especially with rain drizzling outside.
Dessert of the day was a Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar. Imagine a granola bar colliding with a crumble, then finished off with layers of peanut butter and grape jelly smothered between crust and base. (Mac and Cheese followed by Peanut Butter and Jelly. A kid's lunch in disguise!)
If bars aren't your thing, there's a whole pastry case up front filled with everything from coffee cake to espresso cookies and maple pecan sticky buns. We've blogged about their
My favorite drink here is the Iced Green Tea with Honey, Lemon, and Ginger. Served iced, it's refreshing, not too sweet with a hint of ginger. Fresh squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice is also only $2.25 a glass. I'd stay away from the coffee as there are better options nearby (9th Street Espresso, Abraco, and Everyman).
But don't forget about brunch. The weekend menu has a plethora of options, from Almond Brioche French Toast to Huevos Verdes and "The Hungbuster"--grated potatoes, rösti-style, with two sunnyside eggs. All brunch dishes are $9.50 and include fruit and fresh squeezed orange juice.
Ciao for Now
523 East 12th Street, New York NY 10009 (map)
212-677-2616
www.ciaofornow.net