A Tale of Two Lunch Spots
Lauren Bloomberg

Sandwiches come au jus but remove your tie before dipping. Photo: Lauren Bloomberg

           Some restaurants start serving lunch once they've gotten their footing, after a few reviews have been filed and even the barback can recite the ingredients in the chicken dish. Carbone and The Butterfly are two such recent cases. Tribeca restaurant Khe-Yo decided to go a different route, opening a tiny takeout sandwich kiosk--Khe-Yosk.

          After raves about Marc Forgione and Soulayphet Schwader's Laotian-esqe fare starting floating in, including from our own Insatiable Critic, the duo decided to offer $11 banh mi sandwiches to two of the only demographics who may be willing to pay more than a ten-spot for a sandwich: the neighborhood's posh stroller pushers and Citibank-Goldman Sachs lunchers. Right now there are two options: a good but not mind-blowing beer braised pork belly version with pickled daikon and green papaya that gives the rich meat a vinegar bite, and a superior version with duck confit and foie gras mousse tucked into the crumbly, peppery bang bang sauce and sriracha mayo slicked Paris Bakery bread. Perhaps they should pare down to only one sandwich.

157 Duane Street between West Broadway and Hudson Street 212 587 1089. Monday through Saturday 5:30 to 11 pm.

Ilili Box's pastrami with wasabi aioli sandwich. Photo: Lauren Bloomberg

           A recent press invite called me up to that strange triangular swath of space nestled between Eataly and Madison Square Park to sample the offerings at Ilili restaurant's new takeout offshoot, Ilili Box. These types of events are not usually my preferred early evening activity (with so much controversy swirling around the topic of comped meal restaurant reviews I attempt to stay away from free food at most costs) but I recently fell in love with chef Phillipe Massoud's Lebanese food and have been itching to go back for more. So with the taste of mint yogurt-drenched fried brussel sprouts on my tongue, I headed to this odd location in hopes of a good bite.

          Like a Lebanese Shake Shack, Ilili Box turns out quick lunch sandwiches produced with care. Even the wasabi mayo in my, excellent lamb pastrami sandwich was homemade. There are nine sandwich options including two shawarma, three internationally-influenced falafels (one is Mexican and one is Korean) and my lamb pastrami featuring warm cured chunks and the aforementioned piquant sauce pressed between soft panini-like flatbread. What good luck! The choice of sides includes my beloved sprouts dish.

Flatiron Public Plaza North. 24th Street at Broadway 646 771 4090. Open 11:30am to 7:30pm daily.

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