Dear readers: Do you remember about a month ago when I didn’t post anything for a week? No? Well, it happened, and it was because I was on a cruise with my family. I’d never been on a cruise before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this wasn’t it.

I’ve said it before on this blog, but it deserves to be said again: it gives me no pleasure to write about food I didn’t like. That’s one of the reasons it has taken me so long to write about the food I had while on a cruise to the Bahamas with my family. Most people I’ve spoken to express surprise when I tell them that the food just wasn’t that good. I remember very clearly the first dinner we had in the Tsar’s Palace, one of two main dining rooms on the ship. The dining room is at the rear of the ship, with windows looking out at the ocean. As I looked out I got a glimpse of old time grandeur; a reminder of what life might have been like for the wealthy about 100 years ago, when you had no choice but to take a ship across the ocean if you wanted to travel. Then the food arrived, and the disappointment started. With around 2200 passengers on board, the majority of the food on the Norwegian Jewel tasted bland and mass produced.

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When my friend Jess, from We Heart NY suggested we meet for lunch, one of her suggestions was Devi. I was excited about it, because I had been craving Indian food for a few weeks. I saw that Frank Bruni gave it two stars, which made the anticipation only greater. After eating there, however, both Jess and I had one thought: we were confused.

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Way back when I attended the Village Voice Choice Eats Show, I had some excellent food from Mumbai Xpress: a potato fritter on a roll, and a salad made with puffed rice (apparently popular street food in India). I’ve been craving it ever since, but Mumbai Xpress is too far away for me to get to easily. When I read about Aamchi Pao it seemed they had the same type of food , but in a location easier for me to access.

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Pulled pork sandwich from Mooncake

Midtown South sucks! There I said it. Its not really Midtown and its not Chelsea, what is it then?! I go on Menupages a lot always looking for lunch spots. Midtown South has its advantages its close enough to Chelsea and Ktown. When you click, in menupages, the link to Chelsea/Midtown South most of the food spots are in Chelsea. Sometimes, actually most of the time, I don’t feel like walking 10 blocks for lunch and sometimes I’m too lazy to walk over to Ktown. There are tons of food blog coverage for Chelsea and Midtown, like Midtown Lunch but what about Midtown South? Hm..? So here is my list of food places to try if you’re in the area. AND if you have any other places that I should try please let me know! Thanks!
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When my sister was living in NYC a few summers ago we had lunch at Cafe Spice on University place. I don’t remember much about the meal except that we got the naan sampler along with the food, and it was a ton of bread for two people to eat.

And so when I found myself in the vicinity, looking for lunch, I thought of Cafe Spice. Their lunch menu is pretty extensive, and for $10 I got the South Indian special platter: dosas, vegetarian uttapam, and idli. The idli may have been my favorite — delicate little steamed cakes, made with rice flour and lentil flour. I have been really digging lentil-based breads lately; their slightly sour flavor really lends something special to the food. I know there are better, more authentic Indian restaurants throughout the city, but Cafe Spice is a pretty good spot for a huge lunch.

Cafe Spice — 72 University Place

One of the great things about living in NYC is that a short train ride can get you just about anywhere in the city. A few weeks ago I went up to Jackson Heights in Queens to meet my friend Jeff for Indian food at the Jackson Diner, one of my favorite Indian places with an awe-inspiring buffet.

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