This Lunch Box Wasn't Packed by Mom

A second location of NY Lunch Box location opened a few months ago just blocks from my apartment. So, I was eager to try it since some of the take-out places are hit or miss that far east in Midtown. I picked up dinner on my way home from work around 6:30pm one night. And even though the website said this location closes at 10pm Monday – Thursday, I was told I by the owner that I had to hurry and order because they were closing at 7pm. Since they were about to close, they were also out of a number of dishes, which aren’t ones that should have been pre-made anyway.

So far, I wasn’t too impressed, but I decided to give it a chance and see if the food would redeem NY Lunch Box for its spotty service. I wanted to try a few different types of food to see how they were. The sushi special caught my eye, which includes any two basic rolls for $8.99. I ordered the salmon cucumber and the spicy tuna avocado rolls. In addition to it being a great price, each roll was made of 8 decent-sized pieces and the fish tasted very fresh.

I also ordered the cheese omelette wrap, which came with eggs, cream cheese, tomato, and scallions. This could easily be featured on their breakfast menu, but it was a welcomed change from the standard tuna or grilled veggie wraps that are found on most deli menus. The eggs were cooked well, not too runny and not too dried out. And the scallions brought a nice flavor to the whole thing.

And finally, I ordered the penne vodka, but they had run out of penne. So I was able to order linguine with it instead. While the sauce was far from a true vodka sauce, and more like a creamy marinara, it still tasted good. It was a little runny when I first took off the lid, and the noodles were a little chewy.

As I was waiting for my order to be prepared, I looked around the space. For a deli that just opened within the past year, it had a sort of dated feel.

I have spoken to a few people who have been to NY Lunch Box and rave about their breakfasts and their sushi. So it seems like those are two things they have really mastered. I will definitely stop by for lunch one day to try a few of the other types of food they have available like salads, hot fish entrees, and pizza.

NY Lunch Box
844 2nd Avenue
@ 45th Street
website
Menu Pages listing