Cheap *ss Lunch #1: Amish Market Deals on Deli Classics

Some of you upperclassmen may remember a short-lived column from two years ago called Cheap Ass Food, which showcased different wallet-friendly restaurants throughout New York City. But who has time to gallop the five boroughs when you’re taking multiple college-level courses? As it turns out, there are actually a few tasty, cheap(ish) options you can realistically get to, eat at, and sprint back from in the meager 41 minutes allotted. In the coming issues, I will review a few under $8 meals, which should please your taste buds more than chicken over rice for the fourth time in a week.

Tucked under one of those seemingly eternal green construction scaffolds is the Tribeca branch of Amish Market, with its many promotional sandwich boards dotting the sidewalk. The eatery has multiple counters with distinct menus inside, emulating a miniature Chelsea Market—$12 meals and all. However, they do offer a few relatively affordable options for your pre-studying attempts to consume enough calories to avoid fainting for another three periods.

Their footlong “subway-style” sandwich is less than $7 with tax, as is their vegetarian tossed salad (meat and fish bring it closer to $9), both filling and not too heavy. While the sandwich has nothing on the variety of the original footlongs of Subway, it is a hearty, classic deli-style sub. It comes with a choice of three cold cuts (pretty good turkey, okay salami chicken, and pretty standard ham), four cheeses (provolone, swiss, cheddar, and surprisingly good American). Your meat and cheese selections come between two thick halves of a whitebread hero slathered with copious amounts of mayo, topped with reasonable slices of tomato, and a fair amount of lettuce. At 12 inches, it could even feed two people with moderate appetites (read: this will only feed one football player or cross country runner). The taste is decent, with no overpowering flavors but rather largely standard all around, and there are five or so condiments to choose from on the rack near the cash register, including mustard and hot sauce.

Though the salad looks wilted and if it has been sitting out on the counter all day, with six options for a leafy base, over 20 topping options excluding meats, and about 15 dressings, it's enough to fill anyone up and beats the school cafeteria salad bar by a mile. Salad bases include kale, mixed greens, lettuce, and a few others. Standout toppings include crunchy walnuts and the first artichokes I’ve seen in a long time. With the current special that gives you a free water bottle with any sandwich or salad, alongside the well-stocked condiment bar, it's an excellent choice for any day of the week that won't leave you broke and eating school pasta by Friday.

Directions:

53 Park Place, on the corner of Murray and West Broadway.
Once off the bridge, go down two blocks and turn right at the 1-2-3 train station, then continue for two or blocks or so.