Summer has officially begun! The season brings a renovated playground for children who are no longer stuck in hot classrooms, a healthy Asian kitchen so we don’t balloon out during swimsuit season, and a lovely French café with plenty of iced coffee.
Yushi Asian Kitchen, 100 Maiden Lane, (212) 742-2150
Yushi Executive Chef Danny Lachs took a trip to Thailand when he needed inspiration for pad thai. It’s this passion and attention to detail that’s making Yushi a popular new dining destination in Lower Manhattan. The company operates one other branch in Midtown, which is grab-and-go, but for the new location, Lachs said that he and owner Luke Fryer wanted to expand to include a build-your-own-meal bar. Customers can still get pre-packaged food (made fresh daily) or they can choose from the bar, which includes protein options such as tofu, chicken, beef, and pork on a base of rice or bok choy-salad, plus vegetable options to complete the bowl. Choose a sauce such as orange sesame vinaigrette to top it all off.
“People can come in three days a week and get totally different experiences,” Lachs said.
The kitchen doesn’t stop at Thai influences—it also pulls in Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese flavors. Customers can order sushi, pot stickers, and coming soon, several kinds of bahn mi sandwiches. The restaurant is what Lachs calls “fast-casual,” and though some establishments of this kind often serve foods high in fat and calories, Yushi features veggie-based, low-cal options for the health-minded. But one of the most important aspects of the restaurant for Lachs is actually the way the food is prepared: “To me, what is crucial is the whole open kitchen. When chefs are behind closed doors, they can’t interact with the customer.”
Café French Gourmand, 9 Maiden Lane, (646) 756-4911
This quaint establishment features the best aspects of a French café, but much closer to home. The menu offers breakfast and lunch items with enough variety to please most everyone in the office. Hot sandwiches on ciabatta include a Piadine of tomato, mozzarella, and prosciutto and the classic croque monsieur. Cold sandwiches include a French variety of roast beef, tomato, and salad dijonnaise. The salad bar includes fennel, brie, goat cheese, chicken, and radishes. Several soups are homemade every day.
Breakfast, my favorite meal of the day, includes one of my favorite dishes: the ham and cheese croissant. They also offer bagels, oatmeal, muffins, and other flavored croissants. Top your breakfast off with a specialty coffee such as iced chai or a macchiato.
Pearl Street Playground: Pearl Street between Fulton and Beekman streets
Throughout the winter, I watched renovations continue on this playground and wondered when it might reopen. The other week, I stopped by and discovered the playground was packed with children. The renovated space features new play equipment, a water fountain, spray shower (which will be used heavily on weeks like this), and a safety fence. The playground is within sight of the South Street Seaport and nearby piers. Children could even do a playground crawl, stopping first at Imagination Playground on Burling Slip and continuing on to Pearl Street.
Kelly Rush is the Field Liaison for the Alliance for Downtown New York, the Business Improvement District (BID) for Lower Manhattan. Every other Thursday, she writes about what’s up downtown and provides info on everything from where to find great corned beef to where to find great parking.
