Unless you're me, of course. For two days now, I've been treated to free lunches! Yesterday was compliments of my lawyer (who will be laughing all the way to the bank when he gets a huge payout from my accident), and today my friend took me out for one of our top-secret "business lunches" on his company's expense account (mmm Mangia Trattoria antipasti bar!). I highly recommend acquiring friends with magical powers like this. However, I do not recommend going the lawyer route, unless you want to get hit by a car and spend the next two years of your life dealing with doc appointments, insurance woes, and the enduring pain of not being able to do a Side Plank in yoga. You might get a free BLT and bottle of Vitamin Water after you spend 2 hours in NYC traffic to get up to your lawyer's office in Orange County, but trust me people- it's not worth it.
On that note, I'd like to direct you to somewhere you will have to pay for lunch, but you will enjoy the all-you-can-stuff topping bar so much, you might forget it cost you $4.75 for the actual sandwich. Enter Maoz Vegetarian, one of my all-time favorite lunch or dinner on the fly spots. Located on the east side of Union Square, Maoz only has really one item- so if you don't like falafel or pita, then stop reading right now (and also, you are insane!). However, the big draw is their all-you-can-stuff (in your sandwich, mouth, pockets?) topping bar. Composed of such delicious goodies as marinated tomatoes, cucumbers, minty cous cous, and my all-time favorite (and new addiction) fried broccoli and cauliflower, as well as about 8 or 10 different sauces (cilantro being my personal fav), the topping bar is a budget foodie's paradise.
Maoz Vegetarian
38 Union sq E
New York, NY 10003
(212) 260-1988
The one draw-back: there are only about 3 small barstools at a little counter- Maoz is tiny inside. I find it worth my while to hang around long enough to snag one though, as you are welcome to keep topping off your pita with deliciousness at the bar as many times as you like. This concept is one I wish more places would adopt- who doesn't hate getting halfway through a sandwich (pita or not) only to find the extras (veggies, spreads, sauces) have all accumulated at the top and have thus already been consumed in your first 3 bites?
**Side note: if you can snag a seat, you can pick up the free Parks Wifi from Union Square. I've been known to eat & work at the window... but be careful not to get hummus on your keyboard, I hear it's a bitch to clean out.
Moral of the story: not only is Maoz super tasty, but with the unlimited supply of extras, it's like getting a giant meal for the price of street food. I like to eat half my pita, topping it off every couple bites, then give it one final run through the topping bar and wrap that sucker up for later. But don't tell anyone I told you to do that... while not "illegal," you might have qualms about looking like a fatass or broke college kid. I don't have these issues, apparently. I say go for it, fat ass or not! Remember: it's vegetarian. It has to be healthy!
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