Naked Lunch
Photo: Kevin Bond
We've already pointed out how the business lunch is returning, but some restaurateurs are going the other way, courting midday diners with frugal propositions.
Of course, there’s the crop of moderately priced lunch-only joints such as North Beach’s new Naked Lunch and SoMa’s Carte 415 (101 Second St., in the Atrium Lobby). But all-day eateries are getting in on the action too. This week, the folks behind District opened Ironside (680 Second St.; 415-896-1127),
which provides take-out lunch for nearby workers and residents,
offering an online ordering system for items such as a porchetta sandwich or a veggie Cubano.
Over in the Western Addition, the tea lounge Poleng has reinstated its lunch and afternoon tea service – only this time around, nothing on the quick-service-oriented menu is over $7. Lunch items range from a Thai-style tofu bowl to a Japanese-inspired chicken katsu-don, and, yes, diners can also order the restaurant’s signature sweet potato fries and sriracha hot wings.
Folks fishing for lunch in the Tenderloin/Downtown nabe should check out Fish & Farm, which has introduced the American Box – a cash-only lunch available for eat-in or takeout Monday–Friday, 10:30 AM–1:30 PM. The various boxes, which include the likes of a line-caught tuna sandwich, a grilled cheese with “secret sauce” and bacon tater tots with slaw, all cost $9 and under, and customers can view the menu online and place their order up to seven days in advance.
And then there's the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market on Thursdays, 10 AM–2 PM. Forget the farmers and their produce – yes they’re there too, but the bevy of food vendors makes shopping take a backseat. The list includes 4505 Meats (smoked hot dogs, chicharrones and peanut butter bacon brownies), Cap'n Mike's Holy Smoke (smoked fish sandwiches), Namu (Korean BBQ tacos, bibimbop, kimchi fried rice) and Pizza Politana (pizza made to order from farmer's market larder). For a peek at this week’s specials, check out: www.cuesa.org/markets/days/thursday_menu.php.
Starting soon, those who can’t make it to the Ferry Plaza can alternatively seek out three of the participating vendors – Tacolicious, 4505 Meats and Namu – on Fridays, when they will be setting up tents in the courtyard of Blu, a new SoMa condo building (Fridays until October 25, 10 AM–2 PM, 631 Folsom St.).
Finally, over in Oakland, newcomer Chop Bar
(which is currently open for breakfast and lunch only) is luring locals
with a wealth of affordable sandwiches including a Mexican
chicken torta to a Vietnamese banh mi and a classic Reuben (247 Fourth St.; 510-834-2467).
– Meesha Halm