A Pocket Full of Lunch

A couple weeks ago, I made a very exciting discovery; one I thought would have a significant impact on my lunch-life. After work one evening, I was walking north on Nassau Street, a little beyond my usual cut-off point at John Street. I looked up at a small storefront decorated with triangular flags in a "Grand Opening" style and saw that it was a Ruben's Empanadas.

So, this may not sound life-changing, but let me step back...

I occasionally make trips to work out of an office in Washington, D.C. and around the corner from that office there is this wonderful little place called Julia's Empanadas. From my first visit to Julia's I developed lunch envy for my D.C. colleagues - why was there no place like this near me?

So, I beheld the Ruben's and I said to myself, "I am going to have lunch here tomorrow!" and "I might eat here all the time!" and "Oh, Joy!"

However, a couple weeks passed, and I never really felt like walking up Nassau street that far, though I considered it often. Then one fine day I set out for lunch - not totally sure where I was going to go, but generally aiming for Hanover Square. I was walking down Pearl Street and I came to the intersection at Coenties Alley and there it was: another (closer!) Ruben's Empanada's!

I had my old stand-bys from the East Village location: a spicy chicken empanada and a broccoli empanada. Both are excellent. From my visits to other locations, I can also recommend the corn and the spinach empanadas. Two empanadas and a can of soda came out to $9 even, which seems a little high. They have some combo specials that might be a better deal.

Empanada fans in the Financial District will be pleased to learn that there are, in fact, 4 Ruben's locations in lower Manhattan: 64 Fulton Street, 77 Pearl Street, 76 Nassau Street, and 149 Church Street.