Coco's Caribbean Lunch Cart

By Copyboy, subbing for her Vampness

As anyone who has held a Manhattan office job for a significant amount of time will attest, lunch is the dreariest meal of the day. You scout your office

Comments

[frankie veal]

Copyboy, truly you are become beserk. But all things are relative, and to redefine lunchtime depression you should come join me for a weekday lunch tour of a typical exurb. While i envy your access to Coco's, i also envy your access to Subway.

[copyboy]

Izzat Subway the dopey sandwich shop, or Subway the A Train? Both are across the street here.

[tigerwoman]

I come to the discussion from two different prospectives. First as a consumer, I too love to find cheap eats and having a great homemade with love and care lunch for under $6 is an awesome experience eg I love Ban Mai Sandwiches for 2.50. However from my other prospective as a former cafe and caterer in midtown manhattan, your expectations for the cheap lunch don't match up with the reality of the costs of doing business in NYC. Food cost is minor compared to labor, insturance, RENT, ELECTRICITY, TAXES (both hidden and open ones) permits, fines, parking, delivery costs, etc etc. And how about the novel concept of making a decent living for all your hard work and risk of life savings and dreams. We were knocked out of business by the fallout from 9-11 and because we were on E.45th Street didn't get any sort of aid although our block (entrance to UN and US Mission) was blocked off on either end by sandtrucks from 9-12-2001 until late February 2002. Try doing business in that climate. Oh well, on to bigger and better things - strictly catering. Retail is too taxing for the return on effort and investment and took too much of the passion of cooking and presenting food to people away. We had fabulous daily specials = that were really special and really tasty, but couldn't afford to sell them for under$8 - had a loyal following of expense account people who of course were cut off immediately after 9-11. C'est la guerre....