Delivery Department

By Stephen Diamond, Jr. and Cristina Alesci

Like many New Yorkers, we are not always able to be as social as we would like. Late nights at the office, vicious snowstorms—even a pressing deadline—can shutter us indoors against our will. For times like these (or when we just feel lazy), we seek deliverance through delivery. If the number of bicycling busboys navigating the streets of Lower Manhattan every evening is any indication, many of you do too.
As food writers who strive to provide a full service column to our readers (and we trust our use of the plural here is not unwarranted), we offer below four dependable delivery places to consider next time you decide to dine in. Each one is listed on Seamlessweb (www.seamlessweb.com), is reasonably priced and typically delivers in 30 minutes or less.

Alfanoose
A no-nonsense Lebanese restaurant tucked into a near-forgotten stretch of Maiden Lane, where its owner, Mouhamad Shami, and his family consistently prepare fresh and delicious food. Although many praise the falafel ($5 sandwich, $9 platter), our favorite dishes are the shish tawook, or grilled cubes of marinated chicken ($7 sandwich, $12 platter) and the kafta kabob, or grilled ground spiced beef and lamb ($7 sandwich, $12 platter). The platters come with a choice of two sides and we recommend the red mojadra, which is a moist blend of cracked wheat, tomatoes and red peppers, and Alfanoose’s creamy homous (hummus). Another excellent side is their zesty tabouli. The sides can also be ordered extra ($4.50 small, $8.50 large).
8 Maiden Lane (between Nassau and William Streets)
www.alfanoose.com 212-528-4669
Hours:
12:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Weekdays
12:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Saturdays; closed Sundays

Barbarini Alimentari
You won’t find any heros at this sleek Italian deli for the bourgeoisie, so don’t even ask. Instead, Barbarini Alimentari specializes in pasta dishes from Southern Italy such as handcut spaghetti alla chitarra with sausage ragú ($13), a chewy sausage and meat sauce pasta dish perfect for cold winter nights. Vegetarians can enjoy the spaghetti with rich aromatic pesto, string beans and pine nuts ($13) instead of meat. For sides, try the red beet and dried ricotta salad ($7.50) or roasted peppers with garlic & anchovies ($6). Although the set menu is limited, be sure to check the regular specials, which offer additional choices including a delicious black linguini with squid ink, shrimp and peppers ($15) and a refreshing fennel, arugula and orange salad ($7.50).
225 Front Street (between Beekman Street and Peck Slip)
www.barbarini.net
212-227-8890
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m., daily
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Saturdays
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Sundays

Texas Rotisserie & Grill
Texas Rotisserie & Grill offers full flavored rotisserie at no-frills prices with delivery until midnight. Although their menu is longer than a Houston drawl, the rotisserie chicken (half chicken, $9.95, whole boneless breast platter, $11.95) is the star. Consistently moist and full of smoky barbecue flavor, their chicken also comes with a choice of two sides. Except for the corn bread and whipped sweet potatoes, both well worth ordering, the sides can be inconsistent. TR&G also offers broasted chicken (a chicken both broiled and roasted), ribs and other down-home fare. Take our advice and stick to the rotisserie, which offers the best pluck for the buck downtown.
94 Fulton Street (between Gold and William Streets)
www.texasrotisserie.com
212-566-6666
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – Midnight, daily

Two Gold Street
In America, the omelette is generally underappreciated as a dinner course. At Two Gold Street, the omelettes ($8.25) get more respect, where they are available all day long and arrive fluffy and hot. Conceived as a diner with a sushi bar, this restaurant is also an excellent option for well prepared salads, offering a total of eleven. The roasted beet, arugula and goat cheese salad ($9; $13 with steak and $14 with chicken or shrimp) is a fresh, well balanced offering that never gets boring. The chicken paillard salad with blue cheese ($11) and the watermelon, arugula, pine nut and feta salad ($8.50) are two other standouts.
2 Gold Street (between Platt Street and Maiden Lane)
www.goldstnyc.com
212-747-0797
Hours: 24 hours daily