Ennju

Unlike Chinese food and Korean food, Japanese food can’t be found in a small neighborhood or street in Manhattan; it’s found on little side streets in midtown, inside grocery stores, or if you’re in the mood for disappointing small eats, in Astor place. Ennju, a small eatery near union square, serves Japanese food in a cafeteria style setting for nearby office worker bees and NYU students. I’m a fan of the place and have been going to ennju since I moved to New York. They offer cooked items (beef curry, pork cutlets, soups, etc) as well as sushi, salads, edamame, and other Japanese treats. I always end up ordering the same thing – curry with a pork cutlet:

The good thing about Ennju is that their curry already has beef inside (well, not good for vegetarians, but good for meat eaters like myself). The bad thing about having beef included: I ALWAYS forget there’s already meat in the curry so I end up ordering a pork cutlet on the side (which means double meat!!). Ennju is fast, convenient (especially after a Saturday filled with reading books at the Union Square Barnes and Noble), and they give you salads with your curry order. Another perk: half-off sushi an hour before closing!