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New York Post
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
NYC fast-casual lunch spots offer refuge from the 'sad salad'
These take the 'mid' out of Midtown. With NYC workers flocking back to the office in record numbers, working stiffs are seeking quick and tasty lunch options without paying through the nose. More often than not, they end up with the ubiquitous 'sad' salad, an expensive amalgam of cold rabbit foods crunched catatonically at one's desk while one scrolls social media. Hawked at such hotspots like Sweetgreen and Chopt, these soulless roughage bowls have inundated Midtown, offering little sustenance for the ever-growing throngs of desk jockeys in NYC, where post-pandemic visits to office buildings in April were just 5.5% below 2019 levels — a national record, according to the platform. 12 A mixed bowl with purple rice, soy eggs, kimchi, steak and more at SOPO, the hot new fast-casual Korean concept in Midtown. Stefano Giovannini '[It's] hard to find food that actually tastes good [and] that's not just rushed,' Sade Quianes, who works for a streaming company in the city, told The Post. The '$20 salad' was notably lampooned on TikTok by singer 'Awkward' Marina Sneider, who crooned in her viral ditty, 'it isn't even good and you're not even wealthy, but you need all your coworkers to think you're super healthy.' Thankfully, there is a growing fraternity of Midtown fast-casual restaurants that provide convenience without sacrificing flavor — and they're increasingly eating 'sad' salads for lunch. As a service to hangry workers, here are five of the best, because Gotham deserves a better class of midday meal. Seoul food at SOPO SOPO achieves the difficult task of condensing Korean staples like beef bulgogi and crispy scallion dumplings into one convenient takeout dish. Opened with the intent of bringing 'Michelin-quality Korean food to Midtown,' SOPO (whose name means 'Parcel' in Korean) is helmed by co-founder Tae Kim and Chef Dennis Hong, an alum of Michelin-starred Le Bernadin. 'We wanted to do a well-executed version that's very delicious, but it's also hassle-free,' Kim told The Post. He was inspired in part by his years working at a Tribeca bank where he'd have to scrounge up edible eats off Seamless on a $25 stipend. 12 'You can come here and get authentic Korean food and still very affordable,' gushed SOPO customer Sade Quianes. Stefano Giovannini 12 'I want a variation in the texture and flavor of the different things rather than having a lot of the same,' said SOPO co-founder Tae Kim while describing how he planned to distinguish himself from the typical fast-casual spot. Stefano Giovannini To order, customers select their bases ranging from salad to Korean purple rice (a mix of black and white rice), proteins such as steak or chicken, garnishes like crispy seaweed and sides including kimchi and soy-dipped eggs. These can be topped with a palette of sauces ranging from a Korean chili paste to one with perilla leaves, tarragon and coconut yogurt. Total price for a Seoul Steak Signature Plate: $16.48 'You can come here and get authentic Korean food and still very affordable,' gushed Quianes while toting a dish of dumplings and rice, which is cooked on-site in olive oil and giant sheets of Korean kelp for maximum umami. 12 SOPO co-founder Tae Kim said the goal was to allow customers to build their own bowls but ensure that every possible 'permutation' makes sense culinarily. Stefano Giovannini One difference is that SOPO doesn't 'mix' anything together to avoid discordant flavor combos. 'It's intended that everything is had separately as its own gourmet dish, because I feel like that's the only way that every permutation really works,' said Kim. Those who want their lunch in wrap form can opt for the kimbap, Korean 'sushi rolls' featuring chicken, beef, tofu and more fillings ($13.49) that are hand-rolled in front of customers and swaddled in foil to go — essentially SOPO's answer to Chipotle. SOPO, 463 7th Ave. between 35th and 36th Streets The Toast Of Mid-town 12 A sprawling Spicy Crab toast at Toastique. Stefano Giovannini 12 Toastique at 445 5th Ave near Bryant Park. Stefano Giovannini Healthful toast and juice bars have become almost cliche in NYC, but this newly-opened Washington D.C.-based transplant elevates the well-trodden concept with responsibly-sourced and unqiue accouterments. Some of the Gourmet Toasts, which are served atop bloodcurdlingly-crunchy bread as big as a battle cruiser, include Spicy Crab ($17) with lump crab, melted Swiss and Fontina cheese, tomatoes and more — like a jumbo crostini. Other toppings include avocado mash — the millennial catnip — prosciutto and even peanut butter and berry jam that's made in-house sans preservatives. Those looking for something lighter can opt for their fruit and granola bowls and wash it down with their all-natural smoothies or cold-pressed juices. Toastique, 445 5th Ave. near East 39th Street Dim sum and substance 12 Roast pork and duck over rice at Dim Sum Sam. Stefano Giovannini With its tiny breakfast baskets of chicken feet and lotus-wrapped sticky rice, dim sum might not seem like office-friendly fare. Thankfully, Dim Sum Sam makes the traditional Cantonese sit-down brunch to go and at any time of day — like China's version of Denny's all-day breakfast but high quality. They boast four locations across town in Fidi, Chinatown, the Flatiron district and a newly-opened branch in Times Square. Unlike many fast-casual options, Dim Sum Sam also notably hand-crafts each piece of dim sum fresh by hand. 12 Dim Sum Sam customers Miranda (left) and Andrea posing with a roast pork and duck rice bowl. Stefano Giovannini Along with bamboo basket standbys like chicken feet, shrimp dumplings and Portuguese egg tarts, the dim sum depot also hawks portable bowls. These include BBQ roast pork over rice ($11.95), shrimp and pork wonton soup ($8.95) and even a speedball of roast duck and pork over rice ($13.95). 'If you can't find your Chinese aunt or mom in the morning, I know where they are,' quipped frugal foodie @ in a video review of Dim Sum Sam. Dim Sum Sam, 240 W 40th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues Midtown Eastern 12 A Chicken Shawarma bowl at NAYA, which condenses vibrant and diverse Lebanese cuisine into convenient to-go bowls. Stefano Giovannini This Lebanese juggernaut offers the same choose-your-own-adventure format as its 'sad' salad counterparts, but with vibrant toppings like beef shawarma and lamb kebab over vermicelli rice that's adorned with yogurt, hummus and paired with pita (for around $13.99) — they're not selling glorified airplane food here. Founder Hady Kfoury told The Post that NAYA distinguishes itself via quality components like tahini and pickles sourced from Lebanon and hummus that's soaked for 24 hours, boiled all day, blast chilled and whacked with tahini and lemon. 12 The line at NAYA near Bryant Park. Stefano Giovannini He also said that the chain makes food that's hard for the average cook to recreate. 'During the pandemic, everybody baked bread at home, everybody created salads,' Kfoury said. 'You're not able to replicate NAYA at home because of the ingredients.' Kfoury said he hopes to have 45 branches by the end of this year with the latest one opening near Rockefeller Center on June 11 if all goes well. NAYA, 9 W 42nd Street near Fifth Avenue Treasure of the Sierra Madras 12 A dosa without filling at Madras Dosa, a South Indian chain that originated in Boston. Stefano Giovannini 12 Customers Raj Srinivas Krishna Srinivas at Madras Dosa. Stefano Giovannini Also ideal for casual fry-day is this Boston transplant, which recently opened a new branch in Times Square and specializes in dosas, a parchment-thin South Indian savory rice and lentil crepe. They have around 30 customizable options, ranging from savory options like spicy potatoes ($16.33), Lays' Indian-flavored chips and lamb to unorthodox sweet versions such as strawberry jam and Nutella. Other notable lunchable fare includes chaats, fried dough topped with various herbs and chutneys, best washed down with a tangy, creamy mango lassi. Madras Dosa, 30 Rockefeller Center, Concourse Level
Press and Journal
7 days ago
- Press and Journal
Moray ‘monster' serial rapist could face life sentence after breaching order
A serial rapist who flouted a strict sex offence order by contacting two women and a girl from behind bars could be facing a life sentence. Edward Moir was jailed for seven years in 2014 for attacking three vulnerable females in Elgin, Moray and Macduff. The 34 year-old – who once claimed to be a 'new kind of monster' – was made subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) in January 2023. He had been locked up again for sending what was described as a 'disgusting' letter to a woman while in jail for the rapes. These latest crimes then occurred while he was in HMP Edinburgh in 2024. Moir today appeared via video-link from prison at the High Court in Glasgow having admitted, at a hearing last month, three charges of breaching the SOPO. Lord Colbeck said a pre-sentencing report had assessed the rapist as remaining at a 'high-risk' of further sexual offending. The judge told Moir's lawyer Simon Gilbride: 'What concerns me is the apparent unwillingness to take part in the necessary courses within prison to address difficulties. 'It almost seems controlling like: 'I am only doing what I want to do'. 'This is a worry in the context of sexual offending.' Mr Gilbride accepted the report was 'concerning' and that he could not oppose a full risk assessment being carried out on Moir. This could eventually lead to a strict Order for Lifelong Restriction being imposed. The case was adjourned and a further hearing is to take place in Inverness on August 26. Prosecutor Vish Kathuria told the court last month how police and prison authorities became aware of phone contact which breached the terms of Moir's SOPO. Moir had been in touch with one woman dozens of times between March and June 2024. He had also been in contact with a five-year-old girl around that time. There had been nearly 30 calls to the number of another woman, which eventually led to her blocking him. Moir raped three women during attacks between 2010 and 2013. He was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen. In 2021, Moir was guilty of indecently communicating with a woman who he barely knew. In the letter, he asked her to be his 'secret lover'. Moir also chillingly stated prison had 'turned him into a new kind of monster'. The woman who received the letter was said to be 'absolutely disgusted' and contacted police.
ITV News
23-05-2025
- ITV News
Challenge over former school welfare officer Neil Beckett's prison term fails
Prosecutors failed in a legal challenge to the prison term imposed on a former school welfare officer and Army Cadet leader for sexually abusing teenage girls. Judges in the Court of Appeal rejected claims the sentencing of Co Down man Neil Beckett was unduly lenient. Beckett, 44, from Kilmore Village near Crossgar, was found guilty of sexual assault and inappropriate contact with nine teenage victims he targeted while holding a position of authority. The charges against him related to seven pupils at Lagan College School in south Belfast and two Army Cadets, spanning a period between 2015 and 2023. In December last year he received a three-year sentence at Belfast Crown Court, with 18 months to be served in prison and 18 months on licence. Beckett was also put on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and made subject to a Sexual Offence Protection Order (SOPO) for five years. The sentencing judge identified the abuse of trust and authority, along with the victims' vulnerabilities, as aggravating factors. He also cited elements of grooming which continued after the defendant was made aware of the complaints against him. Beckett denied all of the allegations while on trial for a total of 29 charges. The abuse involved hugging, kissing and tickling pupils, as well as touching some of the girls under their skirts. He was ultimately acquitted on a charge of rape, but found guilty of a carrying out a series of sexual assaults. Beckett initially mounted a legal challenge against conviction before eventually abandoning the bid to clear his name. But in a separate move, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) referred the case to the Court of Appeal in an attempt to have the sentence declared unduly lenient. Counsel for the PPS argued that the assessment of Beckett's culpability and the harm he caused to his vulnerable victims was not properly dealt with. It was also claimed that the prison term was outside the appropriate range. Defence lawyers accepted there were aggravating features, including the impact his offences had on the teenage girls. But they insisted that a proportionate sentence was imposed following an assessment of all the circumstances. The court also heard Beckett has lost career opportunities and is set to remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely. Delivering judgment, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan rejected all grounds of challenge. 'This was always a case of high culpability, that was accepted by the defence, and therefore the prosecution's argument that we should increase the sentence based on the (trial) judge's mischaracterisation of culpability is unsustainable,' she said. She added: 'The judge has faithfully applied the (sentencing) guidance.' Despite dismissing the PPS reference, Dame Siobhan stressed that the victim's had been 'entirely vindicated' by Beckett's decision to abandon his appeal against conviction. 'No sentence can fully fix the impact of this offending on the lives of young girls,' she added. But speaking outside court, the father of one of Beckett's victims expressed disappointment at the outcome.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- BBC News
Sex offender spotted in Denmark Hill facial recognition operation
A registered sex offender has been jailed for two years after he was spotted walking with a six-year-old girl during a Live Facial Recognition (LFR) police operation. David Cheneler, 73, was found with the child in Denmark Hill, south-east London, on 10 January following an alert from LFR cameras. Checks confirmed that Cheneler was in breach of his Sexual Offence Prevention Order (SOPO), which prohibited him from being alone with a child under 14. He was also in possession of a lock-knife. Cheneler, of Lewisham, was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday, having previously pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of his SOPO, and possessing an offensive weapon. 'Mother completely unaware' The Met Police uses LFR in pre-agreed locations in London to capture footage of people passing by and compare their faces against a database of wanted a match is detected, the system generates an alert. An officer will then review the match and decide if they wish to speak to the individual. Det Con Adam Pearce said: "Although there were no allegations made towards David Cheneler on this occasion, it's possible if he hadn't been identified using this technology, he could have gone on to abuse this child."Her mother was completely unaware of his offending history, and along with her young daughter were both taken advantage of by Cheneler, who abused their trust."The Met Police said officers established that Cheneler had picked the child up from school as a favour for her mother and had done so twice before, having built a relationship with them both over the course of a Chiswick, the Met's lead for LFR, said the technology could be used to stop people on a watch-list who have conditions they must adhere to."Without this technology, Cheneler may have had the opportunity to cause further harm," she SOPO was originally imposed in 2019, along with a nine-year prison sentence for 21 child abuse offences.
The Courier
21-05-2025
- The Courier
Perth child groomer 'Dangerous Dave' gets nine-year extended sentence
A notorious Perth paedophile who referred to himself as Dangerous Dave has been handed a nine year extended sentence for grooming a schoolboy on the other side of the world. Serial sex offender David Greig sent explicit selfies to his 13-year-old victim using the Telegram social media app. Police uncovered the chat log on the 46-year-old's computer devices at his Perth home, along with horrific images of babies being raped by adults. Greig appeared at Perth Sheriff Court for sentencing, having previously admitted this, his third sexual offence. He was told jail was the only option. Protection from public harm Solicitor David Sinclair, defending, said his client had been recommended for the Moving Forward: Making Changes rehabilitation programme for sex offenders. He highlighted Greig's previous Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SOPO) had expired in April 2024, some time before the indecent images and chat came to light. 'His initial offences were of contact nature,' said Mr Sinclair. 'Now we are in the region of semi-contact, in that he was communicating indecently with an apparently underage person.' Mr Sinclair said: 'Mr Greig was in a road accident when he was a young boy and this matter appears to have gone undiagnosed throughout his childhood.' David Greig at an earlier court hearing He said his client struggled to form healthy relationships and 'find his role in society.' 'No real alternative' Sheriff William Wood told Greig: 'Unfortunately for you, there is no getting away from your previous convictions. 'This is the third time you've come to court in respect of sexual offences, and as a result there is no real alternative to a custodial sentence.' The sheriff added: 'You have to understand that simply possessing indecent photos of children contributes to the continued industry and contributes to the ongoing abuse of children. 'Clearly that is a reprehensible thing that the public must be protect from. 'And it is of further concern that you had a discussion with a person online who disclosed they were a child, yet you continued with this highly sexualised conversation.' Greig admitted grooming a 13-year-old boy in November last year. He further pled guilty to downloading indecent images of children between July 14 and November 6 2024. Sheriff Wood said: 'I am concerned that the public needs to be adequately protected against serious harm once you are released. 'For that reason, I am going to pass on you an extended sentence.' Greig was jailed for four years and will be on licence for five more after he is out of prison. He will be subject to the sex offenders register and the sexual harm prevention order indefinitely. Laptop discovery Fiscal depute Emma Farmer earlier told the court police investigated after receiving a tip-off indecent images had been downloaded to Greig's laptop and phone. 'The Telegram Messenger app had been installed and the search indicated indecent communications had taken place, and images and videos were found on both devices,' she said. The material included footage of children as young as six months old being sexually assaulted. In the Telegram chat, Greig's victim – 'who resided an eight-hour time difference away' – told him he was 13. 'The conversation was sexually explicit throughout,' said Ms Farmer. Greig sent the boy photos and videos of himself exposing his penis and carrying out a solo sex act. The court previously heard how the offender, who set up a Skype account under the name Dangerous Dave, had traded hours of sickening child abuse footage on the internet. For that, he was jailed for three years. For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
