Penn Station

1 #1 Juice Bar Unlike other smoothie places, #1 doesn’t add frozen yogurt or sugary sorbet to its mixes, so you’ll feel refreshed, not overly full, after downing one. A medium smoothie made with pureed oranges, bananas and strawberries—packed with vitamins A, B and C—is $4.25. 861 Sixth Ave between 30th and 31st Sts (212-736-9116)

2 Pax A riff on the breakfast burrito, the Healthy Spa Wrap ($3.49) at Pax—scrambled egg whites, lightly sautéed broccoli, and red and green peppers, all wrapped in a spinach tortilla and served mornings from 7 to 11am—is a protein-loaded breakfast option you can eat on the run. 1350 Broadway between 35th and 36th Sts (212-967-2820)

Dimple

3 Dimple You might catch a lunchtime Bollywood flick here while noshing on a plate of chat called kachori bhel ($5.50), a sweet-and-sour mix of crunchy puffed rice crisps, pulses (varieties of legume), onions, a green sauce (made of coriander, mint and jalapeño) and a tamarind sauce. 11 W 30th St between Fifth Ave and Broadway (212-643-9464)

Lunch

4 Norimaki Norimaki, a bare box of a sushi joint on a hectic block, is an oddly calming retreat. The $7 lunch special (four types of rolls, served with a choice of soup or salad, available Monday–Friday 11am–3pm) seems a lot like what’s offered at other sushi joints, but once you taste the fresh fish and the mild and delicious miso soup, you’ll know the difference. 224 W 35th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-967-8177)

5 Woorijip Choose from the steam buffet or the prepackaged fare at Woorijip, a Korean joint where the offerings change daily. The ready-made lunch box ($6), with tangles of barbecued beef (bulgogi) over rice, comes with a small side of spicy kimchi. 12 W 32nd St between Fifth Ave and Broadway (212-244-1115)

6 Noodle 36 In the addictive sha cha noodle soup ($5.25), chunks of chicken, red pepper, onion and pineapple bob with a tangle of white, slightly overcooked noodles in a spicy, savory brown broth—studded with hot-pepper flakes and scallions—that’s good enough to drink by the cupful. 305 W 36th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves (212-239-6061, 212-239-6064)

7 Kabab & Grill Restaurant Pass by the counter of food in the front to get to the good stuff: the “Indo-Pak” steam setup at the back. We like Kabab’s chicken tikka masala ($6), a standard that’s delicious here. A sizable portion of soft, neon-orange chicken with savory curry-and-cream gravy is ladled over a choice of white or brown rice. 150 W 36th St between Broadway and Seventh Ave (212-967-0813)

Dinner

8 Han Bat Before the bibimbap arrives, the servers at Han Bat bring out gratis appetizers (panchan) such as spicy kimchi and dried, salted anchovies. The bibimbap itself ($9.95) is cooked in a stone pot and big enough for three. Stir the veggies, beef and raw egg into the rice, ladle into bowls and feast. 53 W 35th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-629-5588)

9 Soul Fixins The juicy, crisp-skinned fried chicken here runs neck and neck with the expert north-of-116th-Street bird purveyors. Two sides accompany your $8.95 order, which comes with a large square of corn bread that doubles as dessert. 371 W 34th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves (212-736-1345)
—Leslie Price

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