Leah McCann Smith | Writer & Editor

ICYMI: Here’s my intro post as to what I’m doing (MealPal) and why I’m doing it (to eat good food in New York City without spending a fortune).

Day 2: Semsom

Address: 110 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10005

Day of the week: Monday

Order: Turmeric Chicken Bowl

Chicken breast cubes simmered in bright yellow turmeric and a hint of cumin. Earthy and peppery. Gluten free. Sides (placed in the bowl): tahini carrots, roasted tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled cucumbers, dressed with a minted yogurt.

Value: $9.50

The Turmeric Chicken Bowl from Semsom was a change of pace from the usuals that I typically order in Fi-Di (Chipotle, Dos Toros, Chop’t, Dig Inn, Hale & Hearty). You’ll notice that most of those restaurants, with the exception of Chipotle, aren’t on MealPal. But that’s part of the fun, and why I tried MealPal in the first place: to discover new restaurants in Fi-Di without breaking the bank. (I do work on Wall Street, after all.) My impression of the new lunch joint on Maiden Lane was a good one—the restaurant is bright and airy, very clean and minimal, with a rich, deep purple staple brand color. It’s Mediterranean-Lebanese fusion, with more focus on the Mediterranean according to Semsom’s site.

If you’re wary of trying something outside the Fi-Di usuals for lunch,  you might be overwhelmed at first with this dish. There is a burst of impressionable flavors in this bowl, and it’s a bit overwhelming at first, but don’t shy away. The vegetables taste like they were just picked yesterday. Fun fact: Semsom is present in six countries around the world (Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE and the U.S.). Pretty cool. This brings a new taste to Wall Street that we’ve been missing.

Pickup Process (Wait Time): 

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I give this MealPal dish a 3.5/5. The dish was on the heavier side—not a bad thing, since I just put some away for later, but it was a lot to take in in regards to trying something brand new. I think the more I eat at Semsom, the more I’ll get used to it and the better it will get. Pickup took about three minutes because there were a few people ahead of me in the checkout line (12:45-1:00 p.m. time frame), but nothing to fret about. Tip: Like many downtown lunch spots, Semsom has an app. When you spend $99 using the app, you get $9 in rewards.