Report from Starwich [525 42nd Street @ 10th/11th Aves, 212-726-9170]: the large open space does not yet have its leather couches, or its act together, but we eagerly placed our order and attempted to peek behind the glazed glass front separating us from the ingredients. (Ordering itself is a ritual here: fill out a punch card reminiscent of the SAT listing your chosen ingredients; get a card that automatically stores your favorite combinations; or?our lazy choice?pick one of the pre-selected sandwiches.) Our choice, Pomegranate-Juniper Glazed Chicken on semolina and rasin roll ($9), took over 10 minutes to materialize, but once it did, it was lunch hour bliss the likes of which we have not encountered in midtown before. If Starwich were near our office, we'd be daily regulars; alas, we'll wait for the expansion: Broad Street and West 73rd Street are due up next.
[inside: an exterior photograph!]