Stopped by the beautiful new Publix Greenwise Market in SoHo for some lunch today. After reading Laura Reiley's cautious optimism about the massive selection of prepared foods, I thought it might be worth a try now that the market has almost a month under its belt to get the kinks worked out. If anything, it seems like the kinks have taken over.
Get past the confusing system of ordering everything from its own section, the areas delineated only by small, laminated "Order Here" signs that are often hidden by waiting diners and you'll find a staff that has the haunted look of the harried and fearful. Or the defiant glare of workers pushed past the breaking point, just daring you to comment about the slow service. Or the downcast faces of truly practiced restaurant workers who want to avoid eye contact until they finish the task in front of them. If you're looking for a quick, healthy lunch during a brief work break, it's a horrifying experience.
This article appears in Dec 3-9, 2008.