Dutch fast food steals the Midtown lunch scene

 

Anyone who’s worked in or around midtown knows that affordable and legitimate lunch options are sparse at best. In my quest for delicious, yet reasonably priced lunch, I came across a fast food venue with a twist. It’s Danku, an organic fast food restaurant featuring Dutch and Indonesian cuisines. Offering a motley assortment of options, Danku prides itself on its fulfillment of social responsibilities. Almost all of their food is natural and organic and all of their packaging is biodegradable. Though it sticks out like a mini Ikea showroom in the middle of West 57th street, the staff was friendly, the tables were clean, and overall it felt like much more than a fast food experience.

Both Dutch and Indonesian cuisines are strongly represented at Danku. The traditional Dutch kroket (or croquette in English), for $2.45 each, are fried and filled with chicken curry, spinach and artichokes, or chili con carne to name a few. Don’t forget the accompanying dipping sauces, like yogurt and chive, honey mustard, and basil dip. The Indonesian fare ranges from chicken satay with peanut sauce to spicy beef stew to Indonesian meatballs. Pair any of these with organic fries, a myriad of rice or salad and you’ve got a Danku Combo Meal for $7.50. In addition to local creations, Danku offers sandwiches, salads, smoothies, and frozen yogurt for the less adventurous palette.

For a diverse lunch, I skipped the standard combo and went a la carte with the spicy beef stew and a curry chicken kroket with yogurt and chive dipping sauce. Served with chopsticks, the spicy beef was more like sweet and spicy. It was shredded beef in a delicious sauce, topped with scallions. While the stew was filling on its own, I just had to try the kroket. Though it broke apart a bit, the chicken curry held a light flavor in a breading that wasn’t too think, but just right for a traditional kroket. Altogether the stew, kroket, and a Hansen’s diet soda came in just under $10. For a decent, eclectic midtown lunch, you can be sure I’ll be going back. Dank u wel, Danku!