"Papa San in Hudson Yards is the first foray into the world of business lunches for the Llama San and Llama Inn people. It seems to be working. Midweek at midday, the bright, plant-filled dining room is filled with coworkers eating $35 bento sets with a choice of rice or potato, a salad, and protein—like a nice piece of pork belly with singed edges and jello-like layers of fat. Other highlights include an eel pizza—really more like a large cracker—topped with shiitake mushrooms, shiny glazed chunks of eel, and wriggly bonito flakes. Some dishes are more puzzling, like a deep-fried maki roll topped with crab salad and a chili oil laced with Frank’s RedHot. Still, even when it’s puzzling, Papa San is a breath of fresh air among Hudson Yards’ more Italian-dominated upscale options. photo credit: William Jess Laird" - Willa Moore
