NYC's new comfort food

Indonesian Sloppy Joe | Danku

The name "Sloppy Joe" doesn't lie. Messy and usually a challenge to eat—if they're done right—these gloppy sandwiches and their reddish-brown beef fillings help keep the city's dry cleaners in business. But the latest incarnation at Danku ($5) comes with a "stained shirt!'" alert: It's a cross-pollination of the American cafeteria classic and the Indo-Dutch cuisine that this eco-friendly midtown lunch spot is known for.

The lowdown: "We wanted to put something on the menu that would be familiar to Americans but keep the Indonesian flavors," explains co-owner Filip Van Hoeck. Several test-kitchen attempts finally yielded a traditional beef stew blended with coconut milk and lime juice, as well as the piquant flavors of lemongrass and sambal, a hot relish made with southeast Asian spices. Neatly nestled in an organic whole-wheat roll, it's a decidedly more sophisticated rendition—until you tear into it.

Danku
47 W. 57th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves.
212-888-3777