So, I just got back from lunch and I thought that it would be neat to find out other people's best lunch places for those days when you either a) forgot your lunch b) had lunch plans that were unexpectedly cancelled or c) had some other lunch catastrophy.

My top pick would have to be Wow Bao. I'm not sure if this is a Chicago-only phenomenon so I'll explain. Wow Bao is an Asian (leaning toward Chinese) carryout/eat-in spot that serves primarily Bao (steamed buns filled with a variety of different meats, veggies, etc. [even eggs for breakfast]), dumplings, potstickers, rice/noodle bowls, soups, and salads. Their highest calorie item (the BBQ Pork Rice Bowl) has 706 calories - quite a find when it comes to fast food.

Today's lunch consisted of:
5 Pork and Cabbage Potstickers - 264 cal.

Asian Vegetable Salad - calories not listed for some reason, but it had no calorie ladden others (i.e. cheese, croutons, bacon bits, etc.), just shredded veggies (red onion, lettuce, nappa cabbage, red pepper, cilantro, bean sprouts, and red pepper) and the dressing was on the side.

Green Tea with Honey - 84 cal.

I will definitely be going back. Not as generic as Subway, and not as life-threatening as McDonalds.

What are your best emergency lunch finds?

Mad Greens.

It's basically like Subway for salads except there's about a million more ingredients and the quality is excellent for fast casual. I have no excuse to not eat well if there's a Mad Greens nearby.

Chipotle. I used to not like Chipotle until I gave up meat but now its a lifesaver.

Mine is Subway, I love the Subway Club Salad with Fat Free Sweet Onion Dressing. I actually plan on going there about once a week. The girl at my local Subway knows what I want without asking. Although the Chicken Breast Salad with Fat Free Honey Mustard is very good too.

Mad Greens and Wow Boa's both sound great but nothing like that near me at work.

I know its been a while (3 years) since I lived in Denver, but is this new? Never heard of them!

I like Chick-Fil-A if I'm looking for drive thru, Sweet Tomatoes if I want sitdown...

It is pretty new. It was one of those thing where there was one restaurant and then they just started showing up all over the place (Boulder, downtown, Lakewood, Cenennial, etc...). It's a lifesaver!

i'd have to say subway or a small healthy item that will hold me over until i can make it to a real meal at home

OK, so I am a Subway girl myself. I like to get a turkey sub on whole wheat...and get it toasted with piles of veggies, no sauce -- but with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Evil as it seems, I also like the Southwest Chicken Salad at Jack-in-the-Box --grilled chicken, beans, corn, some jack cheese, spinach in the greens -- yum. I skip the crunchy corn things and generally skip the dressing as well or use just a touch.

I'd think maybe a subway salad wouldn't be bad and although I love sandwiches, I never thought the subway bread was very good. I work across the street from a subway but would never think to go there because if I'm going to eat bread, I'm going to eat bread I like.

that's too funny! i went to wow bao today too...thai herb broth and steamed chicken potstickers! so good!

Junebug-thanks for the heads up about Mad Greens! My sister and I are going to up Denver later in the month and I've been racking my brains trying to figure out a good and inexpensive place to eat. This may just fit the bill.

Panera bread -- they have good sandwiches/salads/soups. I love their black bean soup which is low fat and very filling.

I work at panera bread. Black bean is very good but you have to be careful with all the sandwiches. Even the salads.

If im at job #2 (panera) Its either a granola parfait (310 cals) half tuna on ciabatta (340ish) or a Med Veg. Yumm And chicken tortilla soup. Thats my new fav.

Other wise is a 6in veggie from subway with cheese and no sauce and yogurt. Or this place the wing station that has a Gyro salad with the gyro meat, chicken, feta and lots of veggies. No dressing.

There's a few

Pita Express - grilled meats and wide veggie variety
Subway - num
Sushi Express
- Sukiyaki Express (lol wow lot's of expresses here!). I forgot lunch today and bought a HUGE bowl of soup... beef, broth, buckwheat noodles, and tons of veggies.