120 Essex St./betw. Rivington & Delancey sts., in Essex Street Market at southwest end, stall #16, (212) 924-5160. W-Sat 9am-2pm, Sun 10am-2pm; $$-$$$. No reservations. Cash only.
A while back at the Jewish Film Festival in San Francisco I happened to see a quirky little film titled “I Like Killing Flies,” which was about this very small NYC coffee shop with a very large menu (and many vegetarian options). My daughter lived around the corner of the second location on Bedford Street, so we had a blast visiting the restaurant in person, even though it wasn’t at the same location as in the movie. Owner Kenny hid there in the tiny kitchen, irritated to be recognized and asked for an autograph (you need to see the movie to understand how he cooks such a gigantic menu in such a small space).
Now, at his third location, Shopsin's General Store, he usually still enforces the rules like something right out of a Seinfeld episode (think soup nazi): no talking on cell phones (I did get away with keeping my phone out on silent to take pictures--this former no-no seems to be ok now--but I did also get looks from the waiter); no groups larger than four; minimum one meal per person; no outside beverages; no substitutions; no take-out. Bottom line is portions are huge and the food is always exceptional, but don’t you be in a hurry.
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interior at Shopsin's in NYC
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interior at Shopsin's in NYC
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About that menu with 900+ items--study my photo of the menu before you dine here, and try to at least come close to knowing what you want to order. Remember, people line up and wait a long time to get in, so you are taking up prime NYC real estate. And don’t forget your reading glasses--the menu is squeezed onto two sides of a legal size page.
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menu at Shopsin's in NYC
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But when ordering, it’s hard to go wrong. Last time, I had the spectacularly delicious vegetarian #N, the Jaffa sandwich, which is really a gyro with crispy chickpea curry fritters, avocado, and tahina sauce. Soooo good.
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Jaffa sandwich at Shopsin's in NYC
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| buttermilk biscuit with fried artichoke hearts at Shopsin's in NYC |
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scrambled eggs at Shopsin's in NYC
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I hear the mac ‘n cheese pancakes, chocolate
ebleskivers/aebleskivers, or blisters on my sisters (I haven’t been able to figure out just exactly what this is) are all highly recommended. And then there are "Wiggly Pete" with jalapeno-infused crispy cheese on top of garlic bread, Huevos Rancheros with extremely flavorful Short Ribs, and the monster Cap N J--panko-coated fried chicken on scrambled eggs inside two mac ‘n cheese pancakes. Next time I’m trying the S'more milkshake and ordering another side of the super-good cheese grits.
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cheese grits at Shopsin's in NYC
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Portions are generous. And there is plenty of attitude. The staff is quintessentially New York, with little interest in explaining the menu or offering recommendations--and people do get thrown out. All this plus a rack of seven different hot sauces,
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hot sauce selection at Shopsin's in NYC
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and our 2-year-old was provided with a high chair and given an animal figurine to entertain her and to keep as a souvenir.
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child in highchair at Shopsin's in NYC
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| child with Toas-tite cheese sandwich at Shopsin's in NYC |
Essex Street Market
The indoor
Essex Street Market was constructed in the 1940s. It is a public market made up of many smaller merchants from around the world who specialize in
gourmet cheeses, premium cuts of meat, fresh fish, and general grocery items.
I had read about Shopsin's so we headed down there only to find it shut! What a shame, I was hoping to find out if Kenny's reputation was as I had heard! The food looks great. The Essex St Market was open so the day was not completely lost.
ReplyDeleteThe food at Shopsin's looks amazing. But 900 items on the menu... it must be hard to choose!
ReplyDeleteYou need to study the menu ahead of time and be prepared when you arrive!
DeleteI loved reading about this funky little restaurant!! So cool you got to visit. I'll have to check out the film!!
ReplyDeleteOMG! A menu with 900+ menu items! My head would be spinning! Thx for showcasing a few of them, Carole, and for introducing us to Essex Strret Market!
ReplyDeleteThe food at Shopsin's looks great! Can't believe I haven't gotten there! Love the ambiance!
ReplyDelete