My Son, the Sturgeon Surgeon

If you ask nicely, you can learn how to cut fish at Russ & Daughters.

Posted 09/09/08 in Grub Street : Go Fish

Tags: go fish, russ and daughters, sturgeon

Everything You Wanted to Know About Lox, But Were Afraid to Ask

‘The novelty-lox ghetto.’

Posted 08/28/08 in Grub Street : NewsFeed

Tags: amateur gourmet, lower east side, lox, mark russ federman, newsfeed, russ and daughters

Eat, Drink, and Smoke at Nat Sherman’s Secret Lair

Nat Sherman is still fuming about the city’s assault on smoking. Its phone message even takes a dig at the Man: “Your freedom of choice, often denied to you as a smoker, can be exercised here by choosing from the following menu.” But living well is the best revenge, and so Sherman plans on opening up the Johnson Club Room in the third week in February, on the bottom floor of its new location at 12 East 42nd Street. You'll need to be a member eventually, but you will be able to pay the dues as you go for the first few months.

Posted 01/24/08 in Grub Street : NewsFeed

Tags: johnson club room, murray's cheese, newsfeed, russ and daughters, salumeria biellese, yonah shimmel

Russ & Daughters Immortalized on PBS

The Jews of New York, PBS’s new documentary, could have any number of heroes; we were pleased to see that the family behind downtown lox legend Russ & Daughters was chosen to represent the New York–immigrant experience. As we recently noted here, their Houston Street store is one of the only things keeping the old Lower East Side’s Jewish life from disappearing into history. As scion Josh Russ Tupper tells us, “We’re perpetuating and cultivating the culture of Jewish experience. And whether we’re religious and go to temple is independent of the fact that we’re providing an experience of the Jewish–immigrant era of New York. It’s really important to maintain what it was like and what it is like.” Not to mention, they have some very nice herring there. Russes among stars of ‘The Jews of New York’ [Alfred University]

Posted 01/17/08 in Grub Street : Back of the House

Tags: Back of the House, jewish, lower east side, russ and daughters

So This 2nd Avenue Deli Reopening — Is It Good for the Jews?

The 2nd Avenue Deli is back. But is it a harbinger of a Jewish renaissance or just the last fading pang of New York’s Jewish twilight? The question is raised in today’s issue of The Jewish Week, and it’s a good one. Despite the return of Chez Lebewohl, the world of Jewish food is already little more than a memory: Take away a few landmarks like Russ and Daughters, Katz’s, Yonah Schimmel, and Sammy’s Roumanian, and the entire world of Jewish food would be as forgotten as the Punic Wars. All the dairy restaurants, Romanian steakhouses, cafeterias, candy stores, bakeries, appetizing stores — they’re already forgotten, even in distant Brooklyn and Queens. The Week asked Arthur Schwartz, probably the city’s foremost authority on old-time New York food, and he gives a dismal picture: “Schwartz maintains that Jewish food has suffered greatly in quality over the last few decades, since Jews tend to eat their own food only on holidays — ‘and then we make everything we know, and then everyone gets sick.’” Add to that contemporary Jews' horror of the fatty meats that were the Jewish kitchen’s stock in trade, and you have a recipe for cultural oblivion. Can a revived 2nd Avenue Deli, or the brisket revival staged by a few barbejews, stem the tide? Stranger things have happened. ‘Not Just A Deli Like Any Other' [Jewish Week] Related: It's Time to Get Excited About the Second Avenue Deli

Posted 12/20/07 in Grub Street : Back of the House

Tags: Back of the House, bar-b-jews, jewish, lower east side, russ and daughters, sammy's roumanian, second avenue deli, yonah schimmel

Matilda the Cat Hosting a Cocktail Party in Midtown West

Astoria: Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden will screen the Czech film Holiday Makers at 8 p.m. on Sunday. [Joey in Astoria] East Village: Mercat has a downstairs lounge, which they may or may not be calling by a different name, with an even smaller menu. [Eater] Simone is definitely open. [Down by the Hipster] Lower East Side: Russ & Daughters has taken down its neon sign, but only for temporary refurbishing. [Eat for Victory/VV] Midtown West: A birthday party held on August 8 at the Algonquin honoring Matilda, the hotel’s house cat, will feature a cat fashion show, live music, and lots and lots of cocktails. [NewYorkology] West Village: The little owl’s celebrated meatball sliders made it onto the cover of Bon Appetit. [Gothamist]

Posted 08/03/07 in Grub Street : Neighborhood Watch

Tags: alogonquin, astoria, bohemian hall and beer garden, east village, lower east side, mercat, mercat negre, midtown west, neighborhood watch, queens county farm museum, russ and daughters, west village

Brothers Bromberg Bringing Japanese Barbecue to Columbus Circle

Astoria: Bistro 33 on Ditmars at 21st Street has opened its outdoor seating and launched a weekend brunch featuring apple-Brie omelettes and blueberry pancakes. [Joey in Astoria] Battery Park City: Former Thor chef Kevin Pomplun is the director of operations for Will Goldfarb’s kiosk, Picnick, and there are more details about what will be on offer. [Gothamist] Columbus Circle: The Blue Ribbon coming to new hotel Six Columbus will transcend sushi by offering both a raw bar and Japanese barbecue. [Down by the Hipster] Harlem: Legendary soul-food destination Copeland’s Restaurant will close on Monday after 50 years and one last Sunday brunch. [NYT] Lower East Side: The herring at Russ & Daughters builds “manly strength.” [Eat for Victory/VV] Red Hook: DeFonte’s owner can’t go on vacation without spurring concern that the mom-and-pop sandwich shop has closed for good. [Lost City] Sagaponack: Townline BBQ is up and running as of Monday, hoping to succeed where four other restaurants have failed. [NYT]

Posted 07/25/07 in Grub Street : Neighborhood Watch

Tags: astoria, battery park city, bistro 33, blue ribbon, columbus circle, copeland's restaurant, defontes, harlem, kevin pomplun, lower east side, neighborhood watch, picnick, red hook, russ and daughters, sagaponack, six columbus, thor, townline bbq, will goldfarb

Brooklyn Heights About to Get a Candlelit Pizzeria

Brooklyn Heights: Oven, an “all candlelit, 150-label-wine-list pizza joint,” will soon open. [Brooklyn Heights Blog] Flatiron: Hill Country barbecue does a preview, and Jason Perlow is there to document it in high-res detail. [Off the Broiler] Flushing: A Fan Ti is doing amazing things with lamb. [Gothamist] Long Island City: Water Taxi Beach to throw a “vegan extravaganza” on Saturday. [Joey in Astoria] Lower East Side: Herring season has arrived at Russ & Daughters. [VV] Park Slope: Rose Water chef Ethan Kostbar to leave in a few weeks. [NYT]

Posted 06/06/07 in Grub Street : Neighborhood Watch

Tags: a fan ti, barbeque, brooklyn heights, ethan kostbar, flatiron, flushing, hill country, jason perlow, long island city, neighborhood watch, oven, park slope, pizza, rose water, russ and daughters, seafood, vegan