Shopsins
It’s worth the wait. Try not to get kicked out.
In 2009 I took trip to New York City and was finally able to eat at the legendary Shopsins restaurant. What I experienced there has given me a completely new perspective on food.
But it wasn’t because of what I ate. It was because Kenny Shopsin cursed at me and nearly threw me out of the restaurant.
The Shopsin Experience
Shopsins is located in a small stall in the corner of the Essex Street Market on the Lower East Side. The place is easy to find since all you have to look for is a long line of people. The restaurant can fit maybe 30 people and on a Saturday you will wait for over an hour for the possibility of getting a table. I say ‘possibility’ because there are rules that must be obeyed.
- No cellphones
- No smoking
- One meal minimum per person
- Limit of four people in a group
But you could be turned away for any reason. It could be as simple as they don’t like you. The owner does not follow the traditional service mantra that “the customer is always right.” Rather, he feels that a new customer needs to prove they are worth serving.
Do you want some coffee?
Sure.
Fuck you, get it yourself.
- Overheard in Shopsins
The owner for more than 30 years, Kenny Shopsin, has garnered a reputation for being foul-mouthed, choosy about his clientele, and serving the most unique combination of foods you’ve ever seen. The menu has 900 items jammed onto the front and back of a single sheet of paper. It takes time to decipher, but after scanning it several times you can follow it like a map.
I settled on Mac and Cheese pancakes and a mocha Nutella milkshake. My dining friends ordered the Slutty Cakes and the Junior respectively. While waiting for our food I sucked in the atmosphere. It’s very casual. The language is crass. I definitely got a kick out of it. Kenny came out from the back and sat a few feet away and continued a conversation with his sons about the reason the United States is in such trouble and why we need to be more self-sufficient.
I thought that this would be an excellent opportunity to take a picture. Although, based on everything I heard about the place I knew I should be discrete. I silently placed my camera on the table and pressed the shutter just one time. Kenny Shopsin looked over:
Are you going to come in here and take pictures of the store and the food?
I wanted to. Is that alright?
No! If you’re going to do that we might as well close your check and you can get the fuck out of here! Go to the bathroom and take some pictures!
I can put it away. I still want to eat the food.
Oh, alright.
We were eventually served by Kenny’s daughter who was fast and very friendly every time she visited our table. My pancakes were served with hot sauce and syrup and it was suggested that I do half of each. The combination of flavors was very interesting. As friends we all shared each other’s meal. I was able to try some of the BBQ pulled pork which was fantastic. I traded some pancakes for slutty cakes (pumpkin, peanut butter, pistachio, and cinnamon). Also very good. We all shared the Nutella milkshake and we all agreed it was incredible.
I wouldn’t say the food was the best I’ve ever had, but it was the best food experience I’ve ever had. You will not find food like this anywhere else. The celebrity that is Kenny Shopin is part-philosopher, part-short order cook, and well deserved. His knowledge of food can easily run circles around any world class chef. The expansive and ever changing menu begs one to try a new exciting combination with every visit. There is no question that I would go back in a heartbeat.
We were all very satisfied when we left Shopsins. As soon we were out the door we knew that the experience was something special and amplified by Kenny’s threat to kick us out. When I later reflected on what happened I think I came to understand where Kenny was coming from.
I don’t make food better than my customers.
Food isn’t meant to be put on a pedestal and acknowledged from a distance. Kenny would have made four dishes before I could line up my shot. I read somewhere Kenny said, “I don’t make food better than my customers.” There is a Buddhist philosophy with Kenny and food. Food doesn’t transcend anything, it’s impermanent, and meant to be enjoyed in the moment. I don’t take as many pictures of food as I once did.
You can read more about Kenny in his book, Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin. I have my copy. I also highly recommend the documentary, I Like Killing Flies.
Note: The one picture of Kenny Shopsin that I took I will not post online. I don’t think he would like it and I don’t want to be banned for life.
