shopsin!

there was something really special about the old shopsin general store on morton street in manhattan. the menu was endless and often amazing. they offered nothing much for the vegans, but I advocate the wild-rice enchilada. you could grab your free atomic fireballs before heading to the film forum for pre-code festivals around the corner. the chef was kind of mean and would do his best to run the restaurant the way he saw fit: they were uncooperative with the press — they didn’t care if time out new york listed them or not. they had weird hours. a friend of mine once went there and was really sick to her stomach so she tried to order just a juice and he said: “we don’t serve models.” it was a great place for dates or a celebrity interview — I tried to meet michael pitt there once but alas it was closed. then it moved over to carmine street, where it was just fine, and now it has gone to a new location over at essex and delancey. anyway, kenny shopsin is a self-taught chef, a new york character and a creative entrepreneur and I am looking forward to reading his new book.