Food Shop: Russ and Daughters

*Russ and Daughters
179 E. Houston St.nr. Orchard St.
Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm; Sat, 9am-7pm; Sun, 8am-5:30pm
Subway: F, V at Lower East Side-Second Ave.; J, M, Z at Essex St.



Russ and Daughters is take-out, so if it's bad weather or you don't have a kitchen somewhere, I guess it'll just taunt you. However, it's such an institution, and so amazing, and so special, that you should poke your head in no matter what. A remnant of the LES's Jewish immigrant past, R&D has been serving the city's best "appetizing" (smoked fish and other Jewish dairy cold-cuts) for generations and the place is a time capsule, albeit a thriving and sophisticated one. While you can get a bagel to go, know-at-alls on Chowhound are very scornful of this because it's not traditional. (I do it all the time, though!) Plus, the weekend-morning takeout crowd is kind of a gas, and the Babka and coffee are excellent. (If you're a purist, buy your fixings here and, if it's not a Saturday, your bagels and bialys from nearby Kossar's.) Also, watch this.

NB: the youngest generation has an excellent blog, Lox Populi!