Kevin Kessler
Village Voice
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Past articles by Kevin:
Bemelmans Bar: Where the Genteel Meet for Cocktails and a Side of Billy Joel
Step into the hushed, gilded Bemelmans Bar for a classy snapshot of old New York. → Read More
How to Buy Blowfish in the Bronx at 2 a.m.
Three days later, my phone still smelled like fish, and with every call, text, and Instagram check, I was taken back to a very early morning spent in the industrial outskirts of the Bronx. The New Fulton Fish Market is one of the largest fish markets in the world (Tsukiji... → Read More
The Best Cheap Midtown Lunch Can Be Found at Wajima
That strange corridor around the East 59th Street stop, an area known more for bustling chain stores than its restaurants, is not exactly a dining destination. Luckily, one of the handful of exceptions is currently firing on all cylinders, as it has been for about ten years. Wajima (134 East... → Read More
At Geido, Find What Could be the Best $40 Sushi Experience in Town
Osamu Koyama poured another glass of sweet, viscous sake, at the halfway point of a fantastically fun omakase meal which eventually put us out the grand total of $32.50. Geido (331 Flatbush Ave, 718-638-8866) is an institution on the Brooklyn Japanese scene, the kind of place you feel nostalgia for when you leave... → Read More
Favorite Dishes #17: Eisenberg's Patty Melt
Eating at Eisenberg's (174 5th Avenue, 212-675- 5096), which has one of the longest deli counters found anywhere, is a throwback to the New York days of old, when spots just like this dotted the entire city. The ultimate in no-frills, Eisenbergs is a reliable diner in an area now... → Read More
Juicy and Flavorful, the Best Turkey Sandwich in Town Is at Katz's Deli
It's just after eight o'clock and the line is getting long. A group of German tourists is looking confused, while some locals plan the best line of attack for reaching the high deli counter before everyone else. In between a constant stream of orders for pastrami and corned beef, my... → Read More
The Best Bacon in NYC Could Be At This Queens Butcher Shop
Marko Stefanovic, a third generation operator of Muncan Food Corporation (4309 Broadway, 718- 278-8847), greets incoming customers in Hungarian and Serbo-Croatian, while discussing the nearly 20 types of bacon his store produces. A cornucopia of smoked ribs, short brown sausages, long thin sausages, ham hocks and salamis hang from the... → Read More
An Early Taste of the New Downtown J.G. Melon
Upper East Side mainstay J.G. Melon recently opened a downtown location in Greenwich Village (89 Macdougal Street; 212-744-0585), the first time in 22 years that two J.G. Melons have existed on the isle of Manhattan (an Upper West Side location closed in 1993). Recognized for having one of the best... → Read More
Summer Borscht and Polish Delights Reign Supreme at G.I. Deli
Across the street from a Subway and a pair of large McDonald's arches, sits a small market; Polish G.I Delicatessen (109 1st Avenue; 212-982-7893). Boasting a purple awning outside and a window display full of jelly-filled paczkis, the place operates much as it always has, long before ambitious developers decided to... → Read More
Favorite Dishes #70: Xi'an Famous Foods' Tiger Vegetable Salad
Renowned for their hand pulled noodles and lamb dumplings, Xi’an Famous Foods (multiple locations) started as a small basement stall in Flushing before serving throngs of Manhattan and Brooklynites. While the menu leans heavy on carnivorous options, it's their Tiger Vegetable Salad that inspires return visits. The mixture of cilantro,... → Read More
Meet The Guy Who's Wrist-Deep in All Manner of Pickles
The smell of vinegar and salt is noticeable about halfway down the block, just past the handmade dumpling shop (10 for $2.50!). It's a hot summer day, and the cheap pizza place next door to The Pickle Guys (49 Essex Street; 212-656-9739) isn't open yet. Standing behind a few of the large... → Read More
With Understated Cool, Lovely Day Serves Comforting Thai Food in Soho
It was noon and Kazusa Jibiki sat in the corner of her restaurant on an almost perfect day in SoHo. Wearing a free-flowing white dress with thin, horizontal stripes, Kazusa, quiet and curious, was searching for the exact word; “Yes, like melting pot.” she said, describing the desire to have... → Read More
Favorite Dishes #81: Morgenstern's Salt and Pepper Pine Nut Ice Cream
With a line that normally stretches onto the sidewalk, Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream (2 Rivington Street, 212-209-7684) serves some of the most delicious and unusual ice cream in the city. On a hot summer day in this concrete jungle, few things are as satisfying as cooling down with a scoop... → Read More
Florence Meat Market Is the Quintessential New York Butcher Shop
On a recent sunny afternoon, Benny Pizzuco was standing outside his butcher shop in Greenwich Village. Benny, tan and standing around 6’3, with white chest hair protruding through his blue button-down shirt, was greeting almost everyone who walked by in his Long Island accent, shaking hands with his Pringles-can forearms... → Read More
Nosh on Knishes and More than 100 Years of Tradition at Yonah Schimmel
At the epicenter of the construction site otherwise known as East Houston Street, a faded yellow and blue sign sits above an aging storefront. Inside the rundown dining area, a man in a cufflinked pink shirt is working his way through a spinach knish, carefully adding the right amount of... → Read More
Find Robert DeNiro's favorite mozzarella at Sorriso Italian Pork Store in A
Sorriso Italian Pork Store in Astoria, a 30-year family business, continues to make customers happy with its homemade mozzarella, soppressata and select special → Read More
Walk to Top of The Bedford L and Get in Line for Delicious Falafel
A white-haired woman wearing red Converse leans on the counter at Oasis (161 North 7th Street, Brooklyn; 718-218-7607) and says,... → Read More
Venture to Alberto in Queens for an Old-School Italian Eating Experience
Alberto Italian restaurant in Queens has been dishing up old-school Italian food, service and ambiance for more than 30 years. → Read More
Sample Kielbasa, Pierogies, and Beer at St. George Ukrainian Festival
The annual St. George Ukrainian Festival connects the East Village community with food, tradition and culture. → Read More
Stage Restaurant Launches Fundraising Campaign to Fight Eviction
Beloved East Village diner Stage Restaurant turns to its community to help pay legal fees and reopen. → Read More