Jewish Soul Food: Russ & Daughters

Dad and I visited another old-school Jewish Lower East Side institution: Russ & Daughters. I'll be honest, I only learned about this amazing store last year when I watched Anthony Bourdain, as this shop was featured on the same episode as Katz's. My goodness, how did I go so long without this place?!
179 E. Houston St, Lower East Side, NYC

Like Katz's, Russ & Daughters has been around for almost 100 years. Although the store opened in 1914, before that, the founder (Joel Russ), had a pushcart. Like Zabars, Russ & Daughters specializes in old world classics like smoked salmon (lox), caviar, herring, and much much more!
The store is incredibly small and narrow. When you walk in, you are just hit with the smell of smoked fish. The decor and layout is so old school, that I don't think it has changed for decades! Lots of linoleum. As soon as my dad walked in, he was like a kid in a candy store. His eyes widen and if allowed, I think he would've bought everything in the store!
The wide selection of smoked fish.
Chubb, aka whitefish, is my favorite. I could eat a whole one on my own! 
They have a very nice selection of lox. 
Also, a really large selection of herring. I've never seen herring prepared so many ways. 
I love their selection of cream cheese. I am particularly intrigued by the caviar cream cheese.

 Like Katz's, this store was also incredibly crowded. Unfortunately, unlike Katz's, Russ & Daughters is not very big, so the customers were on top of each other. Either way, the wait was pleasant and dad and I eagerly planned our shopping list. A bit of lox, a bit of herring, a chubb, and some salmon caviar would do nicely for us. At one point, I worried that we had too much food so I asked dad, "do we really need the caviar?" As if I had committed a blasphemy, he looks at me in disbelief and says (totally serious), "OF COURSE! You're kidding, right? Of course we need the caviar!" I laughed so hard at his reaction. 
Interesting. Taramasalata in a tube....
I concur. 
Slicing up some herring and lox for us! 

Wow! What a fabulous store. Dad and I were so delighted with the goodies we were able to pick up! In fact, as I write this, I await my father's return from work so we can dig in! He has office hours this morning, but right by his office is the BEST bagel place, so he will pick some up and the feasting will commence!

If you are ever in Manhattan and you like smoked fish, you MUST visit Russ & Daughters. Zabars is also incredible, but I feel like it gets more press. Russ and Daughters is such a gem.

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