Nordic Preserves, Fish & Wildlife Company

NORWAY 🇳🇴
SWEDEN 🇸🇪

As with so many places here in New York City, Nordic Preserves seems to be born from the simple feeling of missing food from back home. A full line of Scandinavian goods is always available, from fresh and smoked fish to Norwegian crackers to Swedish meatballs to Nordic berry preserves, they have a much better and higher quality selection than you might find at the IKEA.

If you have any Scandinavian friends in your life you know about their need for pickled herring. Send them here, as they have at least five varieties of the delicacy. Smoked cod roe in a tube? They have that too.

In addition to all these imported packaged goods, they also offer about five sandwiches each day which make great options for lunches if you are in the area. While the Essex Street Market only has a few seats, there tends to be somewhere to sit down as most people take their meals back to the office.

Starting with the first one on the list, the lax rulle ($10, above and below) uses their smoked Norwegian salmon along with red cabbage and mild horseradish cream sauce. A generous portion of the very high quality fish is front and center in every bite. All of their sandwiches are served on a durable French baguette.

Don't forget to take home Norwegian knekkerbrød.

Try the gravlax ($10, above) if cured fish is more your thing, this combines traditional cured salmon with mustard, lemon butter, and greens.

Round out your meals with a smoked salmon quiche, some potato salad, or even caviar if you please. This tiny little stand really does have something to offer each homesick Scandinavian.

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LOWER EAST SIDE Manhattan

Essex Street Market

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Russ & Daughters

USA 🇺🇸

It almost feels like you have validated yourself when a server at Russ & Daughters compliments you on your sandwich selections. Usually you see them grumpy, telling customers to get a number, or huffing when their money is not ready at the end of an order. But this last time, there it was, a nice loud "these are two good looking sandwiches, well done."

The place has been famous for a while, but it got even bigger recognition when the Heebster sandwich made some big sandwich list. But do yourself a favor and get the wasabi flying fish roe upgrade to the Super Heebster ($10.45, above, shown on sesame). Both sandwiches use their amazing whitefish and baked salmon salad as well as horseradish dill cream cheese.

This place is about fish, so don't be fooled by the Pastrami Russ ($10.45, above, shown on pumpernickel), which is actually pastrami-cured salmon. This delicious selection is a flavor burst, combined with their sauerkraut and spicy mustard.

It is also fun to browse the dried fruits, chocolates, and smoked fishes sold here. Just coming in and having a good sniff and see is worth it any time you are in the neighborhood.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
LOWER EAST SIDE Manhattan
179 East Houston Street

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Cocoron Soba

JAPAN 🇯🇵

There are quite a few successful Japanese restaurants in New York City that make you feel like you have stepped into Japan when you walk through the doors, but none more so than newcomer Cocoron in the Lower East Side. The treatment is so spot on, so friendly and welcoming, and the food so good that I cannot imagine why this place is not more crowded when I visit. Fine for me, but I want this place around a long time.

Could soba be the trend of 2011? Surely it is worthy of such enthusiasm like ramen has acquired the past few years, but hopefully the quality remains high if new soba specialists open.

Kimchee $4

There are many small plates to choose from to begin your meal, and we had a go at a few, the tastiest of which in my opinion was the Japanese coleslaw (no longer available, above), which used purple radish and a sesame dressing that you find in pre-meal salads. For a fried fix, try either the chicken ($6, below) or croquettes (no longer available, below), both tried and true methods of getting the taste buds on the path to happiness.

But the most serious part of Cocoron is the soba itself, noodles which will warm your heart if they have done what they desire here. The shop's top soba and most expensive is the yuba soba ($18.50, below). "Yuba" is the tofu skins that you see to the left, and the dish is served with a hot dipping sauce.

Mera mera dip soba $15.50

You can also use the same cold noodle to hot dipping sauce technique with the popular stamina soba ($13.50, not shown), or have a hot bowl with the oroshi ($13.50, below). This is fairly light and the title refers to the gooey grated daikon radish you see plopped on top.

Be ready to get warned about the natto soba ($14.50, below) if you do not look like someone that has eaten it before. Natto is a fermented soybean and has a strong taste, but is really not something most people would object to. On cold soba and mixed with egg, soy, onions, and crushed sesame seeds, this dish is an amazing taste experience, sour and sweet and salty at the same time.

Our group kept feeling curious despite our full bellies so we went ahead and ordered the black sesame cheesecake and yomogi mochi, below. Neither was sweet at all and might disappoint the casual dessert eater, but the cheesecake was especially unique and enjoyable.

One small point of advice though: make sure you sit at the counter. On a second visit I sat at a table and felt much less a part of the workings of the place, and even a little forgotten about. If there is a wait for seats at the counter, do yourself a favor and wait for them!

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LOWER EAST SIDE Manhattan
37 Kenmare Street

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Katz's Deli

UNITED STATES 🇺🇸

Let's not beat around the bush: Katz's is definitely a tourist destination, but cannot be described as a trap because the food here is the real deal. It is the type of place you need to try at least once, for the perfect Jewish delicatessen pastrami sandwich. Meat preparation was different before refrigeration and you get a taste of how things were for the better in years past.

Be prepared here, have your order and money ready, and make sure to tip the guys or you will receive a smaller sandwich than the people at the next table. It's just how it works. And don't be intimidated by that sporadic Yiddish on the menu, that's just for fun and preserving the past.

The Katz's pastrami will set you back $15.75, but is more than enough food for two people. It is probably not a good idea to ask for mayo. Trust me.

Sit back and enjoy your hand-carved sandwich in the quaint dining room and soak in the atmosphere of the place. You won't regret coming.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
LOWER EAST SIDE
205 East Houston Street

I COULD USE YOUR HELP

Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

You can Venmo me @JAREDCOHEE or click here to send PayPal donation, no account is necessary. Thank you!