The Little Place Next to Veniero's
Veniero's pastry shop was already 14 years old when Russo's Mozzarella and Pasta shop opened right next door on E. 11st Street in 1908. The miniscule shop, about the size of the second bedroom in a Manhattan "two-bedroom," will quietly hit its 100th year in business next month. I think part of the reason it never gets much attention, despite its longevity, is because it rests in the shadow of giant Veniero's, one of the noisiest, flashiest landmarks in the City.
Russo's isn't flashy. The place is worth a visit, though. I recently purchase some "French" sausage and goat cheese and herb tortellini and can vouch for both. And, of course, the mozzarella is justly famous.
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3 comments:
thanks for the tip , will check it out.....
great site , thanks for your efforts
Go more Italian next time. I shop there a couple of times a month at least--their romano-parm blend, sweet sausage, fresh straw and hay, cheese ravioli, walnut sauce, and stuffed tiny peppers are only a few of the things I buy regularly. And I hope you got the fresh mozz; the salted is fine, but the fresh is outstanding. Oh, and the marinated mozzarella, too.
I was looking for an image of Russo's today and found your blog.
When I was a young student on the Lower East Side, 26 years ago, the cheese guys at Russo's still smoked the mozzarella balls in a rusty metal barrel on the sidewalk. I remember walking by as a guy in an apron lifted a kind of rack out of the barrel, which dangled caramel-brown mozzarella balls. It was the same sort of barrel junkies used for trash fires to keep their hands warm on the end of my old block, 3d between A & B.
Guess the health department probably made them quit smoking cheese balls on the curb, huh? I can't imagine they're still doing this. But back in the day it was the least harmful thing you'd see burning on the streets of the East Village.
Your blog is terrific; thank you.
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