Sons of Essex

It seems like every new restaurant that is opening in lower Manhattan looks like something that belongs in Williamsburg.  I wonder how many barn board ceilings the Lower East Side can take before someone gets another idea?  Don't get me wrong I love the Ye Old aesthetic that's taken the town by storm.  What I most love is the ye old food philosophy that goes along with it.

Take care for example Sons of Essex which opened about a month ago on Essex street across the street from the Essex Market.  The sign board out front advertising their lunch sandwiches made me want to stop everything and go in  and sit down.  It's great to see a menu that takes into consideration it's neighborhood.  The Sloppy Judah manages to figure out a good way to use Manishewitz wine, while at the same time making reference to the historic jewish community that first populated the Lower East East many years ago. The LES Chicken sandwich makes good use of local Gus's pickles and adds a nice spin by battering and frying them.  The last item is just plain fun, I love the combo of peanut butter and banana and think the idea of tempera frying it before smushing it between jelly slathered white bread is, well: genius.  Of course I have yet to sample any of these, but if they are only half as good as they sound they will be pretty damn good.

My take on it is that the dinner scene is pretty happening and busy, but they have a small take away store fron with coffee, pastries and I'd imagine sandwiches which would allow you a taste of what's going on with out having to commit to a dinner reservation and rounding up friends.  For sure, at the very least check out their site.  The menu is a lot of fun: Grilled Cheese Salad?