Weighing in as no doubt my most eccentric dining experience thus far, I simply had to share my food experience at the lower east side market eatery, Shopsins. Nestled in the back corner of the Essex Street market, the pocket-sized Shopsins is not a restaurant you’re likely to stumble upon while walking the streets of New York’s Lower East Side. It’s a destination restaurant to say the least. And the menu alone proves it.

*Pro tip: don’t forget your reading glasses.

Serving primarily breakfast, brunch and lunch, one could spend over an hour reading the menu in its entirety. With offerings ranging from fried spaghetti, zucchini flavored French toast, hoisin tempura duck omelettes, and various foods fried in peanut oil (that’s literally the menu section title), browsing the menu at Shopsins is more than half the fun of dining here. The other half comes from the decoration. Filled with amusing trinkets and bizarre wall deco, there is never lack of amusement when sitting in the small dining space.

The size of the menu is sure to come with rules, and those are: no photos aside from the food (which I accidentally broke, lucky for you), no substitutions (understandable except even asking for sauce on the side is met with a angry glare) and cash only. The staff is also incredibly surly, and when asked for recommendations, seriously unhelpful in guiding decisions.

Knowing that I was likely to regret my order choice no matter what it was (there was simply too many options to not wonder what that other dish would have tasted like – the paradox of choice!), I went with my gut and got the ‘Mo’Jemima’: three poached eggs, with bacon Mac’n’Cheese pancakes. My friend got the ‘Silver Cup’, which consisted of Mac’n’Cheese, chic-fil-a, red cherry pie ricotta, and eggs.

The prices no doubt reflect the amount of food on a plate ($$), as well as the thought put behind the menu and the support of a small, family owned business. My pancakes were tastily interesting. The cheese held together the dough with the three eggs nestled in the middle of it all. Unfortunately the whole dish wasn’t hot enough and the eggs were sadly a little overcooked which was disappointing, but the flavor combination was a fun change, and the Instagram was a winner in likes. (You can take the millennial out of the girl…)

My friend and I both had enough leftover to feed us for another two meals at least. Although I likely wouldn’t order the Mo’Jemima again, I found myself telling friends and family about my brunch experience and looking at the menu even after I had left, thinking about what I should get on my next visit.

3/5 stars.