Phillip Gilmour, aka Phil Gil, is well known, even infamous, around the streets splintering from the Morgan L train, once the place I partied when in my younger twenties, and, of course, where Roberta’s pizza stands. Larger, his personality is as infectious as his size, his eyes survey the block outside of his twin restaurants like a hawk, looking for friends new and old. He stands outside Momo Sushi Shack, next door to his newest endeavor Moku Moku, in a mayoral manner, greeting customers – locally (like how his food is sourced) and from around the world – personally. Yeah, one could say there is a mobster vibe. He also co-owns Hi/Hello, a sandwich shop sitting right on the hips of the Jefferson L train. An artist, a chef, an entrepreneur, and an eccentric, he is dedicated to quality of food and service equally. Here are some haikus about Phil, about his personality, the personality of his establishment and of course, his food.
1). oh black miso cod
kiss my vestigial
gills have grown back now
2). yuzu sake fuck
he generously pours more
& then he drinks too
3). hood famous he is
a mayor of sashimi
on an industrial block
4). rapidly he talks
and he loathes interruption
boy does he listen
5). gaps between his teeth
are they just black sesame
seeds he feeds our tongues
6). fresh napkins always
his nails are polished glitter blue
full laughter bellows
7). conflict of interest
i say hi/hello to his
eyes are like marbles
8). come into his home
all customers are family
a communal table awaits
9). sake sommeli
ay! sushi bombs have you
under their nuclear spell
10). a beard speckled white
a biggie smalls tee & beads
sandals/socks he rocks
11). no passive aggression
would read the sign on his door
his door is always open
12). tofu can't be good?
why is that so silky though?
the only salad
13). charisma is he
eyes with natural shadow
expect a big hug
14). pan roast my carrots
feed me the best cheeseburger
hi/hello, thank you
15). he streams stories from
his travels around the world
story-teller, a talent
Siobhan Bledsoe is a poet based in Brooklyn. You can find her work on her website or instagram.
I think you guys need to look up the definition of infamous