Momofuku Noodle Bar

First of all, I'll Momo your Fuku. You got that, asshole?

Alright, onto the food. I had been to Momofuku Ssam bar twice, opting for the place's signature "Asian burrito" both times. With the white hot hype surrounding it, I had expected something transcendent, and had come away mildly disappointed. The concept was unique, but the actual good only good--nothing special. I pronounced the Momofuku mini-empire a casualty of the New York hype machine (as in, it couldn't possibly be as good as you expect). Still, if you read websites like Eater, it's hard to avoid a lot of talk about "genius" David Chang--and with the original Momofuku Noodle Bar moving down the block to more spacious digs on First Avenue, and dinner with a friend who lives in the area, I decided to give Chang another shot.

This time was different. My coeditor of this blog, Catherine Niu (don't you know it's the new hotness to misspell things intentionally?), had warned me to stay away from the ramen noodles, which are the centerpiece of Momofuku's menu. "Try the small plates," she counseled. "The Shins will change your life." Oh wait, that was Natalie Portman in Garden State. But anyway, it turned out to be sage advice. My friend and I split three dishes: octopus salad, roast pork buns, and veal sweetbreads. The roast pork buns were probably the best of the lot, though the portion was a bit small for what they charged. The octopus in the salad was succulent and the dressing (or whatever it was) even succulenter. When I ordered the sweetbreads, I knew I was getting something exotic, though I didn't realize it was pancreas until I looked it up when I got home. (Isn't "sweetbreads" an odd name for something like pancreas? When i hear "sweetbreads," I think of down-home Southern cooking, not veal viscera.) The sweetbreads came out looking like something you might get at a Cape Cod seafood shack--deep fried golden nuggets in a basket. They were pretty damn good, though after eating most of the portion myself, I got a little sick of them and couldn't finish all the breads.

I also enjoyed the atmosphere of the place--bustling tables and an open kitchen where you can watch Chang's minions cook your victuals. Long story short: I've finally come around to Momofuku, and will now Momo your Fuku on demand!

Momofuku--163 First Avenue (212) 475-7899