Momofuku Milk Bar

Momofuku Milk Bar is an adult playroom. In part its a grown-up version of all the things we loved as kids. The cookies, cake, pies, soft serve, and milk. Walking into the bakery, it feels grown-up. It feels like a place where adults would go to do grown-up things. A bakery for serious people.

But the longer I stood there, the less adult it felt. I started to wonder about the cereal milk and how the best thing about cereal is the left over milk . You start to realize the compost cookies have potato chips in them. A child's dream or at least one I would dream up if I could be a child again. Potato chips in a cookie? Are you kidding me? Then the smell of fresh cookies started to permeate the place. I could not get over feeling that the entire place was just a great playground for adults who have not grown up yet, or for those who have forgotten they were once kids.

But that's not to say everything is perfect. I've come to this conclusion about David Chang's line of Momofuku joints: Not all the food will blow me away, but I have to respect the attempt. There's a certain playfulness about the environment he tries to build and the menu his chefs de cuisine try to deliver. They really are just kids in playground. Having fun. This was the most apparent to me at Milk Bar.



My chosen cake for this visit was the Arnold Palmer Cake (above). It was not mind blowingly delicious. But it did taste like an Arnold Palmer and it did get very close to quenching my thirst. It was a good cake and I had fun eating something I usually drink.

As for the cookies, I was able to get my hands on the cornflake-marshmallow-chocolate chip cookie, compost cookie (potato chips, pretzels, coffee grounds, chocolate chips, graham crumbs, & butterscotch chips), banana cookie, and a chocolate-chocolate cookie.

The cornflake-marshmallow I enjoyed way more than I expected to, mostly because I expected it to be sweeter. It was still sweet, but not as much. The compost has grown on me for its different texture, but at first I found it disappointing. The banana cookie was my favorite. Mostly because of my love of banana's and its ability to become a 'session' cookie, something I could eat all day. The winner by far though was the chocolate-chocolate. Something so decadent and rich that my friend ended up having it with a nice glass of red wine which made me think: 'Why didn't I do that?'

Momofuku Noodle Bar

Slowly, Momofuku noodle bar is becoming one of my favorite places in the city. In my first visit, I fell in love with the pork belly steamed buns. Somewhere between that day and last weekend, I started to desire the texture and flavor of their noodles. I'm not sure whether the noodles have gotten better or if I've just learned to enjoy the slightly stiffer texture. At some point though, they started taking in a bit of the broth, without becoming soggy over time. Maybe because they've trimmed down their noodle selection, they can give a little more attention to each bowl. Either ways I've become a big fan.

I know that a huge part of my perception of David Chang and Momofuku in general has come about since my experience at Ko. I've always liked the atmosphere and playfulness but after Ko, I've come to appreciate the food a whole lot more.

In general, the food is clean, flavorful, surprisingly simple, and emotionally complex. For asian food its very refined without loosing the flavor. The menu and dishes don't really try to be too fancy. Emotionally complex? Well I think that's for everyone to figure out on their own.

Enough of words! On with the pictures!


Pork Belly Steamed Buns - simply divine



Shitake Steamed Buns - the shitake's soak up the sauce so well


Momofuku Ramen – pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg - a classic


Chilled Spicy Noodles – sichuan spiced sausage, spinach, cashews - not really sichuan spicy but still nice, the sausage is top notch


Rhubarb Soft Serve - perfect tartness to end a meal

Momofuku Ko

163 First Ave, 31 Lexington Avenue

It was sheer luck that I ever got to eat at David Chang's infamous Momofuku Ko. The girl and I had just been seated by the kitchen at Momofuku. we had just ordered. I could just taste those delicious (but overpriced) pork buns. But as our waitress walked away, the hostess came by and offered us two seats at Ko. We had been the last couple to be seated and were first on her list to fill the just canceled spots over at Ko. I was in shock. I was excited. I was worried about paying for it. There was something I wasn't thinking of. After a quick prodding by the cooks and patrons, and a quick nod from the gf, we accepted and made our way over. It was then I realized that the gf would need to eat meat tonight. The type of meat she wouldn't normally consume. Thank god she's not a strict vegetarian. (I secretly think I can turn her, the same way men think they can change the minds of lesbians)

The rest of the night is pretty much a blur. The girl had the foresight to notate our meal, typing furiously into her blackberry after each course presentation, all that we could remember the chef explaining to us.

There are a few things that stand out in my memory of the meal.

Fresh sea diver scallop, unagi, and something else was so fresh and smooth. The wine pairing was marvelous.

Shaved fois gras, lychee, pine nut brittle, and some sort of jelly. It was a party in my mouth. It hit every part of my tongue. The texture was amazing. I wanted to lick the bowl, but was afraid of all the stares I would be getting. I wanted more.

Basil seeds are sweet and delicious.

Pretzel ice cream? Did he just say pretzel ice cream? Why yes he did and guess what it tastes like? Go figure.

What really came out of the meal was a new found appreciation for the creativity of David Chang and his chef de cuisine Peter Serpico. I was never really fully impressed with Momofuku. I had had better noodles at cheaper prices. The pork buns are the saving grace for me, but the price I needed to pay for a meal for 2 there makes me think twice every time I want to go. But Ko? Pure brilliance. It puts my respect for the brand on another level.