Tag Archives: Momofuku

Sydney – 3/12/18 – momofuku seiōbo

Posted in Australia, Sydney by

The NYT review that came out right after this visit said it all more eloquently than I ever could. I do disagree that Seiobo has “less and less in common with the other Momofuku restaurants.” While there are not any typical Momofuku dishes, the entire experience felt identifiably Momofuku to me.  And the marron was my favorite dish in Sydney.

mofongo – plantain, garlic, chicharrones

cou cou – corn, okra, sterling caviar

sea urchin, cassava, pepper sauce butter

green banana, creole, mullet roe

ducana – sweet potato, currants, caribbean x.o.

mamposteau – rice, beans, peanut

marron + coconut bakes


pernil – pork chop, choko, mango

passionfruit + roselle

pumpkin, burnt coconut, seeds

cakes – rum cake + cassava pone + guinness cake

LA – 3/9/18 – Majordomo

Posted in California, Los Angeles by

I am so excited to have Momofuku on the west coast!!!!  Too bad it is impossible to get reservations but if you time it right you can get a seat at the bar. The egg and smoked roe bing was delicious and a fun take on the Ko egg. Too bad peas will likely not be on the menu by the time I make it back.


Bing – eggs & smoked roe

raw sugar snaps, horseradish, lemon, shallot

Santa Barbara rock crab – spicy cured, chilled & crab fat rice


NYC – 12/30/17 – Atla and Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

Atla
Deserted on a frigid and snowy morning but excellent as always and worth making the trek for.

arctic char and farmers cheese tostada

ranchero eggs

Ko
Very belated and a bit sad in retrospect as this was my last visit to the Ko bar before the space was renovated.  I will eventually catch up to the new space and menu (which is awesome) but I loved the old one as well.

NYC – 11/11/17 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

Perhaps I avoid getting caught up on this blog because revisiting my favorite places in NYC just makes me too sad.  Yet another fantastic dinner at my favorite spot topped off by a perfect chocolate fernet dessert.

black bass, rye bonji, perilla

sea urchin, chickpea, hozon

ko egg, caviar

beef au poivre

razor clam, pineapple, basil

striped bass, eggplant, tomato

lamb, radish

foie gras, lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

cheesecake

foie gras, lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

chocolate, mint, fernet branca

NYC – 7/16/17 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

Yet another fantastic meal at one of my favorites, Momofuku Ko.  This was actually my first visit for lunch and I especially loved the new-to-me pork and squash dish. I’m missing a few photos but I overcast about Ko anyway!

chicken oyster


black bass, rye bonji, perilla


sea urchin, chickpea, hozon


ko egg, caviar


beef, au poivre


lobster, lobster mushroom


pork, squash




foie gras, lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

strawberry, vanilla

NYC – 4/27/17 – Jeremy Fox @ Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

One never knows about these visiting chef dinners. Often with great chefs they are not that successful due to just being out of their element, having to source different ingredients, or a kitchen staff that they don’t know.  But when the rare one works it can be fantastic.  I’ve been trying to come up with something that tops this but haven’t been able to so far.  Perhaps because while I would not have mistaken this menu for a Ko dinner (ok maybe I would have if I went less), it still felt just like Ko.

peas, white chocolate & macadamia

radish, chevre, sea moss & mustard

sunchoke, grapefruit, fennel, uni & shoyu

beets, berries, avocado & pistachio

pappa al pomodoro, ramp kimchi & burrata

fava bean & sorrel cacio e pepe

morels en papillote, foie gras & egg yolk

strawberry with polenta soffits

pork, kumquat, kohlrabi & dill

beef, brassicas, green peanut miso & marrow


lavender almonds

fresh ricotta & strawberries

bread au chocolat

NYC – 3/25/17 – Marea & Momofuku Nishi

Posted in New York by

Marea
So many years later still a standby and one of my favorite midtown lunch stops.  It is a bit scary to think about how much of the fusilli I have eaten in my lifetime!


polipo – grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, radish, chilies, tonnato

fusilli – durum wheat pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow

sorbet



Momofuku Nishi
If only I could now transport Nishi to my new neighborhood on the west coast.  It quickly became one of my favorites in NYC.  Service has often been spotty and on this particular visit it took me an entire course to get our server’s attention to order another drink.  But the food somehow always trumps the less than perfect service and I continue to return. Plus finding a penicillin on a cocktail list is reason enough to visit.

penicillin

diver scallops – shio kombu, tiger’s milk, cucumber

romaine – walnut bagna cauda

beets & avocado – shiro shoya, quinoa, chia seeds

squash pancake & onion vinegar

roasted pork – brussels sprouts, barley miso

pound cake

NYC – 12/30/16 – Momofuku Ko truffle dinner

Posted in New York by

One of my earliest NYC food memories is of the wonderful truffle tasting menu at old Alain Ducasse at the Essex House.  At the time I couldn’t afford these types of experiences.  But I am blessed to have an aunt & uncle who prefer French restaurants and every time they came to town would invite me to dinner.  I am often asked how I got so into food.  I attribute it partially to the endless hours that I watched the Food Network in its early years.   But my love for fine dining came from these visits to places like Alain Ducasse, Bouley, and Daniel.

Anyway I have been a complete sucker for truffles ever since.  So there is just no way this could have been anything other than fantastic.  It is difficult to pick favorite courses in this amazing menu by Sean Gray (but I would certainly love if the honeynut squash made a reappearance next winter).  Excellent wine pairings from Chase Sinzer and service from the rest of the Ko team.  I wish I could do this one all over again. ❤


chicken oyster – montepulciano white

lobster – mornay, aragon black

otoro – scallion, dashi

scallop – sunchoke, aragon black



honeynut squash – benton’s ham, aragon black

royale – foie gras, naked pruner, montepulciano white

king crab – tofu, montepulciano white

madai – sweetbreads, aragon black, shellfish

dry aged beef – aragon black, lettuce

clementine

buckwheat waffle – montepulciano white, vanilla ice cream

Hozon blondie to go


NYC – 12/17/16 – Momofuku Nishi

Posted in New York by

If only it was easier to find the Penicillin in bars.  It is one of my absolute favorite cocktails and is so hard to find that I have made them at home several times (but once I make a batch of ginger syrup I feel obligated to drink them exclusively).  So when there is a Penicillin on the menu the evening is off to a perfect start.

Everything we had I could eat with great regularity.  In fact at a subsequent visit it was difficult to force myself to order different things.  Looking at these photos I am having cravings for the romaine salad and am going to have to go back asap.


Diver scallops – shio kombu, tiger’s milk, cucumber

Raw beef – watermelon radish, dashi ponzu

Romaine – walnut bagna cauda

Butter noodle – chickpea hozon, black pepper

Fried potato & smoked yolk
Jajangmyeon – pork sausage, chili pan mee, fried egg

Bunt cake

NYC – 12/7/16 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

Ko continues to be my favorite restaurant in New York and the one always at the top of my list of recommendations for foodie friends from out of town.  I have stopped including in this blog my many visits for the shorter bar menu otherwise you may tire of these posts, but this trip was for the full menu.  I am still trying to figure out why I like the sea urchin-chickpea dish so much considering I dislike urchin and have texture issues so that this dish on paper is something I wouldn’t even want to try.  After much contemplation I think that the olive oil is the magic component.  The ko egg will never ever get old.  Of the new-to-me dishes on this menu it was a tie for my favorite between the sweet potato-brown butter and beef-au poivre.  If you haven’t been yet, GO.

pomme souffle


lobster paloise

chicken oyster

blackfish – barrel aged bonji

sea urchin – chickpea, hozon

ko egg – caviar

sweet potato – brown butter

beef – au poivre

razor clam – pineapple, basil

bouillabaisse – potato, saffron

duck – squash



foie gras – lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

wild rice – kombu

melon – honey, mint
A

Washington, D.C. – 11/13/16 – Momofuku CCDC & the Dabney

Posted in Washington, D.C. by

Momofuku CCDC
Much of the improvement in the DC dining scene can be attributed to the opening of branches of restaurants from elsewhere.  And while I try to avoid places that I can find at home, in this case having a Momofuku only a short walk from the convention center was pretty fantastic.

Brisket buns

Momo bap

The Dabney
Once again Bon Appetit’s best new restaurants list has not lead me astray.  The influence of Chef Langhorne’s time at McCrady’s is definitely apparent.  Such a cozy vibe just perfect for a place with only a wood fire.  Everything was wonderful and a repeat visit will certainly be made my next time in DC.


18 month broadbent’s country ham, biscuit & house condiments

Pork rillette, grilled ciabatta, mustard seed, ramps, fennel & herbs

Maryland blue crab, sunchokes, bearnaise & aleppo

Winter squash cooked in the fire, goat feta, walnuts, mustard greens & fresh horseradish

Confit potato salad, broadbent’s bacon, parsley, pickled mustard seed & cured egg yolk

Whistle pig farm pork cabbage wraps – pork loin and shoulder, roasted cauliflower, fermented chili, apple, peanuts, pickles, herbs

Fruit crumble

NYC – 4/14/16 – Ma Peche in the Chambers Hotel lobby

Posted in New York by

We had planned to just hang out in the lobby of the Chambers long enough to have a drink while waiting for Ma Peche to open.  But our server was fabulous and our seats quite comfortable so we decided to stay for a few snacks.  One of the few bright spots in midtown and I am guilty of always forgetting about it.

midtown collins – gin, calamansi, elderflower

smoked trout dip, seven spice, chicharron

bbq brisket buns, coleslaw, smoked mayonnaise, pickled jalapeños

broccoli salad, sunflower seeds, miso, lime

NYC – 3/12/16 – Wildair & Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

Wildair
Still one of my absolute favorites and I love being able to bring friends who haven’t been here before.  Although I admittedly wish it wasn’t quite so popular as even a few minutes after opening you are lucky to get a seat.

  Beef tartare, smoked cheddar, chestnut
  Tallow roasted beets, kumquat  Bass crudo, pineaple, nduja

Ko
And for dinner number 2 of the evening, on to my other favorite for the bar menu at Ko.  I cannot say enough how much I love this place.  Perhaps the most complete package of great food and hospitality in New York.  And foie 2.0 gives the original some serious competition.








NYC – 2/27/16 – Momofuku Nishi

Posted in New York by

While I agree with many points in the recent Nishi reviews, despite the flaws I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner there and will be back as soon as I land another reservation (although in spring having to wait is much more tolerable).  I am still thinking about the Chitarra pasta and that rarely happens to me.  I’m looking forward to seeing how this place grows in the next six months as already off to a very good start.

Alsatian – amer, vermouth, cider
Beef Crudo – watermelon radish, dashi ponzu
Romaine & Walnut Bagna Cauda
 Chitarra – squid, xo, fresh & fermented chili
 pistachio bunt cake

NYC – 1/13/16 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

In the past few months Ko has quickly become on of my absolute favorites in NYC.  Often I stop by just for a drink as I feel a bit guilty indulging in tasting menus too often when I’m not traveling.  I love when any restaurant can take a food that I typically am not crazy about and make me love it.  On this menu for instance, I generally dislike razor clams, uni and monkfish.  But these particular preparations are outstanding.  As I’m writing this post 6 weeks later the menu has already undergone several changes which means that its fortunately time for another visit.  #firstworldproblems

potato waffle. pommes soufflees. lobster paloise. millefeuille.

madai – consomme, shiso, fingerlime

scallop – tonburi, citron
 uni – chickpea, hozon
 razor clam – apple, basil
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beef – rutabaga, green peppercorn
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caviar – potato, fermented radish
 monkfish – liver, poblano
 pyramidi – broccoli, aged cheddar

venison – kale, olive berry
 foie gras – lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly
 ​
carrot cardamom – meringue  chocolate – mint, fernet branca
 ​
Macaroon

NYC – 11/12/15 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

While I probably will not make a list of my favorite dining experiences of 2015, if I were to do so this dinner would easily be in my top 5.  This was my first time sitting at one of the two tables instead of the counter and certainly some of the presentations are just far more impressive for a larger group.  There was not one course which I did not absolutely love which is consistent with previous visits.  Our essentially second course could have been a meal in itself and if it had ended at that point I would have gone home very happy.  If there were not any witnesses I probably would have eaten the guinea hen to the point of making myself sick.  Food aside I just love the entire environment of Ko 2.0.  I am often down on friendliness of service in New York restaurants but Ko embodies the concept of hospitality.  Now that I am somewhat thinking about my favorite experiences of this past year, the stand outs are the ones that not only have amazing food and impeccable service but also have figured out, for lack of a better description, the ‘it’ factor in hospitality.  I am definitely looking forward to many more visits in 2016.

a blank canvas
 vegetable roll.  pommel soufflés.  lobster paloise.  millefeuille.
  black bass, madai, uni, mackerel, chickpea, finger lime, bonji, shiso, sudachi
   razor clam – apple, basil
 siberian sturgeon caviar – radish, potato
 sourdough bread & radish butter
 halibut – cauliflower, hungarian pepper
guinea hen – matsutake, black vinegar
   celery root – white truffle, tandoori
 beef – daikon, scallion
 foie gras – lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly
 carrot cardamom – meringue
 pistachio – apricot
chocolate – fernet branca
  

NYC – 6/14/15 – Fuku

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I seem to suffer the same problem with every restaurant that requires you to physically wait in line. By the time you stand on the sidewalk for what seems like hours, too frequently in blazing heat (because who would do this in summer?), you are hungry, thirsty, inevitably need to use the restroom, and at this point will eat almost anything. It’s adding insult to injury when the restroom is out of order by the time you finally make it inside. The sandwich was certainly enormous with great crunch. But my chicken seemed to be tough and I had a very difficult time taking a bite without pulling the whole sandwich apart (I will note my companions did not have the same problem). As other reviewers have said the fries were abysmal which I just don’t understand. They don’t need to be the best, but there is no excuse for fries this bad. While others have surprisingly loved the salad, all I can say was that it was better than the fries.  I will give it another shot on a weekday when hopefully the line will be shorter.


  

NYC – 3/13/15 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

I will quickly sum this up – I loved my second trip to the new Ko just as much as the first.  I still feel like it’s an entirely different restaurant from the original, at a minimum Ko 2.0, and am still impressed by how much service has improved.  The menu was largely the same as 2 months earlier (which I have posted about previously) so I will spare the descriptions but do have to mention that the epoisses potatoes with the venison were to die for.  If you haven’t been…go!


                                  

NYC – 1/14/15 – Momofuku Ko

Posted in New York by

It had quite some time, actually way too long, since I visited the old Ko. So the memory may have faded slightly but it still feels like the new Ko is an entirely new restaurant – the more grown up and refined version of the original. The new space is industrial yet quite homey and I can’t wait to visit in summer when I hope the garage doors will be open. Service is much more friendly than I remember and the chefs a bit more chatty. Of course everything that we ate was fantastic and its difficult to pick favorites, but I am a sucker for soft scrambled eggs. Keep an eye on the reservations as we got lucky fairly last minute. And it didn’t photograph well, but I cannot fail to mention the very unique take-home menu presentation.

Aperitif – verjus, cappelletti, soda

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Apple soda

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Lobster paloise. Tartlet

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Vegetable roll

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Millefeuille

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Madal – green chile, shiso, consommé

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Razor clam – pineapple, basil

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Beet – brown butter, anchovy, furikake

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Venison – fermented black bean, Brussels sprouts

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Mackerel sabazushi – ginger, dashi ponzu

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Mushroom – scallop, asian pear

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Soft scramble – potato, osetra, herbs. Bread and butter

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Celery root – black truffle, tandoori

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Branzino – artichoke, sumac, yogurt

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Lobster – sweet potato, tonsure, sauce

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Foie gras – lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly

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Duck – lime pickle, watercress

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Clementine – campari

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Coconut – banana, rum

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Mignardises

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