Momofuku Noodle Bar

Momofuku Noodle Bar is officially my new obsession. I was already on the David Chang bandwagon after having tasted his asian fusion cuisine at the NYC Locals Only event on the corner of Houston and Broadway. Now, having been to two out of four of Chang's East Village hotspots, I am a believer. Perhaps, what I love most about the Noodle Bar is that the menu changes daily. The prix fixe meal that I indulged in tonight will never return, but will instead be supplanted with something equally, if not more delicious. 

During our recent visit to the Noodle Bar, I was lucky enough to sit at a bar in front of the open view kitchen, spending the meal schmoozing with the chefs about all things Momofuku. But most importantly, no question went unanswered. Anything I wanted to know about what I was eating was met with a quick and informative response. It was a great insight into the workings of a busy kitchen and its staff.

Okay, lets get to the good stuff. The prix fixe option consisted of a four course, one night only, orgy of super delicious and interesting dishes. We also ordered a couple things off of the permanent menu. Lets start with the June 22, 2009 specials. Before any of the menu items arrived, we were treated to a complimentary amuse boushe. The moment I put it in my mouth  I knew I was about to embark on a wild culinary adventure. Atop a japanese soup spoon was a fresh strawberry with a reduced greek yogurt, cilantro, and some sort of spicy honey. (Sorry, I was too excited to snap a photo) It was the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, and savory. Let's just say I was very ready for the next dish.  The appetizer was an Octopus Torchon with sorrel, mustard greens, and furikake. I can't be certain, but I believe that Torchon is a play on words, being that it is a style of lace, and a method of cooking fois gras, by poaching it in a towel. I say that because the octopus was cut razor thin and beautifully plated, and certainly delicately cooked. It was accompanied with some really fresh micro-mustard greens. It was terrific, really light and fresh. It fully awakened for my pallatte for the next dish, which fucking blew my mind. 

About ten minutes later the waitress brought out my favorite dish of 2009. It was a Duck Tsukemen, with a chilled dipping broth, pickle salad, and sesame. Tsukemen noodles are similar to Ramen noodles, but are a bit thinner and are meant to be dipped into a broth. The duck was outrageous. It was smoked with several different kinds of wood, and conveyed a powerful campfire flavor along with its super crispy skin. Dipped in the broth with the noodles, it was a five alarm foodgasm. I know I throw that term around a lot, and it is the name of this blog, but this wasn't just any foodgasm. It was a sophisticated explosion of complex flavor and texture. This wasn't Megan Fox or Kim Kardashian, it was like fucking Natalie Portman. Oh, the pickle salad rocked, and you know me, I love me my pickles. 

The last savory dish of the prix fix was Roasted Diver Scallops with fennel puree, baby rainbow Swiss chard, and lemon. What can I say, this was great. The scallops were flavorful, with a perfect crust on the top and bottom. The fennel puree was also outstanding, providing a nice bed for the scallops. My only problem with the scallop dish was that it came out when I was face first in a bowl of ramen. 

I have always loved ramen. In fact, Top Ramen, you know, the one that costs 25 cents in the grocery store, was the first thing I ever learned to cook on my own. In grade school, I think I had one a day, until I realized I was slowly poisoning myself with sodium. Thanks to David Chang, I don't think I'll ever be able eat store bought Ramen again. This blew my mind. Momofuku Ramen has a rich and hearty stock, which provides a great home for some perfectly cooked Ramen noodles, pork belly, pork shoulder, scallions, mushrooms, nori, and a poached egg. The chef disclosed that they use a super high tech steam oven to slow poach the eggs in the shells. Pretty nifty. I'm pretty sure at one point I had my entire head in the mega-sized bowl, only coming up for air when I reached the end of a very long noodle slurp. These asian fusion noodle joints are all the rage in New York's food scene, but it is safe to say Momofuku Noodle Bar is the kingpin.  

The prix fix also came with with Momufuku's famous ice cream flavors, but I think that's better left for the forthcoming Momofuku Milk Bar review. Stay hungry. 

Report Card:

Food: A+

Service: A

Atmosphere: A-

Price: A-

Overall: A