I pressed the reservation button and low and behold there was a vacant spot available on Sunday at 7:10 pm. I almost fell off my chair since this was supposed to be one of the most difficult tables to secure in the city. This mostly has to do with the online only reservation system they use to fill up their 12 seat restaurant, but if you are persistent, a table at Momofuku Ko is only a few obsessive site refreshes away!
After scoring my res, I reached out to my foodie friends to see who could join me. It was looking like I was going to have to post an invite on chowhound, but luckily Tracy was free to join me for dinner. Then, the countdown began (as did the ribbing from my family for blowing off a Palm Sunday dinner, but I think any sane person would have made the same choice!)
The space is miniscule, consisting of an open kitchen where diners are seated around a counter and can watch the construction of each dish as they are prepared. Each night, the chefs puts out a set prix-fix menu consisting of 10 dishes for $100, as well as a beverage pairing ($50/85/100) which I highly recommend getting, since it elevates the total experience.
Chef David Chang has consistently been hailed as one of the best new chefs since bursting onto the culinary scene with Momofuku Noodles. With Momofuku Ko, Chef Chang displays his talent by offering traditional ingredients in a fresh new manner. Take for instance his take on Fois Gras- it is frozen then shaved over Reisling gelee, pine nut brittle and lychees. Digging through the layers you hit cold, crunchy, sweet and smooth which lent itself to a party in my mouth! It’s no wonder it was named the best dish of 2009 by Food & Wine Magazine.
Since there were so many items, I will just give a shout out to a few favorites and will post the menu below. My absolute favorite was the Fois Gras, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the Smoked Hen Egg with Caviar, Onions and Potatoes which was a luscious, decadent dish. At once it was smokey, salty, savory and crunch, and has turned me into a convert to runny egg yokes. Everyday since my meal, I have consistently craved the Long Island Fluke with Buttermilk, Poppy Seeds and White Soy which has made me rethink how raw fish can be enjoyed. The only dish I wasn’t happy with was the Guava Sorbet with Cream Cheese- Tracy liked it, as did the other diners, so I just think Guava isnt for me. Here was what I was lucky enough to enjoy:
Buttermilk Biscuit black pepper butter, mirin chicharone, togorshi
Long Island Fluke buttermilk, poppy seeds, white soy
Cold Dashi Broth, Sugar Snap Peas, Santa Barbara Uni, Cucumber
Smoked Hen Egg onions, potato, caviar
Hand Torn Pasta, Burgundy Escargot, Chicken Skin
Atlantic Halibut cauliflower, ham, black olives
Shaved Torchon of Hudson Valley Foie Gras lychee, pine nuts
Dry Aged Striploin pickled jalapenos, black trumpet mushrooms
Guava Sorbet, Cream Cheese
Funnel Cake, Black Sesame Ice Cream, Coconut, Lemon
The total meal came in under just $200 each, which is a bargain considering the quality and amount of food the kitchen puts out. Now that I’ve had a taste of Momofuku Ko, I am currently obsessed with landing a lunch reservation where I can enjoy not 10, but 16 courses ($160)- carpul tunnel syndrome be damned!
Momfuku Ko
163 1st Avenue b/t 10th & 11th
212-475-7899
Lunch (Fri, Sat & Sun): $160.00
Dinner: $100.00
Beverage Pairings: $50/85/100
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