So I've been going to this place since it was located in the tiny space where the new Momofuku Ko is located (I will say more on that in a bit....)Before chef David Chang exploded onto the food scene, Momofuku was a humble ramen bar serving up fresh noodles and "to die for" pork fat in the confines of a single counter space.
My first trip to Momofuku, Mr. David Chang himself was serving up the noodles, cooking the spicy chicken wings, and poaching those melt in your mouth soft eggs - it was love at first sight. I remember thinking what a great concept! And I remember the enthusiasm of the chef as he and his staff discussed expansion ideas - hint...there may be a Momofuku coming to Las Vegas in the near future...an idea that has been floating around since 2005.
While much has been said about whether Chang is overrated or whether his noodles really are that spectacular, Momofuku remains a go to place on a cold winter night when all you want is some homestyle pork fat, complemented with some good fresh local veggies to make you feel slightly better about all that yum yum fat...
In my opinion Momofuku is still superior to Ippudo (the famed Japanese ramen place just opened nearby)
My favorite dishes are the smoked chicken wings and the pork buns....as for the ramen, after ordering a couple appetizers, one soup might be enough to share with your partner.
Also, be prepared for a bit of a wait- but now that it has moved up the street into a larger space the wait is more manageable than before.
Plus...if you are lucky, although Chang is preoccupied with Ko right now, he still makes cameos at the Noodle bar and may be in the kitchen that night serving up your noodles for you....
(picture from gastronomy.wordpress.com)
Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 1st Ave. New York, NY
212-777-7773
http://www.momofuku.com/noodle/default.asp
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