Momofuku

Momofuku
171 First Avenue - Map
Between E 10th and E 11th Streets
New York
(212) 475-7899
Japanese Noodle Bar

Momofuku, meaning "lucky peach" in Japanese is a cute little noodle bar in the East Village. Don't let it's small size fool you though, because their dishes definitely throw a punch! Their rigidly crafted menu is varied, but does not allow for any substitutions - ever. This isn't quite a vegetarian-friendly restaurant, with the exception of one dish, the Ginger Scallion, which I personally cannot attest to. Also, there's a $15 minimum on credit card usage.

Upon entering this almost hidden restautant, the construction is very much that of a bar. There's a long, narrow raised table with stools on either side, that connects to a "bar" area right by the exposed kitchen. There is also some seating along the right-hand wall, and everyone sits next to EVERYONE. Very cozy. This is definitely not considered a fine-dining establishment, but definitely serves up a great experience.

On this particular occassion, I was having lunch with an old friend before having to head to class, and after hearing RAVE reviews from a new acquaintance - Jennifer Lynn Pelka, a personal chef - I came to see that Momofuku really is all that it's cracked up to be.

My friend and I decided to split one dish, and each order our own. So, we ended up splitting their Seaweed Cured Maine Diver Sea Scallops which was beautifully served with a small round of baby arugala, cherries, and a lemon purée. This dish was definitely interesting. Most scallops I've eaten were seared and had a nice brown caramalization on the ends, this, however, was essentially "raw" but it was cured. It had a much softer texture, and lacked the suppleness one normally sees in cooked scallops. They were also thinly sliced, which made it somewhat difficult to handle with chopsticks - FUN, but difficult. They had a very nice flavor, the seaweed imparted that rich umami flavor, and it was surprisingly sweet. Not sugary-sweet, but it had a sweet undertone. Most pronounced about it was its texture which was soft. When I added some of the lemon purée the dish was transformed completely! The zest of the lemon cut into the sweet undertone, and completely fostered and built up the scallop. The arugala served to add another peppery dimension. This was definitely a dish meant to be eaten with all of its components.

I decided to order their Momofuku Ramen (which Jennifer told me must be the first thing I ever eat there), described as their Berkshire Pork combo and a poached egg. This was a beautiful dish! A large bowl filled with broth and ramen noodles, the far end of the bowl adorned with two sheets of seaweed, pieces of brown pork swimming around the warm pool of liquid and a perfectly poached egg at the center, hinting at the rich yellow sauce beneath its fragile white cage. I couldn't wait to dip into that egg! I selected a piece of pork, and dabbed at the center of the egg, and watched as the vibrant orangey-yellow yolk burst out and oozed over into the soup, slowly mixing in and spreading outward. It was delicious! The ramen noodles had a wonderful texture: soft, supple, slippery, fun. The pork was almost overwhelmingly flavorful on its own, but when mixed with the blander broth and noodles, it seasoned the mouthful perfectly. Although in the heat of the summer, it's probably not wise to order a hot soup dish, this was definitely worth it. To accompany it, I followed Jennifer's instructions once again, and ordered their Hitachino White Ale. This went so flawlessly well with the dish, I wouldn't be surprised if they were meant to go together. The ale was light, and had a sweet undertone as well, but characterized by distinct flavors of earthy yeast and hops.

My friend ordered their Chicken & Egg which was served with pieces of smoked chicken, a poached egg, scallions, and rice. This was also a wonderful dish. The rice was light and fluffy, and very flavorful. The chicken was absolutely delicious. They were tender, and flavorful, and not too salty - something I've almost come to expect in smoked foods. I don't have much to say about this dish, other than it's beautiful composition, and delicious flavors. If you're looking for a pork-less dish, this makes a wonderful alternative.

Overall, I enjoyed myself at Momofuku. The inexpensive menu, and the novel experience it affords its patrons is worth at least one trip.