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Categories: Asian Fusion, Korean
Neighborhood: East Village3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Astor Place (6)
Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
Mon-Wed. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mon-Wed. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Thu-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Thu-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"2008 edit: So I just ordered the lunch special (take-out) from here and I had to adjust my rating from 4 to 4.5 stars. This deal is…" read more »
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Went in as a party of three on a Monday night. Unfortunately, one of my friends was running late. Took the risk of putting my name down knowing all of my party was not there. Went in and told the hostess the dilema, no problem, "Let me know when the whole party is here and I will sit you down." I was very shocked they would do that knowing how they are about the whole reservation thing.
At any Momofuku, it's not about decor, ambiance, service (which is always great) or where you are seated. It's all about the food. If you can't get that, you really need to go somewhere else.
Rght off the bat, pork buns are a must. I decided to skip that this visit and instead go for the country ham. Benton's- really loved the warm fatty feeling and the salt to it. Less porky flavor you get from European hams and less salty as well. Not to exited about the red eye mayo, I thought it would have been paired much better with butter. Friends loved the buns.
I ordered the crispy pig ears as an entree. Loved the outer crispiness and the inner porkiness and good balance of fat. Very "comfort food" but in a more modern rendition. Paired well with the saurkraut and pear gelee.
My friends got the branzino (Which I didn't taste, but beautifully plated.) and the spicy pork sausage and rice cakes, very tasteful and apreciatted those sliced peppers for an extra kick. But, the sausage was non-existent and was more spicy ground pork which wasn't enough and got lost in the rice cakes.
Other than that, David Chang and his team always deliver. Momofuku is a NYC institution and should never be missed.
Oh yes, Momofuku Ssäm Bar... Bo Ssäm and then some. *snicker* I realized after I finished my Noodle Bar review that I hadn't yet written a review of Ssäm Bar--it's probably because after I walk about of there, I am always in a state of happiness that I never want to end, sending me into these weird La Dolce Vita benders of vice and decadence that preclude any motivation to write yelp reviews.
In any case, the menu changes seasonally (if not weekly), so any specific food recommendations may be out of season/off the menu by the time you try it yourself, so... there you go.
Having said all that, I've had good luck with some favorites-oysters or hamachi from the raw bar, followed by pork buns (and or the bbq pork sandwich if we are in a larger group) augmented by whatever seasonal veg they have going on, then you really can't go wrong with any of the large meat dishes, the pork shoulder, duck, or steaks have always brought huge smiles to my face.
Of course, if you are lucky enough to nab a bo ssäm reservation, much of what I've written above will not apply to you. It took us forever to get the 6-10 people required to do this (getting this group of friends together in that number is like herding cats), but it was well worth it. 7 pounds of amazing, slow roasted pork SHOULDER. (it's called pork butt, but it's not the pig's ass). You get that, a dozen oysters, kimchi, rice, bibb lettuce, and some sauces, then you just go to town making little lettuce wraps, mixing and matching sauces and ingredients until you are stuffed. This is a dining experience that falls somewhere between korean bbq and... momofuku. haha, my two favorites, how 'bout that.
Whether I am here for bo ssäm or not (let's face it, sometimes it's just you and someone else), ssäm bar is one of my favorites--I am just hoping the David Chang backlash begins soon so it's easier to get a seat.
ps kind of sort of a full bar in that they have beer, wine, and liquor, but the liquor is very curated--mostly brown alcohol and if my memory serves me correctly, gin as the sole clear alcohol. (I go straight for the whiskey).
It was gloomy outside. On and off rain all day long. I was exhausted. But it was still worth it to come here for dinner.
I like dining communal style so we sat at the bar. No wait, yay. We ordered the hamachi, BBQ rib sammie, steamed pork buns, and the spicy rice cakes. Everything was delicious, especially the buns. If you're Chinese, you know what I mean when I say steamed buns are nothing new. For every Chinese New Year, wedding, or familial birthday celebration, there's always a big dinner at some fancy schmancy restaurant where the banquet-style meal served includes steamed buns {usually with duck}. Well, the buns here are just as good {maybe even a little better since pork is yummier} but minus the gossipy aunts droning on about SAT scores, who's marrying who, and all that super fun family stuff.
My boyfriend is seriously addicted to the pork buns. I think he might turn into a pork bun. There was a point last month where he visited Momfuku Ssam Bar more than he came over to my apartment. Please stop stealing my boyfriend.
Additionally. I love your soup on a cold rainy day. I just wish you served hot tea!! Thanks!
Couldn't leave NY without trying David Chang's highly acclaimed pork buns.. So we came, we ate, and decided it was good.
The pork belly was prepared exactly how you would find it in a Korean dish called Bo Saam, which you can find in alot of Korean restaurants. It was fatty, tender, and perfectly moist.. Think peking duck wrap but replace it with pork.
We also tried the tendon plate and it wasn't very good. Overally, It was very gelatinous and the only flavor was from the cilantro that they threw on top. Not recommended!
So yeah, while the pork buns are the talk of the town, I think having tried them once is enough. I'll stick with my tradition Bo Saam, but congrats to Momofuku for doing a great job fusion-ing it!!
Oh baby.
Five stars for the service, food, atmosphere, everything. We shared the pork buns (!!!), cured hamachi, some other main course, tendons, thai tea parfait and the pb&j. They also have this grapefruit soda that I ordered an extra bottle of just to take with me. Love it. Will be back when I visit NY again.
OMG. I'm so mad.
I had such mixed feelings at the end of my meal at Momofuku Ssäm Bar. I felt so bad for insisting up and down that we had to eat there, I was sorry for wasting a meal on our short and limited trip to NY, and I felt so completely flabbergasted and confused by the so not good meal I just had I wanted to run out into the rain and scream out "Are you f*cking KIDDING me?!!??!@#!#$%&" to the world that had somehow completely and utterly convinced me that a David Chang restaurant was somewhere I absolutely needed to go and experience.
I've been following David Chang's rise to culinary and media fame with keen interest for some time now. His accolades and recognitions are too numerous to list, and reading his interviews or watching him on the 'Food Porn' episode of "No Reservations," you can't help but admire the guy with his quirky and laid back attitude about his swift rise to the top as well as what is supposed to be his "culinary genius."
I can deal with the annoying and weird reservation system. I get it, you want it to be accessible to everyone so you do this weird thing limiting the number of people you can make reservations for, how far ahead you can make them yada yada... And even when we got to the restaurant, the whole "no adding people to your group once you've been seated even though you have 2 empty chairs at your table" thing, I could forgive. It's NYC and I know the restaurant gets crazy packed so you want to ensure everyone gets served in a fair manner. The offbeat menu too, fine, whatever, that's your thing, run with it.
What I don't get though, is the food really not being that great. Dish after dish, I kept cocking my head to the side, puzzled and wondering if something was wrong with my taste buds. None of it tasted good to me. Some of it just tasted weird texturally or even flavor wise. By the looks of everyone at the table, I wasn't the only one having those thoughts. My face got hotter and hotter throughout the meal, not only because of the crowd and chaos, but because I felt so bad for dragging my friends to eat there in the first place.
The Beau Soleil Oysters with Kimchi Juice- yes, I know David Chang isn't making Korean food and he's utilizing the ingredients and flavors of the particular cuisine to enhance and create his own vision but really, I mean, if you're going to use Kimchi Juice with oysters, at least use fermented Kimchi juice so there's some sort of acidity to go with the dinky little oysters. What we had tasted like oysters with spicy, bitter, water. Two of our friends didn't even touch the oysters while others had to be urged to take the last few remaining on the plate. I couldn't blame them, I didn't really want them either, and I love oysters.
The Cured Hamachi with Edamame and Horseradish was tasty, but no more than any other kind of Yellowtail dish you might have at a good sushi restaurant. Plus, the dish was so small, you couldn't even share it.
The famous Pork Buns? So they come two to a plate. I didn't get a chance to taste them at first since we didn't have enough to go around so we ordered another one. When I put it in my mouth, I wish I hadn't. Yes, pork belly is fatty and that's what I like about it. But I had a solid square of only fat in my bun and combined with the cucumbers? Well, it was just not a good experience. I took a bite and chucked the rest onto my plate. I felt a gnawing sensation starting to grow in my stomach- it wasn't hunger, it was more like dread.
The Crispy Pig's Head was fine, very porky in taste with a good crust from being deep fried and the Pear Mostarda cut through the grease well. Edward Wigwam Country Ham- it was OK, it's just ham. If anything I liked the "Red-Eye Gravy" that came out with it more. Sad, I know. I liked the condiment better than the actual dish.
The idolized Satur Farms Fried Brussels Sprouts? It just tasted like fried Brussels sprouts with Nuoc Cham. The fried Brussels Sprouts at SPQR in SF are way better.
The Long Island Crescent Duck was probably the one dish I liked enough to want to order more of. It was well cooked and very flavorful. I was sorry I only got to have one piece.
Last of all the Spicy Pork Sausage & Rice Cakes. We had more than half left over of this dish and we had six people in our group. We couldn't even convince anyone to take the leftovers home. If it's a riff on the Korean street food Duhkbokki, it's a very poorly executed one. It's too spicy and greasy, and didn't have much in common with the silky, tangy, lightly spicy and sweet street food most Koreans grow up eating as a snack.
The end of the meal couldn't come sooner, I just wanted to leave and forget about the whole thing. But it still bothers me, I don't know why. I think it's because I have to agree that David Chang seems so damn likable. Maybe THAT's his thing- be likable, serve weird food and everyone will think it's great because he's so cool. Genius. Evil genius, but genius nonetheless.
I have been here several times:
--for my birthday (this place is good for groups)
--for a famous chef from London (I don't remember his name but my foodie friend said we definitely had to eat his food---he was right, it was amazing)
--several times just to hang out with friends.
A good place to hang out with friends and when they had the seats around the bar, amazing to watch the cooks do their work. I love the food here (pork buns and kobe beef are favorites). The service isn't bad. The prices are a bit pricey, but I kind of expect this place not to be very cheap.
The reason I don't give it 5 stars is because I think the reservations are weird. We typically don't wait more than half an hour but one time, we waited TWO HOURS. What happened was, our table was available and right when we were about to be seated, they retracted us and said, mysteriously 'our table was given up'. WHAT?! Turns out Matthew Broderick and pals decide to eat at that moment. Hmmph!!
Well, if they were to give us some sort of leniency (free desserts? free drinks? An apology?) I would have felt ok, but they didn't. I didn't leave angry at the restaurant per se, because, I guess if you're Matthew Broderick, you just get to steal people's tables...but I think the restaurant could've handled it better.
Otherwise, I do like eating here when I'm in town and in the mood for those yummy pork buns.
We were fortunate to roll into Momofuku and immediately be seated at the bar. Albeit, it was past 10 p.m. but still, seated upon entrance at a hot Manhattan restaurant? The food gods were on our side.
I'm usually not a fan of fusion; I'm a purist at heart. However, what they have done with traditional dishes is simply amazing.
The pumpkin chawanmushi was amazing and the Italian Grana Padano cheese seemed like an odd choice, but it truly worked with the flavors.
The honeycrisp apple kimchi was hands down my favorite dish of the evening.
Of course the infamous steamed buns with pork belly was a decadent treat. How can you go wrong with pure piggy fat?
Each dish was lovingly prepared, meticulously styled and well explained by the servers. It was a wonderful dining experience from start to finish.
Going there tonight to check it out
This place has special requirements for reservations. That in itself, is a little annoying.
If you want to eat a large mound of slaughtered pig, this place is for you~
The dishes were good. We tried several. I think the immense quantity of pork flesh at the end, was a little unnerving.
I'd read the other reviews to get a better vibe on this restaurant.
Food = C+
Service = B
Atmosphere = C+
Overall = B-
This place is great! I had been hearing about it for a while and I finally got a chance to check it out, luckily the wait to get in on a Sunday evening wasn't too bad, even though there was 5 of us. The place really isn't built to have groups of more than 2 and especially not 5. The service was spot on, friendly and mostly on top of things. The food was all good, the pork buns were very yummy, the rice cakes were good heck pretty much everything we had was great so if you go there try as much of it as you can! I had heard that they have killer friend chicken however it must be at one of the other locations or something because it wasn't on the menu so I was a tad disappointed on that but all and all it was a great meal.
Friday night - 8:30pm
Yep Friday night we went. Put our name down and waited about 40mins. We expected the wait, no biggie.
We ordered,
SMALL DISHES
steamed pork buns - hoisin, cucumbers, scallions
FISH
grilled branzini - smoked eel, zucchini, marjoram pistou
MEAT
long island crescent duck - lobster mushroom, daikon, orange
DESSERT
beet and lime ganache - goats milk frozen yogurt, pistachio
The food tasted great! I also liked the fact that when they place your plate down the server explained what the heck was on your plate.
Now the bad news:
Over Priced
Too little portions
Not comfortable seating, very jammed feeling.
Loud(due to the seating)
Slow Serves (It's Friday night i know, but come on)
No reservations aloud.
Tip: If you must try this place, then go, just have a bowl of cereal or some bread before you go.
I first visited Ssam bar about 2 years ago, and from my rather faint memory, I believe I enjoyed it. I will admit, though, the only thing I remember about the food was the pork buns and the OB Lager (Korean Beer).
I revisited Ssam bar couple days ago, because of my joyous first encounter with the pork buns. I must say, YES it really does live up to the hype. YES, it really is THAT good.
So good that I even tried to make it at home one day. http://www.marthastewa... Look, I even found the recipe with a video of David Chang himself making these porkiful delights!! Mine weren't as good as the real ones tho.. most likely because I bought frozen buns from a local Asian supermarket.. BUT STILL GOOD! And cost me like.. 20$ to make 50 of them.
Okay anyway, the reason for 2 stars? The rest of the food was just.. blah.
Sichuan Beef Tendon- I rarely say something is bad. BUT BEWARE. STAY AWAY. Even if I can get my brain to wrap around the awful texture, the seasoning is just horrendous. My waitress recommended this as 'mind-blowing'. She is definitely brain washed.
Braised Brisket- Tasted like a high-class Pho. The brisket itself was tender and good, but the soup was just way salty.
Spicy Rice cakes- It's aiiiite. My ricecake dish is better.
Icecream Pie- if a dessert can be too much, I think this is it. It just wasn't that great. I'm not a huge dessert person, so when I like a dessert it's usually because it's really good. I ate 3 bites of this.
Thai Iced cream parfait- Nice presentation, I liked the almond tea crunch.. but the lemon mascarpone and the thai ice tea part didn't mesh well. This was quite the disappointment as well. I think I left half of this too.
Maybe it's because I didn't have alcohol involved the second time around, but the food was really mediocre. I give it 2 stars for the pork buns, but I'd say the rest of the stuff wasn't worth it.
I am, yet again, writing an irrelevant review...
In any event, I dropped in on Saturday (technically Sunday) at 1am for something to eat after a long grueling day at work. My brain was not functional, it took me 15 minutes to decide what to order to drink so I settled on a tequila, neat, thank you!!! I needed that drink. BF had a tequila on the rocks, what a rock that was! A perfect cube of ice, crystal clear, that sat ever so perfectly in the perfectly chilled glass. Lovely!!!
I ordered the pork buns because, apparently, they are amazing but the amazingness was lost on me because I had been eating homemade rabbit rillettes at the party that I was working at all night (MY rabbit rillettes, thank you very much.) So, yeah, the pork buns are good but I didn't think they were THAT good, sorry David and staff... Oh, and the buns did not literally melt in my mouth. They were succulent and flavorful, but not melting... I said, "these are okay." BF had the pork shoulder steak, or something like that, and that was good. Not amazing, fall off my chair good, but good. I think his steak was better than my pork buns, and I never think that - goes to show what too many hours at work can do to a girl.
I'll go back, especially on a night where I haven't been cooking and eating food all day long and can appreciate what the staff have to offer without almost falling asleep at the bar from exhaustion... then, maybe, I'll be able to write a better review.
Whoa salt! I get their shtick now......they overly salt their food so that you leave needing something more. Most people confuse thirst for hunger, and that's exactly what we did. After our meal we headed over the the bakery and milk bar. WB loves the picked vegetables, I prefered the hamachi appetizer and brussel sprouts side. The main fish we got, the skate was baked in salt, we didn't finish it. To eat at the bar and feel bloated for the next few hours wasn't worth it. I'll go to milk bar when i want their pork buns. And why can't anyone serve real soda......
I think I'm a little too traditional to appreciate the refined modern twist on Korean classics.
I ordered the spicy pork sausage and rice cakes, which is a more refined version of the duk bokki. It was good. The dish was quite spicy, which for me was at the perfect level of being spicy and not being too much. I think for people who aren't used to eating spicy food that they would find it too spicy. I loved the crispy scallions that topped off the dish. The little rice cakes were a bit too doughy and chewy, but I really liked the crispy crunchy exterior.
Was this dish good? Yes. But I realized as I went home that in my heart of hearts, I just really prefer rustic homey cooking. I would rather go to a Korean restaurant and have an unpretentious down-to-earth dish that made no effort in trying to look good, but just concentrated on being well-made and tasting good.
The sake lemonade was 5+ stars. Incredibly delicious. It was light and refreshing, the perfect drink for a hot summer night. Slightly tart, a little sweet, just perfect. Very little alcohol though. I drank on an empty stomach and wasn't tipsy at all. I found this drink to be the perfect complement to the spicy pork and rice cake, because the tartness cut through the spicy flavor of the dish.
3 words.
"STEAMED PORK BUNS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can eat 50 in one sitting.
Obviously, all of the Momofuku joints in the city are popular and rated on every list possible. Thus far, I've been to three (Ssam Bar, Noodle Bar, and Milk Bar) and in general they're all decent but not great. In some instances, I would say that they're odd. With the line of people waiting outside before he restaurant opened, I expected the food to be wait-worthy spectacular. It was not so, although I did very much enjoy the pork buns and spicy pork sausage with rice cake. I would've said, "More please," but the buns in particular are overpriced. $9 for two buns is a little ridiculous in my opinion. I'd order more if it was $9 for four buns because I can wolf those down like White Castle burgers.
The rest of the meal was interesting in a huh-I've-never-tasted-that-before kind of way. I know it's considered fusion but some flavors seemed odd to me such as those in the long island crescent duck breast (duck, mushroom, daikon, and orange) and the gravy that came with the ham. Aside from the buns and sausage, I thought it wasn't worth the wait and for some dishes, the price. There are much cheaper versions of the buns in Chinatown even if it's usually duck instead of pork. The ingredients are more or less the same. Assembly may be required but at least you could get a whole duck instead of a few pieces of pork.
I thought the atmosphere was stylish and the staff was nice. However, in the end, I wouldn't wait more than ten minutes to get in.
By now Momofuku Ssam Bar has experienced all the classic trappings of a Hollywood gossip story: hype, backlash to the hype, affirmation of the original hype, backlash to the affirmation of the original hype. Ssam devotees and detractors abound, all assured of the fundamental rightness of their culinary opinions: there's the guy who's happy to wait 45 minutes for a spot at the crowded bar and there the guy who'll tell you how incredibly dumb you are for waiting 45 minutes for a spot at the crowded bar.
As it does with any Hollywood story, all this blustery rhetroirc gets in the way of an honest appraisal. After all, who can watch "Napoleon Dynamite" without taking on the backage of
There's been enough hot air blown back and forth to obscure
It's possible both types of guys have lost a little perspective. The question is, How's the food? The answer: uniformly excellent and kind of overpriced.
Thin strips of raw hamachi are incredibly fresh and sweet, the pairing excellently with the mild spice of a wasabi puree.
The Brussels sprouts are the simply the best vegetable dish I've ever tasted: carmalized sprouts, each one bursting with the flavor of fish sauce and cilantro. All the flavors are there, and if you close you eyes, each one slowly reveals itself to you. You're left thinking how could a vegetable be this crazy good?
The hanger steak was tender as could be, a little less than medium rare, but it was lacking salt. A not-spicy-enough kimchi, though, and some sautéed onions, and warp the whole thing in lettuce and you won't be disappointed.
Prices in relation to portion size, however, are a little surprising. Every dish seems about 20% too expense. As fresh as the hamachi is, the portion seems like it should cost $12, not $16. The hanger steak for $21? $17 seems more appropriate.
Pork buns here are actually not as good here as they are at Noodle Bar, or for that matter, as good as other place such, such as Zak Pelaccio's Malaysian joint, Fatty Crab. The grease of the pork overwhelms the flavor and just feels to heavy.
As crowded as this place can get, staffers maintain upbeat attitudes. The hostess seems to give an honest assessment of how long your wait will be, and while you wait in the back they're attentive to your drink needs. At the bar, floating waiters are close enough to ask questions. Still, this may be three or four
We had the signature pork buns. The pork was delicious. Not too greasy, the buns were soft and with the right amount of sweetness. We then had the Szechwan beef tendons. The tendons were sliced thinly and went great withthe OB. The the meal we had the sausage and rice cakes. The rice cakes were fried and had a great crispy texture. The pork and red chili sauce provided great flavor.
We were seated relatively quickly even though the host mentioned that the wait was 45 minute.
I was a little bit confused when I walked into Momofuku Ssam.
The wood paneling, music, and staff working here made me think that the place should be heavily perfumed and selling me Abercrombie or Hollister clothing.
What a pleasant surprise when I looked at the menu and saw that everything sounded absolutely amazing. Since I didn't want to fill up too much, I shared the three course menu with my boyfriend for lunch.
The first course was steamed pork buns, which was different than what I was expecting. Instead of being a bun with pork filling, the bao dough was instead wrapped around thick, fatty pieces of meat and lined with cucumber slices. I actually hate cucumber, but the neutral taste and crisp crunch offered a nice texture contrast. I spiced up a few bites with rooster sauce and quickly devoured it.
There was a very long wait between the first course and our second course. The brisket seemed to be a richer-man's pho. It had a little bit of noodles, bean sprouts, onions, cilantro, and big rectangular chunks of brisket. It was served with hoisin and hot sauce. The broth itself was delicious, but there was no graceful way to eat the large pieces of meat other than biting chunks out of it.
Our third course was a deconstructed thai iced tea parfait. Interestingly, the parfait wasn't served in a parfait glass, but horizontally on a plate. It was an interesting balance of rich and clean flavors with the creaminess being balanced out with the crunchy roasted nuts. I'm glad that I tried this dessert (the other option was a corn-cereal milk ice cream pie), but not sure I would order it on its own.
Service was slow and I saw some people leaving for Momofuku Noodle Bar a few blocks down, so maybe that'll be the place to try next time...
"Does anyone else out there think David Chang is sleeping with the entire world?" - Deborah H.
As recently as last week, I was hesitant to share Deborah's sentiment. I really loved Ko, and although I disliked Ssam bar, I had only been there once before and was willing to give it another shot. But, after last night's Bo Ssam meal, I've decided to finally quit you David Chang! At one time, I found joy in tracking a rising chef whose perspective on food and how it should be experienced mirrored my own. Most appealing, he shared my love for pig, and uncompromising antipathy for vegetarians. And in theory, his melding of cultures, sometimes whimsical cooking, and minimalist approach to restaurant amenities (no fancy pants service, cheap disposable chopsticks crammed into tabletop jars, and napkins piled high at the center of your table) was everything I was looking for in a restaurant.
However, now I'm truly wondering (and clearly not the only one), is David Chang in bed with the world? His food isn't that good and its expensive. Japanese chain restaurants do better making ramen than Momofuku Noodle Bar (Ippudo and Setagaya both kick Momo's ass - Morimoto's biased noodle rankings were only a result of DC's shady, although admittedly intelligent, anticipation of Morimoto's arrival, allowing DC to serve Morimoto in person). The Chinese do better with pork buns (although this is a much closer race and Chinese win only due to cost considerations). And finally, the Koreans do a FAR better job with bossam. I'm Chinese, but I LOVE Korean food and know how to appreciate good Korean food when I have it. At Ssam bar, the kim chi tasted like it was store bought and maybe even had MSG in it. My friends' moms make a better kim chi at home. I felt the ssam jjang was too salty. But worst of all, the slow roasted pork butt was a poor form of protein for this dish. Although the pork was falling off the bone, extremely tender and very well-cooked, the meat could not hold its own in the wrap. The whole thing felt like mush in your mouth. There was no textural contrast, no strength in the wrap at all. The Bibb lettuce was flimsy and weak, as well, and two leaves were needed just to hold the wrap together. It lacked that crispness and crunch you get from the red leaf lettuce typically used. And again, the pork was cooked to perfection, but incredibly tender is not always appropriate, and used in a wrap like that, it just did not work (maybe in a sandwich it would've been awesome). I would've been way happier going to Myung Dong (NJ Korean restaurant) and eating bbq grilled, 1/4 inch cut ssam gyup sal (pork belly) in red leaf lettuce with all the accompanying ban chan (side dishes), and spent half as much in the process.
I understand that Ssam Bar is NOT supposed to be a Korean restaurant. But, if you're going to to take a traditional ethnic dish or meal and modernize it, or add your own American take on it, then make it better, not worse. Change alone does not add value.
Also, in regard to service, I know amenities are kept at a minimum so a larger percentage of the tab goes to food, but still, you can hire waitstaff that don't seem like they hate working in your restaurant and despise all who eat there (Tall African American waiter with glasses and tattoos on his arm had a real attitude problem)
My Ssam Bar experience has even caused me to wonder whether Ko's meal was really that good or if the psychological effects of its inaccessibility and hype coerced my weak mind into BELIEVING it was amazing. (I was going to try getting reservations again to see what the meal is like post price increase, but I'm officially abandoning all things DC)
No matter, you can't blame David Chang for what he's chosen to do. He had the pleasure of getting it on with 6 billion people, and in doing so, became famous, amassed enormous critical acclaim, and made a bajillion dollars. So all the more power to him. But where I once had respect and admiration, I can only feel sadness for what must be nothing more than a culinary harlot.
I can only repeat some of the previous reviews about the over hyperbolized food at Momofuku Ssam Bar. David Chang's restaurant had been talked up so much that I started believing the hyper before my first bite. He was Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and Easter Bunny, rolled into one. I wanted to believe. Now having been, I'm upset, hungry and left without hope.
I am Korean and I understand Korean food. For many, it's smelly, garlicky, spicy and typically BBQ meats. I can appreciate the interpretation and influences that David Chang envisioned when creating his menu. For me, that vision was lost in poor execution and translation.
The first dish was the cured Hamachi. That was really, really good. Very supple and smooth on the palette. The horseradish emulsion was mild and a nice compliment to the buttery flavor of the fish. The dried seaweed and puffed rice was a nice touch. The second dish was a coddled egg on frisee. I forget the exact details, but that's how forgettable it was. The legendary pork bun was the biggest let down. I thought I was going to see Jesus upon my first bite. Instead, I found that the Berkshire pork's flavor was lost in the fatty fat. Crisped fat would have been great. I understand the concept, but I've had Peking Duck and Crispy Roasted Pig that was a whole lot better and much cheaper. The pork sausage and rice cake was the last dish. This abomination was too salty to finish. I could dig the spicy, it was hot. I totally dig the cubing and searing of the rice cakes (very clever), but it was too damn salty. I guess I could have sent that dish back.
Go to try it. Brag to your friends to say you've been. But leave your lofty expectations at the door. P.s. I hear that Momofuku will be expanding to Chicago and LA.
The pork buns are amazing!!!!
Let me repeat that...AMAZING!!!!
The pork belly is so soft and moist. The fat makes it extra tasty but it is a good amount of fat so make sure you don't get this too often.
Overall, he food is very good but it is upstaged by the pork buns. The last time I went, I got the braised brisket with noodles. The brisket melted in my mouth and the soup added a nice complement. I have also had the country ham, which is very similar to prosciutto. The spicy rice cakes are also very good.
The wait staff is very helpful and attentive. The setting is typical of most Asian fusion restaurants, the wood panels add a nice touch and the bar is pretty cool.
If I lived in NYC, I would probably come here at least once a week.
WOW, people seriously?! This is considered good food?! I haven't been this disgusted at a restaurant ... ever I think.
PORK BUNS = DISGUSTING!!!
I've had pork buns in many different places. In hong Kong, in flushing queens, nyc takeout it is one of my favorite foods!!!! BUT...these were BY FAR the worst pork buns I've ever had hands down. My wife is Chinese and absolutely hates to not finish everything on her plate....after 2 bites of the pork bun she apologized and said she literally just couldn't take anymore. I completely agree. The meat was about 90% fat, I don't mean a little fat...I mean pure complete fat. I had to chew back vomit =( We both just shared a look of....what were people so happy about online?!
Sichuan Beef Tendon - As others have posted here online...TERRIBLE. Texture just miserable, spices not tasty at all.
Braised Brisket - Again as others have posted here online, WAY too salty. And i LOVE salt. Just order a cup of water and pour the whole container of salt in to save yourself the trouble.
The staff was very nice, we were seated right away, and the place looks nice. I just can't even begin to imagine ANYONE....let me say that again....ANNNNNNNNNYONE liking this food. I'm so sorry to write a review this bad, but if I could give 0 stars I would.
I came here expecting great things and Chef David Chang doesn't disappoint. We ordered the pork buns,which were fatty and delicious. Better than the ones I had at Ippudo.
For the entree, my party pre-ordered the bo ssam, which was almost two much for 3 guys/3 gals. After a few servings, it got a little routine to make my little wraps with lettuce, meat, scallions and rice, but overall a very tasty experience.
One curiousity I have is the idea of having the wait staff dressed like 20 year old college students. No apron, no sign that they work for the restaurant. It wasn't a big deal and for the most part they were cool and attentive. Although the little hipster Asian guy with the black rim glassed was pretty rude to me when I walked back in after going out to flag down my Fiance. Dude, I was already inside sitting with a full table of friends. A stern "Hello? Can I help you??" as if we were somehow trying to sneak in and steal something was not necessary.
I am a big fan of David Chang - I think he's really innovative and he's got a unique style and taste. That being said, I'm not crazy about the Ssam Bar. I love his noodle bar, and his milk bar (yet to try Ko) - but this fell flat for me.
I tried the rice cakes which were pretty good - it was a little heavy for me but it reminded me exactly of Chee Cheong Fun, Hawker style, which is my absolute favorite food ever. I also had the strongly recommended Hawthorne Valley Buttermilk - interesting flavors. Not my thing. I think my favorite thing had to the Pork Belly buns but when Pork Belly is involved, it really doesn't take much to win me over.
The waitstaff is really laid back - almost so much so that the service is a little lacking. Also, the restaurant is super busy and they don't take reservations so they do try to herd you in and out. A little too stressful for me - I'm the type of girl who isn't hungry and then all of sudden is RAVENOUS and needs to eat ASAP or I turn into a beast.
Overall, David Chang is still on my good side, but this resto didn't do him any favors.
My 2nd try out for the weekend was for momofuku ssam and the place only can fit 150 people but each time when a party walk out then another party would take it place all the way until 2am in the morning.
They have a open kitchen so you can see all of the station cooking away and they are alway busy. The food that I try was the pork rice cake, tomato w/frozen ladon on it, chicken sauage pull pork sandwich, and the scallop but what dish that I enjoy the most has to be the pork rice cake. It was absolutely delicious and the rice cake was nice and crunchy and I been craving it ever since I left a couple of days now. All of David Chang dishes is pretty amazing and watching it and seeing exactly what they put on the pork shouder is just plan awesome. Next time I want to try the pork belly and the ramein at the original momofuku.
Can I say that the pork buns here are melt-in-your-mouth divine? I dragged one of my friends from out of town here just to get the pork buns and then stop by next door to get the cereal milk.
Anyways, besides picking up pork buns, my dining experience here entailed sharing the grilled baby octopus and two orders of pork buns with my roommate. We had just finished a days worth of boyfriend visits and shopping at barneys and were both hungry and drenched from the rain. The service was fast. The environment was pleasant, and the pork buns... were delicious.
I would say that sharing two appetizers and a main course probably would NOT be sufficient for most people though. I was satisfied, but barely, and I don't eat very much.
I've eaten plenty of Asian and fusion, I find Momofuku's gimmicky combining favorites of different Asian ethnic cuisine. Tasting wasn't bad but expensive comparing to the original traditional dishes. Seating was extremely uncomfortable with a bar like trendy atmosphere while eating with elbows to other patrons. Before I can finish, table was cleaned and being expedited with the check. I prefer eating comfortably than rushing off with barely enough room to sit. No doubt, I will not return....
Purely based on dessert.
How I've never stumbled into Ssam Bar before this, I have no idea. I've been next door to Milk Bar more than once, but Ssam, nope. Took a glance, never went in.
The night began elsewhere, but as all good nights have to come to an end, it ended on a high note at the bar of Ssam bar with 3 beautiful desserts.
Inviting, warm (yes, a chilly night in early September) and cozy. Sitting down at the bar, the 3 desserts were definitely trying to seduce me.
How will I ever choose between Ice Cream Pie, Thai Iced Tea Parfait or Beet and Lime Ganache!?
Well, I didn't have to, we ordered all 3.
Yes, it was worth it.
Ice Cream Pie - of course it was good! When you put cereal milk together in pie form, it's magical in your mouth.
Thai Iced Tea Parfait - definitely all the pieces were meant to be eaten separately, but beautiful nonetheless. A smooth foam of Thai iced tea on your tongue makes me want to experiment with making a mousse myself
Beet and LIme Ganache? Oh boy, this might take the cake. Complex flavours swirling in my mouth. Savoury, sweet, a tinge tangy... it was a symphony!
Ahhh yes, will be returning in hopes of trying their food (I need to go to a David Chang Empire place everrrryyyy week!)
I'm going to skip the food review, which by now you should know is unnecessary, because almost everything on the menu is delicious - and i can say that in full confidence, even when the menu changes. So I'll skip right ahead to the drinks...
...THE DRINKS! GET THE DRINKS! I don't know their exact bar schedule, as it seems that sometimes their drink chef/mixologist isn't pouring. However, if he or she is pouring, GET THE DRINKS. My all time favorite is the Reverand Palmer - a mix of tea-infused bourbon and lemon syrup, served in a rocks glass with a huge cube of ice. This drink is so friggin' good that I wake up with cravings for it. My boyfriend's favorite is the Pickled Ramp Martini. It's like a delicious dirty martini, but with a deep, almost cheese-like aroma.
Get an order of the pickles with the drinks and you're set!
Can't blame Mr. Frank Bruni for giving this place three stars. Such a unique set up and an equally unique menu (and cocktail list!)
1. The sake lemonade is deadly- and delicious!
2. You have to have the pork buns, like, you have to. I order them every time I'm at a Momofuku restaurant. Comparable to eating super fluffy clouds. But deliciously porky clouds. If that makes any sense whatsoever.
3. I'm pretty sure whatever dish you order will end up being delicious, especially since all the dishes we ordered were fantastical:
3.a. Scallop dish with plums was absolutely amazing. I don't even know what to say. Strong, bold flavors, and big charred juicy scallops.
3.b. The foie gras/terrine dish was heavenly. Velvety smooth with a delicious crunch from the toast. And I've never had pickled tomatoes before. Very interesting concept.
3.c. Again, the Brunster was right in saying that the fried chicken here was the best ever. It was the best ever. A combo of white & dark meat, a creamy smooth buttermilk sauce, and a super fresh corn & chantrelle relish type thing. The corn tasted smokey too. I love corn.
Anyway, great place for an extremely satisfying and unique meal. Or for after work drinks and food. It's all kind of family style and the waitstaff is super nice and laid back.
I guess the best word to describe our meal here is YUM, and David Chang is a magician.
The End.
My friend Josh and I arrived early enough at 6:15 pm to be seated immediately for two at the bar (don't poke fun at the early time, we were tourists and had been walking around all day and were ravenous). Josh had never experienced an elevated dining experience and I was pretty sure that he and I would both die if he continued to eat processed cheese and didn't discover the virtues of arugula.
Anyway, sitting at the bar was a great experience. The bar itself was dark wood, nice and comforting to the elbows. Bartenders were gracious and efficient, dressed in either ironic t-shirts or a white butcher's shirt. I ordered a "Reverend Palmer," consisting of tea-infused Elijah Craig bourbon, lemon syrup, and bitters. It was gorgeously served in a round rocks glass with a single giant cube of ice. On the very strong side and very satisfying. Josh's Dark & Stormy was so good and gingery it made me regret not ordering it.
We decided to just start ordering food at random and stop when we were either 1) uncomfortably full or 2) couldn't find anything else tempting to eat. We started with the cured hamachi (silky and fatty, but not mushy), then proceeded to the soft-boiled egg (amazing what a runny yolk can accomplish on the tongue), and the steamed buns with pork belly. Oh my lord, the buns were incredible, exactly like the ones they give you in Beijing to accompany Peking duck, and the pork belly was incredibly tender and flavorful. It might have been my favorite thing we ate all night.
Three small plates wouldn't satisfy us, of course, so we ordered more. Grilled baby octopus with pickled fennel and chorizo (octopus and fennel were delicious, chorizo just too smoky and weird), and finally, at Josh's behest, the corn fried chicken. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed that he didn't want to be more adventurous with the crispy pig's head, but I guess you can't dive into epicurean ventures too deeply... The chicken turned out to be wonderful, obviously, although by this time I had progressed to a glass of Grüner Veltliner and was drifting into culinary bliss.
The chicken was our closing dish, not because we were too full or because we didn't see anything else worth ordering. Far from it. We were just worried about our wallets. Luckily, for two people it came out to be extremely reasonable. Oh Ssäm Bar, you make New York City less scary!
I'm going to round up from what would be a 4.5 stars rating...
After several happy trips to the Momofuku noodle bar, I finally made it over an avenue to Ssam and we had really just a killer meal filled with stand-out dishes in their 9-course tasting menu (which with a few extras thrown in by the staff ended up somewhere in the double digits).
Even the courses that didn't quite slay us were far above average in execution and balance. The hit list included cured hamachi, ocean trout (really one of the best things I've eaten this year - sweet into savory/earthy into salty/bitter), steamed buns w/ pickle plate (no duh), hawthorne valley buttermilk (wow), and crispy pig's head. The seared scallop was great, but I wasn't a fan of the salad served alongside. The tasting plate of smoked hams (one of our extra courses), hanger steak, uni, pork shoulder, oyster amuse, and wagyu were also really great but again just not as memorable.
The service was very solid and professional. We sat at the bar and were seated nearly immediately and found Ssam to be just a touch more comfortable/spacious to eat at than the noodle bar. I didn't indulge much in the wine list (except for a liter of grunner veitliner), but was impressed by the some exciting choices for another time. Honestly, at $70 the tasting menu was pretty thrilling and a really special meal. Thanks to the chefs; you guys deserve your 3 from Bruni!
Yes!
I love it when my boyfriend's sister and her fiancee come to NYC. He is a chef and she is a waitress, and unlike most tourists they plan their trip around dining. That's it. Wads of money devoted to delicious food at expensive restaurants and cheap ones.
This was not the latter, but I was so happy to join them on this occasion. I have come away with one thing: Haters gotta chill, and David Chang gets more shit than he deserves.
Everything was DELICIOUS. Except for the tendon. But I think that is because...tendon is gross! Some may like it, but I am not one of those people. I can respect it.
We ordered:
1) Seasonal pickles. Fuck YES! Daikon kimchi, kimchi kimchi, tokyo radish, carrots, celery, fennel, shiitakes, sunchokes...everything was divine! I'm a pickle fanatic and I couldn't have been happier. I was expecting a much smaller portion, but the four of us were in pickle heaven!
2) Pork buns: Wonderful. I've actually had better (Graffiti), but the pork was tender and savory and the entire package was divine.
3) Tendon: GROSS. that shit does not belong in a mouth.
4) ham. I don't remember which ham we ordered, but it was smokey and delicious, came with some weird hype-y red eye gravy (coffee grounds and mayo..) and warm, steamy bread. Excellent!!
5) Braised brisket. Kind of a failed pho. The broth didn't do much for me, but the brisket itself was unbelievably tender.
6) Spicy rice cakes + sausage. Honestly, when it comes down to it, I prefer the classic duk boki, but this was an interesting rendition. I likened it to a korean gnocchi dish. The rice cakes were crispy (this threw me off a little), and the spicy sauce, sausage, and chinese broccoli hit the spot. Everything was complimentary. Except for the pepper that I accidentally ate. I thought my mouth was going to die. But a waitress kindly gave me a bowl of rice to help ease the pain. It took a while, but I recovered...and continued to gorge myself on the dish.
7) Hanger steak with fingerling potatoes and a tarragon emulsion: FUCK YES. The steak was PERFECTLY rare, and the tarragon emulsion was a serious treat for the senses. I could have done without the potatoes, but dipping them in the emulsion made them more enjoyable. I love steak and Momofuku does it RIGHT!
Add seriously great service to a fantastic meal and you get a solid four stars from me. I think I understand why this place and the other Momofuku spots are consistently crowded. I probably won't be back unless I am entertaining similar guests, but I definitely recommend the restaurant.
I'm a pork luvah, so Momofuku Ssam is my heaven.
I've been there twice and each time leave completely stuffed...yet craving more pork. Two dishes blew me away: the pork buns and hamachi. Both were so good that I was reluctant to swallow...I wanted the yumminess to stay in my mouth forever (get your mind out of the gutter, pervs). The other dishes...were meh - the tomatoes had a strange, awkward, and unappealing flavor. The pork sausage rice cakes were too crusty (but most people love 'em). The fried chicken was alright, but nothing special.
But still one of the best places I've been in the city. I like the noise, the crowd, the ambiance. The food isn't perfect...but the pork buns alone earn at least 3 stars...and the cookies next door deserve another.
I probably can't add anything that nobody else hasn't already written. But I must proclaim my amazement at the cuisine here. I never would've thought to put Chinese sausage in foccacia. Mmmmm! The sides they offer with their tapa like portions are wonderful. The foccacia came with mussels which were sitting in a yummy broth with mustard greens.
The pork buns were even more scrumptious. Even if I went out and bought the pork belly cut to make them, I don't think I could cook them into something as tender.
I sat at the counter and the staff couldn't have been nicer. Perhaps I have a more glamorized perspective because I was an out of town visitor and hadn't been to NY in seven years. Hope to go here again some day.
Maybe it was the beef tendon, but I don't love Ssam as much as Momofuku Noodle bar. First off, what's the deal with the solemn, unhappy staff. I tried to crack a joke while we were waiting at the table and the host literally deadpanned me...maybe it was just a bad joke but I did feel like throughout our meal the waitress looked like she'd rather stick her head in the oven than answer our questions.
Also, the pork buns here don't seem to be as good as the Noodle Bar. Perhaps they changed the recipe but the pork seemed less flavorful and more fatty, overpowered by the cucumbers even. The beef tendon dish was pretty much inedible...it actually made me wonder if they tasted the dishes before they come out. We even mentioned it to the waitress and she did that miserable silent stare for a few seconds before walking away...I guess that counts as acknowledgment.
I'll taste a few more dishes and update but I felt like I needed to warn people against that one dish and maybe hope in the back of my mind that the wait staff gets a hint as well.
I don't love everything here, but what I do love is so so good that I think it warrants the full five stars. The pork buns are still as fatty and delicious as they were when I first had them, many pork bellies ago. As much as I hate to be charged for bread and butter, the crusty Sullivan's Bakery bread with butter and whipped lardo is worth shelling out for (and don't be shy about requesting more bread to scrape up your lard!). The desserts are also consistently good - right now they have a cereal milk ice cream pie with tri-star strawberries and a Thai iced tea parfait that are both excellent.
If you can swing it, get 6-10 people together and treat yourselves to the bo ssam. My lunch of fall-apart pork butt wrapped in fresh lettuce with slippery wet oysters and a variety of accompanying sauces is what inspired this update. It's worth the hassle of rounding up a group and making sure they commit, and it's easily worth the $200 price tag. We went with 9 hungry people, ordered pork buns and bread and butter, and were just shy of finishing the entire shoulder (and for the record, pork butt = pork shoulder, no need to worry about dingleberry jam). It really is just a mountain of tender, fatty, flavorful meat. The bo ssam is also a wonderful adventure in communal eating - it's good food and it's a lot of fun. I can't recommend it enough.
Y'all weren't kidding about those buns. Damn. The Ippudo version has officially been wiped out of… Read more »
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