Catching Up (Momofuku Ko, Cupcakes, Slump)

Hello, everyone. I know, it's been over a week since I've updated. Even though I have lots of things to talk about (like finally eating at Momofuku Ko), I just haven't felt like writing; uncharacteristically for me, I've been doing a lot of thinking instead. Anyway, no more excuses, I'm just going to get back to it, before I forget how to write entirely. And by write, I mean, ramble and subject you all to it! So, since this is a photo-light entry, here is a random photo of some udon soup I made.

So, last week my brother took me to Momofuku Ko for a belated birthday dinner (also, he gave me a new baking book, woohoo! I have so many recipes bookmarked right now, not to mention the evergrowing collection of links that I want to try out (like these rainbow cookies, they are SO PRETTY). But, alas, we are hitting that point in the year where I am reluctant to turn the oven on, unless there is a really really good reason, and no reason is usually good enough except for birthdays.


I made these for my friend's karaoke birthday celebration--they are the same as the ones I've blogged about before (er same recipe that is, not the same actual cupcakes). It was very dark when we got around to eating them (and we were well and truly into our unlimited drinks) so I don't know what they looked like at that point, but they started out pretty!

Oh wait, I totally got sidetracked, I was talking about Momofuku Ko. Anyway, I had been trying to get reservations for ages, and then I sort of lost steam and then imagine my surprise when my brother emailed and asked if I was interested in going. Heck yes I am! If you don't know, this is one of David Chang's restaurants, and it is a tiny place, seating about a dozen people at a counter. Which is cool, because you get to watch the chefs prepare your food and chat with them (I've read reviews that some of the chefs are surly, but ours were pretty friendly and answered my questions). So it's a set 11 course menu (they have a 17 course one at lunch which I am 100% sure I would not be able to finish), and you don't have any say in what you get--vegetarians, they will not accommodate you, so skip this place. Oh, there is also a no photo policy, which I find mildly irritating, but I must admire this blogger who drew pictures instead. Me, I was not so ambitious and merely wrote up notes when I got home. Just as well, this way I could focus on the food. So, without further ado (because this has gotten too wordy already, did I say I was having writer's block???) here are my (ahem, unedited) notes on what we ate:

Amuse bouche: mirin glazed black pepper biscuits with chicharrons, pita with roasted eggplant, sausage ball with pickled beet. Biscuits are amaaaaazing

1st course: fluke sashimi (from long island apparently) with...I dunno, I can't remember. Yuzu something or other? Oh and some tiny Japanese rice crackers

2nd course: beef carpaccio with fresh horseradish crème fraiche, pea shoots

3rd course: roasted bone marrow toast in gruyere broth. This was one of my favorites

4th course: Soft boiled egg with caviar, onion soubise, and fingerling potato chips. Everything was great except for the onions, which I thought were too sweet for the rest of it

5th course: Handmade orechiette and crayfish with ricotta salata (delicious, slightly too salty)

6th course: Shaved foie gras over lychee, Riesling jelly, and pine nut brittle. I've never had foie gras before, and this was....amazing. But it was only amazing if you ate everything together in one bite, because then the sweet and alcohol and salt and fat all balanced each other out.

7th course: grilled brook trout with bean salad

8th course: slow roasted lamb ribs, ramps and cheese stuffed in leek skin (I ate the least from this course, I think because I was really, really full by now)

First dessert (9th courses): apricot sorbet with pie crust crumbles

Second dessert (10th course): pretzel pannacotta with root beer ice cream and brown mustard gummies (everything was awesome except for the brown mustard gummies, ARGH)

Regular blogging will resume shortly, I hope. Have a great weekend--I'll be watching lots and lots of soccer!

Momofuku Ko
163 First Ave (between 10th and 11th)
Reservations