It's Ko Time

After months of getting a reminder every day at 9:56am and clicking fruitlessly at what I assumed to be 10:00:01, I finally secured a reservation at the ever elusive Momofuku Ko for last night. Naturally expectations were quite high and my morning was spent researching all the blogs I could find that covered the experience as the financial markets collapsed around me.

The restaurant exterior certainly contributed to the mystique as the entire front is covered in what appears to be a cage with only the small orange that is the logo peeking out. When you enter you are sat at a stool at a long wooden bar right in front of the chefs as you watch them cook and are served directly by them.

The meal was absolutely, ridiculously, unbelievably spectacular. There were some items that I had read about while some items that were a complete surprise. The one drawback was there really wasnt that much interaction with the chefs. They answered any questions asked of them readily and explained each dish as it came, but any illusion of becoming best friends with the chefs and talking food all night didnt seem to be the case. I imagine in the early months they may have been more accessible but I can imagine a constant flow of customers such as myself who ask somewhat ignorant questions but think they know a lot may get slightly annoying after a long period.

Anyways, on to the meal. I didnt take any pictures but have attached any pictures I could find online of the items:

First came the Chicharron with Togarashi. This is a snack made from pork skin thats fried twice at different temperatures which balloons it into its puffy form. The togarashi is a hot japanese chili and is ground and sprinkled. This tasted somewhat like a shrimp chip if you've ever had one. I liked the taste of the spice and it had interesting texture, but not really a highlight.

The other two starters (or amusee bouche for the highbrow in you) were a small piece of grilled scallion with bacon, covered in a charred applesauce. After a tepid start with the pork skin, this began the real meal in my opinion as the applesauce had an amazing smokey, bbq flavor to it which complemented the bacon and grilled scallion perfectly. The other starter blew my mind as it was a House-made biscuit with black pepper butter and a mirin glaze. Essentially the blue state version of you'd find at any fried chicken joint, the black pepper butter was absolutely unreal; extremely creamy with a strong pepper flavor, this definitely struck me as something i need to get for my apartment.

Next came the sliced raw fluke over a pool of buttermilk and white soy, dusted with poppy seeds and chives. Another winner, as the fish was extremely tender, and the base was just creamy enough without being too thick. The hint of soy flavor along with the crunch of the poppy seeds and chives gave the dish even more depth.

We were then presented with a bowl full of sliced objects which turned out to be baby turnips, matsutake mushrooms and summer beans. They then poured over it from a sake container a soup-like mixture called Bacon Dashi. Dashi is a japanese soup stock, and this version was massively flavored with smoky bacon. The broth alone was amazing as it smelled like someone had put a fresh plate of bacon right under your nose. I liked the inclusion of the beans and the mushrooms, but the turnips were a little dry and maybe if they sat longer to absord the moisture would've had a better texture.

What came next was probably the most visually stunning of the dishes. It was a sous-vide egg with hackleback caviar, fingerling potato chips, soubisse onions, red vinegar and herbs. Cooking an egg sous-vide apparently means cooking for a long time at a very low temperature, producing what would normally be a soft-boiled egg, but the inside is still runny yolk rather than the solidified yolk that usually results. I began just eating the egg and caviar portion, but then realized the best bet was just mashing everything up like it was indian food and taking it spoon by spoon. Yet again, the number of tastes and textures that hit your mouth were unbelievable as each bite held liquid yolk, tender caviar, and finished off with a crunchy, tiny potato chip.

I was still a little nervous this might be one of those meals were you dont end up full and spend a ton, but this fear quickly dissipated with the next dish. Five pieces of sweet corn ravioli with charred corn, chorizo, lime zest, cojito cheese, and pickled red onions. The best part was probably the taste of the chorizo and the lime finish of each bite. The dish was definitely more mexican than any sort of asian but did not disappoint.

The service at the restaurant has definitely perfected the entire process, as they space the dishes at ideal times as there was a good lull before the next one. I did like the fact that the music playing included GNR, the Geto Boys, the Cure, and other extremely random music. After about 15 minutes came out a seared Diver Scallop over a pepperoncini puree, with bok choy and a burnt onion marmalade. The scallop was extremely sweet, charred on the outside and tender on the inside, while the puree was phenomenal. Each bite definitely left the aftertaste as if you'd just taken a bite out of the pepperoncini you get with a Greek Salad, while the burnt onion marmalade an interesting change on the smoky finish.

And then. It came. Sweet mary, mother of jesus. Good night nurse. Shaved foie gras torchon over lychees, riesling jelly, and pine nut brittle. Wow. While i'm a huge fan of seared foie gras, i've never had this preparation, as its placed in a towel (torchon is French for towel), poached and then frozen. They shave the flakes over the mixture in plain view and then you're served. While the foie gras appears flaky as you lift it towards your mouth, it instantly converts into that creamy, familiar taste as you bite, and then the next tastes to hit your mouth are chewy, sweet lychees, the soft riesling jelly, and finally a strong crunch from the pine nuts. My favorite part was when you put the spoon down, the remnants look like you just took a spoonful of pate even though you began with flakes. Damn.

We were given a fairly good break before what is effectively the main course was served. Out came about six pieces of Muscovy duck, with Chinese long beans, mung beans, dried cherry and small bits of water chestnuts. The duck was extremely solid as the cooking was to perfection as the meat was tender but the skin and fat was very crispy. I was entertained to read that this bad ass looking duck is apparently known for its meat as they never swim, somehow making the meat less greasy and more like veal than poultry.

After the meat came it was time for dessert. This was a two-part affair, and first was the palette cleanser, a pineapple sorbet over a piece of dried pineapple. The sorbet had a tremendous amount of flavor to it, while the dried pineapple was a little too chewy. And then. It came. The second coming of awesomeness. Yellowcake ice cream with strawberries and peanut butter brittle and peanut havla. I've had the cold stone and ben and jerry's versions of cake batter ice cream, but this took it to another level. Each bite seriously was strong enough that you truly felt you were biting into a piece of fresh-baked, buttery cake that had been thrown in the magical ice cream machine. The crunch from both the peanut butter and the peanut havla (which it turns out is a middle eastern dessert), and the inclusion of strawberries definitely made it an unbelievable dessert.

The meal definitely lived up to expectations, and my momofuku obsession continues. The road from that first bite into a momofuku pork bun, to birthday dinners with the Bo Ssam massive pork butt, to the climactic licking the plate of yellowcake ice cream clean has been a diner's dream journey and one that I'd recommend it to all.

A wise man once said better late than never, so it's 2008, and another entry. Went to Province in last night for my first truly inspiring meal of the new year. As a longtime obsessor of the Momofuku Berkshire Pork bun, the idea that there's a quick, cheap place to get similar bun sandwiches was enough to get me all the way down to Tribeca.

The meal lived up to expectations and thensome. I started with the Short Rib and Kimchi bun sandwich. The food came very quickly, and the bun was still steaming hot with a balance between the softness of a steamed bun but with the texture and consistency needed for a proper sandwich. The combination of Rib meat and Kimchi also proved somewhat interesting and original but extremely tasty.

I then split the Beef Pancake Roll with my friend which was another rewarding decision. Basically, the chef takes a scallion pancake-type roll and creates a sandwich similar to a burrito. The shredded beef was tender and flavorful, and there was a great addition of cilantro and a mild sauce.

Next on the list was the Spicy Pork sandwich. Again, the bread came out perfectly but the amount of spice and sauce on the pork was amazing. The delicious meat was complemented by pickled daikon (at least that's what I was told it was) which was subtly sweet enough to counteract the spiciness of the pork.

Though I set out to not eat myself disgustingly full, after a long trip down, it was decided that the fried dumplings had to be tried. Again, another somewhat original yet triumphat product. The dumplings are "Shrimp and Pork" and in each thin dumpling is both a pork-filling coupled with a tiny shrimp. They were lightly fried and came with fairly standard dumpling sauce.

If only they built another one of these places further uptown....

BRGR

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/44663976/new_york_ny/brgr.html

Joining the new fad of making a burger joint that is still somehow trendy, BRGR opened on 7th avenue right near the FIT campus. The place looks like it was decorated by a FIT student as it tries to mix Ono with Johnny Rocket's.

I ordered the roquefort, bacon, and sweet onion marmalade burger which turned out to be rather good. The burger was rather good but unfortunately not in a gourmet burger manner though; the cheese and bacon was mashed in well with the grease into between the beef and bun the way one would want from a real burger joint. However, for the prices, this establishment should be trying to create something different. The sweet potato fries were fairly soggy and didnt even compare to fries you'd get at any deli.

While you won't feel like you wasted your time coming to BRGR you probably will feel like you wasted your money.

BLT Fish

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/41417129/new_york_ny/blt_fish.html

The "Shack" at BLT Fish is the lower level of a two floor establishment. The upstairs level is the definition of NY 'shishi' (does anyone actually know how to spell that word?) while the downstairs Shack level provides a more casual dining environment, attempting to resemble a seaside fish/clam shack of sorts. We entered the place with exactly that experience in mind..not terribly hungry, but just in the mood for a quick snack and drink.

While the prices still dont quite remind me of being in Maine, this place definitely fit the bill of a busy, fun and casual place to get good quality seafood. The shellfish selection is quite extensive; we started off with an assortment of oysters and our waitress was fairly knowledgeable in explaining the differences. I will say that this eating expereience was solid enough to get me interested in oysters enough to spend about an hour at work the next day reading about all the different varieties. That must count for something....

I then had the Manhattan Clam Chowder. The waitress prefaced the order with "do you like bacon?" which seemed like a somewhat odd question. This made complete sense though when the soup arrived as the aroma of bacon was suddenly everywhere (a sensory injection which i can't say i really mind). The chowder had good size chunks of clam and I would recommend as a great starter.

I would recommend the Shack as it does exactly what it set out to do; try to bring a little bit of the seaside to the city.

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This was my second time heading to Sushi of Gari 46. I still haven't been to any of the other locations but was completely converted into a Gari groupie on the first visit.

The location and setting is nothing spectacular by any stretch. You walk into the restaurant and its almost presented as a large office space with tables...but that is of no concern as you're not there for the scene. A cheery Asian woman named Keiko greets you and takes you to your seat. The last time we went the place had just opened and was BYOB, they now have a full sake menu but you can still bring your own wine for a $15 corkage fee.

Our journey down Omakase highway began with a small plate of 3 cold appetizers, including a Shrimp with Whitefish and a Clam with white sauce. None of the three were particularly exciting. Finally though the real sushi experience began.

Bluefin Toro with Ponzu Sauce: A great usage of cold, pure toro. The piece just had a dab of a subtle ponzu sauce on it, which made it possible to enjoy the filet mignon of the tuna. The piece definitely gives you the texture of butter with the taste of tuna.

Red Snapper with Lotus Roots: More visually stunning than notably tasty. The red fish is covered in a greenish sauce and then has a large fried lotus root covering it which provides a nice crunch when you bite.

Salmon with Tomato: I'm not sure the exact name of this piece but it is a piece of salmon that has a soft tomato / tomato sauce on it. The first time there someone referred to this as "sushi parmagiana" which does no justice to the taste but aids in remembering it. It was definitely one of the best pieces as the warm tomato melded with the cold salmon perfectly when you bit down. I also like this piece because it kind of captures what is great about Gari...truly imaginative and unconventional taste combinations that once you eat them seem obvious.

Baked Oyster: This came out in between sushi trays and was wonderful. After the disappointment of the appetizer clam, we were a little skeptical of another shellfish creation. The oyster was served in the half shell but had a few distinct pieces, which were each covered in a bread-crumblike mixture. It was definitely a great hot snack in between fish.

Bluefin with cream sauce: One of the better tasting sauces out of what we tried...kind of like an alfredo sauce. Unfortunately you can barely taste the fish with this piece.

Seared Yellowtail: The first seared piece that was brought out. This was probably the worst of the 3 seared pieces..but still was like taking Drew Barrymore out of Charlie's Angels. It tasted a little too fishy, but the smokey, barbequed flavor was still wonderful.

Seared Salmon: the final seared piece they brought out and large step up from the yellowtail. The same seared flavor, but as my preference is with salmon, the piece tasted much better.

Seared Bluefin Toro: Simply the top of the game. Most probably the best piece of sushi i've ever tasted. The outside of the piece maintains that lightly seared texture so it is ever-so slightly crispy. The same smokey, seared smell hits your nostrils as you lift it up to bite down on, and when you bite through the outer crisp, your mouth finds the contrast of the softest piece of fish this side of Tsukiji

For dessert we tried Gari's Favorite, which was a red bean paste in a lightly fried dough; this was definitely not a "normal" american dessert but definitely helped out in finishing up the meal. The paste is very sweet and its hard to go wrong with fried dough. We also had the Mochi ice cream which is ice cream wrapped in Mochi (a glutinous rice paste), doesnt sound great, but the biting through the mochi shell into the different flavored ice cream was the perfect ending.

Go to this place. Now.

Lima's Taste

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/41742261/new_york_ny/lima_s_taste_ceviche_bar.html
What is Peruvian food? I had absolutely no idea before i happened upon this place while wandering around the West Village on a Saturday evening.

The interior was truly a sight as the chairs and tables maintain a palatial feel even in a somewhat crowded space. My favorite decoration definitely had to be the large painting with an ornate gold frame that seems to be the centerpiece of the whole room. It is a rendition of The Last Supper with one minor change...all the participants are wearing ponchos and sombreros. As a connossiuer of kitsch, this was off the charts.

When i sat down i was extremely hungry as it was about 6pm, and after a 4:30am drunken devouring of Pop Burger i had held off on any substantive meal for the day. The waiter came out with a bowl of what seemed to be nuts of some sort that were a great reprieve. They seemed lighter than normal peanuts and had a great texture and saltiness to them. I asked the waiter what type of nut they were and was told they were "roasted corn kernels". They seemed much larger than normal corn kernels, and i was told they're made from some kind of Peruvian corn called Choclo.

As this place was a self-professed "Ceviche Bar" we ordered the Ceviche Mixto as an appetizer. My only knowledge of ceviche was finely chopped seafood in some kind of marinade that you eat with tortilla chips at fancy Mexican restaurants. This was definitely a surprise and a pleasant one at that. They bring out a plate of large chunks of octopus, whole scallops and shrimp, and even a piece of the Choclo (the kernels were massive) all marinated in a mildly spicy lime juice. It was amazing. I definitely want to go back and try the other versions of this they have.

For the entree i ordered the Chicken Escaveche (i think that's the spelling). This was another solid performance as they presented a large portion of chicken breast smothered in a brown sauce. The dish was surrounded by fried Yucca, that had the appearance of large steak fries with a slightly different texture. The chicken was great as it had an unique taste that somehow did not seem spicy as the food entered your mouth, but had a hint of spice in the back of your throat somehow. Peruvian magic i guess.

We also tried the Pisco Sour drink, advertised as the "Peruvian Margarita". This was not particularly notable as it was somewhat bland. The interesting part though was i vaguely remembered hearing about a drink with a similar name that had actual beaten egg in it. Looking at the foamy appearance i decided to ask the waiter and it did turn out this was the one and only.

I definitely want to head back to this place.

Bar Six

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/11302318/new_york_ny/bar_six.html

I wanted to note this place as we were walking around looking to stop in somewhere for a quick drink and this place fit the bill perfectly. The bar setting is that of pure french bistro (along with the food menu) but the bar scene is randomly amazing. We sat at a bar table adjacent to a few old guys in tuxedos, some pure hipsters, and a few euro-looking guys. I had a drink called the Moroccan and my girlfriend had a drink called Rosie's Petal (which came garnished with an actual rose petal the bartender picks out of a bouquet). Both were great drinks to sip as neither was too sweet, nor too bitter. I definitely will check this place out again.

Del Frisco's

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/11351690/new_york_ny/del_frisco_s_double_eagle_steak_house.html
Ate at this very popular steakhouse before unfortunately heading to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (which i didnt find to be too spectacular). We started the meal with the cocktail shrimp appetizer. The dish comes with three shrimp per person, each with a different sauce (one traditional cocktail, one remoulade, and one i dont remember). It wasn't particularly notable, and wasnt even on par with the shrimp at the other major steakhouses in size or texture.

The steak at Del Frisco's is one of my favorite in New York. I had the 12oz filet and as usual, the meat was of a great quality. Getting the cut medium rare produced a perfectly red center but crispy exterior. The part i enjoy here is that there is a slighty peppery flavoring to the entire steak which precludes the need for any sauce. To accompany the steak we had a Frogs Leap 2003 Cabernet. The wine was a solid complement but nothing too powerful to commit to memory (chosen more for nostalgic purposes as i went to this vineyard back in March).

For dessert we had the Jack Daniel's Bread Pudding. This dessert was definitely out of character from normal desserts as it was more appropriate as a central focus of a meal rather than the conclusion. The pudding was an extremely thick, yet somehow creamy concoction standing in the midst of what appeared to be a plateful of a buttery-sweet sauce. The dessert was fantastic, but I would recommend it more if you were maybe just having some wine and dessert rather than to conclude a meal. Even splitting it posed a problem in trying to finish it, and I definitely can normally eat myself to death. With the dessert we had their only Muscat..not sure the vintage, but a great complement.

This place is always a great steakhouse to go if you'll be with girls as the ambience is nothing of the stereotypical old-boys club. It's afterwork midtown at its finest (whatever that means).

Le Zie:

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7104744/new_york_ny/le_zie.html

Stopped into this Italian place right near my apartment. The layout was rather interesting as the entrance on 7th ave led to a very crowded room, filled with children and gaudy decorations. We still decided to stay and after being seated i went looking for the restroom. Through a long hallway i saw what seemed to be a much quieter, cooler area, but turned out to be the "lounge" area of the same establishment.

I wasnt terribly hungry so just ordered a mussels appetizer in a standard white wine, garlic sauce. The mussels were decent and the accompanying bread was extremely fresh, yet crispy on the crust (perfect for dipping). The sauce was fairly average but nonetheless enjoyable. What has me wanting to remember this place though was what the girlfriend ordered. She had monkfish wrapped in pancetta and the dish was both visually and tastually stunning. As a fan of a more meaty fish, the pieces were just solid enough without being too chewy and the taste of the pancetta covering the fish added an amazing texture and taste addition.

As this is only a few blocks from my place i definitely will be returning to hopefully try out a more complete meal.