I’ve tried really hard to not order pork every single time I go here but it’s impossible. The Momofuku steamed pork buns might just be my favorite dish New York City has to offer, and the new addition of the BBQ rib sandwich? Are you kidding me? This thing is unbelievable! So there you go, two pork appetizers before we even get into the mains. Bottom line is, if you’re going to the Ssäm bar, you’re hanging out with Johnny McEnroe, drinking OB’s by the bottle (the only reasonably priced beer at five dollars – the Coors Light of South Korea) and eating a serious amount of pig. If you really want to take your pig consumption to the next level and are rolling deep, you can call ahead and have them prepare the $200 Bo Ssäm that easily feeds ten. It’s a whole butt served with a dozen oysters over kimichi, rice, and bibb lettuce. New Yorkers aren’t stupid. We wouldn’t voluntarily wait 45 minutes to an hour at David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants if the food wasn’t ridiculously amazing. Believe the hype, it’s worth the calories. The haters are just jealous.
Much has been said, on this site and every other media outlet in New York City, about David Chang and his “Momofuku Empire”. While its true that there is a bit of an Infatuation man crush going on here, I will also be the first to admit that the Momofuku Noodle Bar does not always live up to the hype (how could it?). It can be pricey depending on how you order, and it’s not the easiest place to get a table. There are definitely other celebrated ramen establishments in the neighborhood that serve a cheaper bowl of noodles, but to visit Momofuku Noodle bar in hopes of spending 10 bucks on some soup is to miss the point altogether. What makes the place special are all those other things on the menu that keep me coming back for a bar seat at the open kitchen like I’m actually going to learn something (I won’t). Come for the fried chicken special, come because there is pork in damn near everything, come because they have a soft serve machine, and come because they have a solid beer list. Make an evening out of trying new things and you won’t leave disappointed. Steinthal and I may argue over whether Momofuku or Ippudo claim title to the best steamed pork bun in the city, but we both certainly agree that Momofuku Noodle Bar is an indisputable Infatuation favorite.
You know that friend of yours who was really crazy in her twenties and went out clubbing every night, but then she got a boyfriend and sort of went off the grid, but now she’s single again and looking to party? Yeah, that girl goes to Double Crown like, all the time.
Double Crown is a bar and restaurant where people who have outgrown the club scene hang out. At least this crowd knows it and doesn’t still wait in line outside of Greenhouse on the weekends. Or maybe they do, but they just eat here first. Either way, the place is a scene, but one with pretty good food. The short description of the menu at Double Crown is that it’s Colonial Asian, meaning the cuisine that resulted from British expansion into Southeast Asia. We’ll go ahead and just call it Pan-Asian, and we had some dishes that were very good. It’s a bit on the pricey side for sure, but the cheaper things on the menu tend to be the better choices, and the $35 Sunday Nyonya Dinner is a good deal. As for the atmosphere, the room basically looks like a west side mega-club with better lighting, but it’s tasteful and doesn’t feel too kitschy. I’m pretty sure this restaurant is exactly what Shang was supposed to be, just with customers and food that doesn’t taste like poison.
I usually have a keen sense for the exact moment when something is going to take a turn for the worse. Just like any time a big name rapper appears in the opening credits to a blockbuster action film, sometimes you just know things are about to suck. I found myself confronted with exactly such a moment when I made my recent trip to Fatty Crab in the West Village. I rolled in with a party of six, and was initially told my table would be ready in ten minutes. Twenty passed, and then came the “wait, Common is in this?” moment. The host explained that the table of two he was expecting to leave just ordered an extra vegetable and some beers. At this point, I had to be at a show in forty minutes and had no choice but to wait it out or head to the Highline hungry. I chose the former, and waited for my table, now convinced that my rushed dinner would be a huge disappointment. Luckily, I was wrong. Once we finally sat, our waitress hit the ground hustling and made sure we not only got out of there in time, but also had a killer meal. Fatty Crab is not for everyone. The food is Malaysian, and the flavors aggressive. However, if that sounds like your style, you are in serious business. The chili crab is fantastic, and the watermelon pickle and crispy pork salad belongs in the pork dish hall of fame. I did happen to be with a friend who travels to the region often, and he made it clear that while Fatty Crab is good, there are other authentic joints in Manhattan that do excellent Malaysian food for a fraction of the price … sounds like we’ve got some research to do.
As much as it pains us to say this, Momofuku Midtown is disappointing. We’ve been camping out here for a while now, eating our way through multiple incarnations of the lunch menu in multiple locations (hotel bar, and official restaurant space). Our verdict? It’s no question that that Má Pêche is a welcome addition to the midtown lunch scene, but it’s nowhere near as awesome as Ssam or Noodle Bar. You know that automatic feeling of “hell yes” you experience when headed to one of those other joints? Don’t expect that from Má Pêche. Sure, there are some good bites on the menu, but you wont find anything as indulgent and satisfying as the Momofuku specialties we’ve grown to know and love in the East Village. Plus, this shit is expensive. I guess that’s to be expected when you are closer in proximity to the Plaza than you are to the Mercury Lounge. There’s also something oddly uncomfortable about the space. The upstairs bar is strangely lit and sterile..almost like something you’d find in Terminal 5 at JFK. The main dining room feels like the perfect venue for a douchey finance guy’s annual white party. Not exactly comfortable dining in either scenario, but we’re sure the execs at News Corp will love it.
Photo Credit: Daniel Krieger
