The Momofuku Empire
I first experienced Momofuku as a senior in college when my roommate and I decided to skip Cancun and spend our spring break trying all the ramen restaurants in the City. One of our first stops was Momofuku Noodle Bar on First Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets. I won’t lie. I didn’t like it. I found the broth too salty and couldn’t finish it.
About two years later, I tried Momofuku Ssam Bar (Second Avenue on the corner of 13th Street and Second Avenue) and enjoyed it much more. In November 2008 (just a few months after I left the City), Momofuku owner David Chang expanded the Ssam Bar to include the Bakery and Milk Bar. Again, I won’t lie. I love this place. One side serves Momofuku’s delicious pork buns, and another side has dessert and amazing soft serve with flavors like marshmallow cereal milk. I opted for plain cereal milk with banana crunch topping. It tasted just like the high-sugar cereal breakfasts I ate as a kid: pure bliss.
I also spent a lot of my trip listening to people exalt about the Momofuku empire’s newest addition, Ko (First Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets). Mind you, none of these people had ever eaten at Ko. Getting a reservation there seems to require divine intervention. However, after reading Frank Bruni’s, New York Times food critic, review, I can understand the interest. (Click here for the review: http://events.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/dining/reviews/07rest.html). I am certainly interested myself.
