Momofuku Ko (Part 1)

[spaetzle_maker]

next part:  scallop with ham dashi, nori, Manila clams and sea beans. Nice. Well paired with a mersenne?  Good dish but general ssam bar level 

Ok. Shaved foie with a Riesling gelee, lychee and something crunchy. Paired with a dessert sake in a twist on the classic Sauternes pairing. Mind blowing, terrific. Dish of the year. Seriously. Last meal condemned type dish. Just nuts.

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This dish is one of my favorite dishes of all time. The crunch stuff is a pinenut brittle. All of it is wonderful.

[spaetzle_maker]

The following is a live account of my meal at ko. Chicharron and a rose cava to start. First dish is stellar fluke in buttermilk with sriracha. Marvelous pairing with a sancerre. Next pairing looks like it will be a sake. It is. Pork belly with oyster and napa cabbage in a kimchee consommé. All good but the consommé is amazing and subtle. Don't get the pairing. One negative. Btw. The open kitchen and small space makes things hot. Dress accordingly. Still thinking about that consommé. A characteristic Sauvignon Blanc paired with the egg and hackleback caviar. Basically a standard haute dish. Well executed.

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When I went last night, I was actually kind of freezing, probably because I got soaked in the rain prior. I don't think that the open kitchen really made things that hot inside of Ko.

Last night the chef who was working in front of me (Sam) specifically mentioned that the egg was NOT sous vide. It is cooked within its shell, which is what would account for the egg's beautiful shape, as apparent in donbert's or Kathryn's photos. The egg is also lightly smoked, yielding an absolutely beautiful flavor which went so well with those soubise onions and hackleback caviar. Absolutely lovely. The chips are so cute and little because they are made from fingerlings.

Edited March 9, 2008 by spaetzle_maker (log)

[Nathan]

yeah, canora literally just told me the crunch was from pinenuts

[Jesikka]

Sounds fabulous...couldn't be more excited for tomorrow.

[spaetzle_maker]

I also really enjoyed the pairings when I went last night. Most memorable was the tempranillo with the beef short rib and the sake with the shaved frozen fois. The sake with the fois was just perfectly balanced.

I found the amuse of a house made english muffin with bayleaf and chives to be very nice texturally and very tasty and it paired well with the cava.

Also, there was a wine that I enjoyed and it was called something like "Skollium Project"? Nathan, do you remember what that was? I think it came with the scallops.

The first 3 desserts that I had last night were paired with something that tasted like a fortified wine with carbonation. I cannot remember what ithis wine was called. Something like "eeiii" or "iiee" but one of the vowels was really a "y". Nathan, did you have that this evening? Do you remember what it was?

These first 3 desserts were quite good: A lychee ice cream on top of sesame. Delicious. Then a milk/cereal pudding with avocado and chocolate/cereal - very inventive. Then the pineapple sorbet with candied pineapple - I think there are photos of this - a very dainty dessert. The fried apple pie is my favorite. I think what cinches it for me is that I enjoy a high ratio of pie crust to filling and by default you get that when it's a personal slice of pie.

It was nice to finally be able to finish a meal at a momofuku establishment with a short espresso.

[edsel]

Last night the chef who was working in front of me (Sam) specifically mentioned that the egg was NOT sous vide.  It is cooked within its shell, which is what would account for the egg's beautiful shape, as apparent in donbert's or Kathryn's photos. The egg is also lightly smoked, yielding an absolutely beautiful flavor which went so well with those soubise onions and hackleback caviar.  Absolutely lovely.  The chips are so cute and little because they are make from fingerlings.

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So this is sort of onsen tamago ("Hot Spring Egg"), only smoked? That's the first mention I've come across of the smoked aspect. I wonder if it's smoked in the shell.

[spaetzle_maker]

One more thing - I had mistakenly stated up thread that Ko seated 14 - it really does seat only 12, so I think Johnder was correct.

I had also said somewhere that the lighting seemed darker, but I wasn't exactly sure. Last night when I went, I was sitting in good 'ole seat number one (felt like old times). I realized while sitting there that the lighting was pretty much the same. It was the material on the floors that was different. It's much darker and is now similar or identical to what is being used at Ssam Bar whereas the floor in the old Noodle Bar was probably hard wood. It's very sleek and attractive.

[Nathan]

carbonated sherry

[spaetzle_maker]

Last night the chef who was working in front of me (Sam) specifically mentioned that the egg was NOT sous vide.  It is cooked within its shell, which is what would account for the egg's beautiful shape, as apparent in donbert's or Kathryn's photos. The egg is also lightly smoked, yielding an absolutely beautiful flavor which went so well with those soubise onions and hackleback caviar.  Absolutely lovely.  The chips are so cute and little because they are make from fingerlings.

←

So this is sort of onsen tamago ("Hot Spring Egg"), only smoked? That's the first mention I've come across of the smoked aspect. I wonder if it's smoked in the shell.

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I don't know how it is smoked. No matter what method they use, I probably can't do it at home so I'll have to be content to enjoy it whenever it can be found at a restaurant. Since this egg is smoked, it doesn't need to be sous vide to be considered special!

[Sneakeater]

Also, there was a wine that I enjoyed and it was called something like "Skollium Project"?  Nathan, do you remember what that was?  I think it came with the scallops.

This is a wine called "Helio-something Project" that's on the Ssam Bar glass list.

It's REALLY good.

[spaetzle_maker]

Also, there was a wine that I enjoyed and it was called something like "Skollium Project"?  Nathan, do you remember what that was?  I think it came with the scallops.

This is a wine called "Helio-something Project" that's on the Ssam Bar glass list.

It's REALLY good.

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I think I found it: http://www.scholiumwines.com/

Yes - this is a very nice wine...

[johnder]

Also, there was a wine that I enjoyed and it was called something like "Skollium Project"?  Nathan, do you remember what that was?  I think it came with the scallops.

This is a wine called "Helio-something Project" that's on the Ssam Bar glass list.

It's REALLY good.

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I think I found it: http://www.scholiumwines.com/

Yes - this is a very nice wine...

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Yah thats it. I recognize the label. It had a great fruit nose, but was incredibly dry and good acidity.

[spaetzle_maker]

The following is a live account of my meal at ko. Chicharron and a rose cava to start. First dish is stellar fluke in buttermilk with sriracha. Marvelous pairing with a sancerre. Next pairing looks like it will be a sake. It is. Pork belly with oyster and napa cabbage in a kimchee consommé. All good but the consommé is amazing and subtle. Don't get the pairing. One negative. Btw. The open kitchen and small space makes things hot. Dress accordingly. Still thinking about that consommé. A characteristic Sauvignon Blanc paired with the egg and hackleback caviar. Basically a standard haute dish. Well executed.

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I enjoyed that consomme as well. Tasty with a good soothing warmth. The only thing that gave me a pause was that I didn't taste kimchi.

[spaetzle_maker]

Last night the chef who was working in front of me (Sam) specifically mentioned that the egg was NOT sous vide.  It is cooked within its shell, which is what would account for the egg's beautiful shape, as apparent in donbert's or Kathryn's photos. The egg is also lightly smoked, yielding an absolutely beautiful flavor which went so well with those soubise onions and hackleback caviar.  Absolutely lovely.  The chips are so cute and little because they are make from fingerlings.

←

So this is sort of onsen tamago ("Hot Spring Egg"), only smoked? That's the first mention I've come across of the smoked aspect. I wonder if it's smoked in the shell.

←

Now I've been really puzzling over how the egg was smoked. Would any smoking procedure be able to permeate through the shell of the egg? There was no visual indication on the egg itself that it had been smoked - the white of the egg was still white. Is it possible to smoke some liquid and apply it to the egg after it is out of the shell?

[Bricktop]

$100 or a dinner at Ko says Chang doesn't care what the technique is called and thinks we're all ridiculous for still arguing about it.

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[insert standing ovation here]

[edsel]

Now I've been really puzzling over how the egg was smoked. Would any smoking procedure be able to permeate through the shell of the egg?  There was no visual indication on the egg itself that it had been smoked - the white of the egg was still white.  Is it possible to smoke some liquid and apply it to the egg after it is out of the shell?

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Eggs can absorb flavors and aromas through the shell. (If you put eggs in a jar with truffles you get truffle-scented eggs.) If they're cooking at a low temperature to keep the yolk liquid, maybe the process takes long enough for flavors to be absorbed through the shell. I don't know how you'd control the temp of a smoker precisely enough to keep the egg perfect though.

[oakapple]

sorry. I don't take pics in restaurants. Generally try to keep a low profile.

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You're "live-blogging" the whole meal, and you're concerned about keeping a low profile?

[Nathan]

you know, I don't think (after the first month or so) that it's going to be that difficult to get a reservation here -- for times early in the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday).

why? it's expensive. full meal cost per person (with tax and tip) is about $170. well worth it btw. but the number of people willing to pay that much (and eat a set tasting menu) on non-prime days is limited to begin with. it becomes an even smaller set with you narrow it down to people willing to pay that for a Sunday night meal at a counter in the EV.

we'll see. but that's my bet....

[ulterior epicure]

you know, I don't think (after the first month or so) that it's going to be that difficult to get a reservation here -- for times early in the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). 

why?  it's expensive.  full meal cost per person (with tax and tip) is about $170.  well worth it btw.  but the number of people willing to pay that much (and eat a set tasting menu) on non-prime days is limited to begin with.  it becomes an even smaller set with you narrow it down to people willing to pay that for a Sunday night meal at a counter in the EV.

we'll see.  but that's my bet....

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Is that with or without wine?

[Nathan]

with.

[Nathan]

another thing:

the food is, overall, more refined and polished than Ssam Bar. sure, if you put together 6 or 7 of Ssam and Noodle Bar's "greatest hits" (none of which were ever served all at the same time) and added a great dessert and a palate cleanser, and made a tasting menu out of them...you'd have something like Ko.

oh, and will someone please tell Mimi Sheraton before she eats there that the Ko is not the thing to order at Momofuku Ko?

[oakapple]

you know, I don't think (after the first month or so) that it's going to be that difficult to get a reservation here -- for times early in the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday).

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Well, it's less money than Per Se, and far less seating capacity than Per Se, and it took a lot more than just a month for the furore at Per Se to die down to any noticeable degree.

Of course, what we still don't know is whether it's as good as Per Se. If Bruni and/or Platt give it four stars, or even an enthusiastic three, you could be talking a year or two. I think that Bruni is itching—positively itching—to give four stars to something.

[Nathan]

you know, I don't think (after the first month or so) that it's going to be that difficult to get a reservation here -- for times early in the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday).

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Well, it's less money than Per Se, and far less seating capacity than Per Se, and it took a lot more than just a month for the furore at Per Se to die down to any noticeable degree.

Of course, what we still don't know is whether it's as good as Per Se. If Bruni and/or Platt give it four stars, or even an enthusiastic three, you could be talking a year or two. I think that Bruni is itching—positively itching—to give four stars to something.

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Per Se does a crapload of tourist, expense account and special occasion meals. I just don't see that happening with Ko. I think Ko will do plenty of business...there are enough foodies and enough buzz to make sure of that.

[oakapple]

Per Se does a crapload of tourist, expense account and special occasion meals.  I just don't see that happening with Ko.  I think Ko will do plenty of business...there are enough foodies and enough buzz to make sure of that.

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Let us generously suppose that Per Se's business is 85% "tourist, expense account and special occasion meals." That would exactly correspond to the ratio of Per Se's seating capacity to Ko's seating capacity.

On top of that, it's already clear that Ssam Bar has become a destination restaurant for "food-aware tourists," and Ko—if it's that good—will probably be even more so.

[Swicks]

Interesting stuff.

For a non new yorker, could someone put into perspective where this $170 menu with wine sits in comparison pricewise to some of the other top tables?

It sounds like from what people think its a relative bargain?