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má pêche


weinoo

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That's a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't situation, though. If Ma Peche isn't enough like the downtown Momos, people will complain. If it's too much like the downtown Momos -- which to me seems like a triumph -- people will complain.

I think the restaurant space is nicer than folks are acknowledging. It's certainly nicer than the downtown spaces. It's a real restaurant. They've got the big wooden X-shaped communal table, which I haven't seen before (not that I'm the authority on decor), and they've exposed the concrete beams (as well as poured concrete floors) so I think it has a Momofuku look even if it isn't the world's most unique, dramatic, gorgeous restaurant space. But ultimately the Momofuku aesthetic isn't decor-centric. It's food-centric.

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That's a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't situation, though. If Ma Peche isn't enough like the downtown Momos, people will complain. If it's too much like the downtown Momos -- which to me seems like a triumph -- people will complain.

Well, I guess that depends on who you believe the target audience is. Certainly, people who love Tien's food (and I count myself among them) will want to come up town to see what's going on?

But if it's simply a rehash of Ssam Bar (in its glory days), then it probably won't move enough of those people on a regular basis to make the trek. But it'll probably be great for those who never wanted or bothered to make the trip downtown. Whether they become repeat customers (as many Ssam, Noodle Bar, and Ko people appear to be) remains to be seen. And we've had the discussion many times as to how important repeat customers are to a restaurant's business model.

The biggest loser, imo, is Ssam Bar, which has been suffering, at least according to varied reports, without Tien at the helm.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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> But it'll probably be great for those who never wanted or bothered to make the trip downtown.

Or thought that the wooden backless seats were too uncomfortable, or the restaurant was too loud, etc.

Ssam Bar, AFAIK, isn't adding new dishes to the menu at the rapid pace it used to under Tien, but the new pate, fried baby artichokes, and sticky rice stuffed quail are excellent.

"I'll put anything in my mouth twice." -- Ulterior Epicure
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You must also try the spicy honeycomb tripe dish at Ssam Bar: far from being heavy, the dish is refreshing and light. The whole porgy is also delicious, and can be shared by two or three people.

But I must agree with some of the earlier posters: Ssam Bar did lose its focus when Tien Ho departed for Midtown. The menu remained stagnant for months while the kitchen re-staffed itself, and it is only recently that the menu has been slowly revamped by Tim Maslow, Ryan Miller and Chris Lin. Even Momofuku Ko's menu remained stagnant during the first quarter of this year; it is only last month that new dishes were being introduced. It is only at Noodle Bar where the spirit of innovation continues to burn brightly.

Edited by The Food Doc (log)
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I was having a particularly lousy day at work, so I took myself to Ma Peche for lunch (two blocks away from my office--this is going to be very bad for my diet). I arrived at 12:30, and the nice maitre d' said while there would be a wait for table seating, I could have a seat at the raw bar immediately. Decided since I sit on bar stools at Ko all the time, no problem sitting at the bar for lunch today. Happy to report very padded bar seats. Small bar area (4 seats). Very attentive service. Finally met Corey Lane (Service Director); Corey is a "doll". He kept checking in on me to make sure everything was okay. Margaret who took care of me, was also very attentive. I sent my regards to Chef Sam (who always took great care of me when he was at Ko). I couldn't decide what to order (everything sounds great). I decided on the Asparagus salad with crab and egg yolk (and the tiny potato chips that are served with the egg and onion subise at the dinner at Ko). Everything worked wonderfully! Flavors were great, and the textures were great. Very generous portion too! Glad I didn't also order the fluke and pineapple (next time). I also ordered the pork ribs with lemongrass and caramel--delicious! The meat was very flavorful and tender. The meat fell off the bones. I was "gifted" with an order of the chicken and morels pate with pickled ramps. This was excellent too and a very generous portion. Needless to say I was very full at the end of lunch. Also received an oyster as another gift--very fresh and tasty. Made my way back to the office, and had a chocolate chip/marshmallow/cornflake cookie for dessert that I had bought from Milk Bar yesterday--really addictive! Bottom line: Ma Peche is a great addition to the midtown restaurant scene. You know I'll be back to try the rest of the menu.

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> But it'll probably be great for those who never wanted or bothered to make the trip downtown.

Or thought that the wooden backless seats were too uncomfortable, or the restaurant was too loud, etc.

Yeah, I mean, just to be painfully clear, when I said the Momofuku organization was trying something different here, I meant "different in feel."

I know a lot of people who don't go to the other Momofuku restaurants ONLY because of issues with the noise and comfort level (things that others of us, like me, affirmatively enjoy). These people might like Ma Peche even if -- make that ESPECIALLY if -- the food is just a retread of Ssam Bar's. Although, knowing Tien, I doubt it will be.

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Had dinner last night at Ma Peche. One dish not available during lunch service: the cote de porc. It is a huge pork chop from Bev Eggleston Farms in Virginia, cooked medium with a lovely outer crust. It is served in a brass fish fry pan, deboned and sliced, with fingerling potatoes, peas, and spring garlic tossed in sour cream. The pork just is flavored with orange marmalade and a hint of habanero peppers. It is a fantastic dish: the pork is succulent and bursting with flavor, the peas give some much needed sweetness to the dish, and the jus is unbelievably flavorful. Paired with a nice red Burgundy, and I was in porcine heaven. Kudos to Tien Ho and his kitchen staff! Also, my thanks to both Colin Alevras and Cory Lane for making the dining experience just wonderful.

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  • 1 month later...

Just returned from another (my third) great lunch at Ma Peche. I made a reservation for the prix fixe lunch (very easy to make reservations on the Momofuku website), showed up a bit early and was greeted very warmly by Colby (their maitre d'). I was given a choice to sit at a table, the communal table or at the raw bar. I chose an individual table. It was very nice that I was given the choice. I chose (upon a good recommendation by my wait-person) the squid salad and the steak frites. The squid salad is terrific. The delicate squid rings work beautifully with the cilantro, fish sauce, scallions and pearl onions. I was "gifted" with a pork spring roll (I was having difficulty deciding between the squid salad and the spring rolls). The spring roll is served cold in a soft (not fried) wrapper with large chunks of very tender pork and julienned vegetables. Nice dipping sauce of (I think) hoisin and peanuts. The steak frites were great! Smaller portion than the regular menu, but plenty for me (four very thick slices of medium rare beef). The beef had a nice crust and a very "beefy" taste. The rice fries are wonderful. Dessert was a "taste" of cereal milk panna cotta and crack pie. For $25, this is a great value, and I'll be returning regularly for the prix fixe as well as the regular menu. Since Ma Peche is only 2 blocks from my office, it is a very welcome addition to the midtown dining scene. Service was very attentive.

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I was given a choice to sit at a table, the communal table or at the raw bar. I chose an individual table. It was very nice that I was given the choice.

It's not unusual to be given such a choice, when all are available. It seems to me that the Momofukus' typical level of service is so sub-standard, that when they do just the normal ordinary thing that we ought to expect in a well run restaurant, they are praised as "very nice".

Edited by oakapple (log)
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If a restaurant is busy or expects to be busy they would usually not offer a choice but put a single eater there where they can maximize revenue.

I haven't been but I would think it is crowded even at lunch, so offering a single "luncher" a choice is indeed nice.

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If a restaurant is busy or expects to be busy they would usually not offer a choice but put a single eater there where they can maximize revenue.

I haven't been but I would think it is crowded even at lunch, so offering a single "luncher" a choice is indeed nice.

I have been there twice when it was two-thirds empty for the entire visit, and others have reported the same. A person of my acquaintance was offered ONLY the bar at 10:00 p.m., when the place was near empty. One would need to be awfully naive to suppose that suddenly all of those seats were going to be occupied (which, of course, they weren't).

I'm sure they have busy times, as well, even if I haven't seen it that way yet.

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I've always been treated very well at both Ko, and now, Ma Peche, so I wasn't "surprised" that I was given the choice of seating (I thought it was nice especially since the restaurant became completely filled 15 minutes later). The funny thing is that Daniel Boulud's restaurants are heralded as tops in service, and yet when I've dined at two of his restaurants (Daniel and db Bistro Moderne), both maitres d' tried (unsucessfully) to seat me at some of the worst tables even when the restaurants were empty. This is the reason why I spend my money at David Chang restaurants and not Daniel Boulud restaurants. I also find the food at David Chang restaurants (especially at Ko) to be light years superior to Daniel Boulud restaurants. In fact, I wouldn't even go to Daniel for free. I think the prix fixe reservation system at Ma Peche is filling the restaurant. $25 for lunch is a great deal for midtown. I expect to return to Ma Peche on a regular basis.

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