Momofuku Ssäm Bar (2006–2007)

[spaetzle_maker]

They're now offering two tasting menus, with wine pairings available. One was $45, the other was $75 I think (can't remember, ate too much Bo Ssam, will have to check my friends' photos). There was nothing on the tasting menus you couldn't get off of the regular menu, but they both seemed like very good values for the price, as well as a good way to try many of the dishes at once. You can find the menus on the first page of the wine list (bound black book).

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Wow!!!!

Edited December 2, 2007 by spaetzle_maker (log)

[BryanZ]

Exciting! A precursor to Ko?

[kathryn]

45$

American Country Ham

Castell Roig Rose Cava, Brut NV (Penedes)

Steamed Buns and Seasonal Pickles

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Buchegger 'Holzgasse' Gruner Veltliner 2006 (Kremstal)

Spicy Pork Sausage and Rice Cakes

Marinated Hangar Steak Ssam

Valdehermoso, 'Roble' 2005 (Ribera del Duero)

Wine pairing 25$ supplemental

75$

Cured Hamachi -- edamame, horseradish, pea leaves

Momofuku Nama Honjozo

American Country Ham Tasting

The Black Chook, Sparkling Shiraz N.V. (McLaren Vale)

Honeycrisp Apple Kimchi -- Burgers' smoked jowl, maple labne, arugula

Steamed Pork Buns & Seasonal Pickles

Bruder Dr. Becker, Spatlese Scheurebe 2006 (Rheinhessen)

Grilled Veal Sweetbreads -- pickled roasted chilies, lime

Spicy Pig's Head Torchon (Newman's Farm, MO) -- red adzuki beans, spicy mustard

Scholium Porject, 'Heliopolis' 2006 (Suisan Valley)

Spicy Tripe Salad -- poached egg, frisee

Dessert

Carbonated Nigori Sho Chiku Bai

Served Family Style

Menu Priced Per Person

Only Available For Entire Table

Wine pairing $40 supplemental

[tupac17616]

wow.

[spaetzle_maker]

I agree that the tasting menu looks like a nice way to get a good, balanced sampling of the ssam bar menu.

I don't think it's a precursor to Ko at all. Everything on the tasting menu is already on the regular ssam bar menu. However, looking at the price, I think this tasting menu offers a lot for very good value.

[BryanZ]

Yes, seeing the menu itself suggests it's not a precursor to Ko. I was imagining previews of Ko-like dishes, perhaps like the shaved foie from above.

[Greystreet]

45$

American Country Ham

Castell Roig Rose Cava, Brut NV (Penedes)

Steamed Buns and Seasonal Pickles

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Buchegger 'Holzgasse' Gruner Veltliner 2006 (Kremstal)

Spicy Pork Sausage and Rice Cakes

Marinated Hangar Steak Ssam

Valdehermoso, 'Roble' 2005 (Ribera del Duero)

Wine pairing 25$ supplemental

75$

Cured Hamachi -- edamame, horseradish, pea leaves

Momofuku Nama Honjozo

American Country Ham Tasting

The Black Chook, Sparkling Shiraz N.V. (McLaren Vale)

Honeycrisp Apple Kimchi -- Burgers' smoked jowl, maple labne, arugula

Steamed Pork Buns & Seasonal Pickles

Bruder Dr. Becker, Spatlese Scheurebe 2006 (Rheinhessen)

Grilled Veal Sweetbreads -- pickled roasted chilies, lime

Spicy Pig's Head Torchon (Newman's Farm, MO) -- red adzuki beans, spicy mustard

Scholium Porject, 'Heliopolis' 2006 (Suisan Valley)

Spicy Tripe Salad -- poached egg, frisee

Dessert

Carbonated Nigori Sho Chiku Bai

Served Family Style

Menu Priced Per Person

Only Available For Entire Table

Wine pairing $40 supplemental

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Can't wait any longer...the ache in my craving glands...

[Nathan]

that new mackerel dish with the pear is darn good....

heh..this couple sat down next to us last night. five minutes later after perusing the menu: "sorry, I guess we're going to go. we're vegetarians and this menu seems kind of meat heavy".....

[tupac17616]

heh..this couple sat down next to us last night.  five minutes later after perusing the menu:  "sorry, I guess we're going to go.  we're vegetarians and this menu seems kind of meat heavy".....

poor souls

[kathryn]

The new pork belly ssam is great. Grilled pork belly, sliced thick, in long strips. Like giant bacon! And tasty razor clams (cut into small pieces on the bias) with tiny bits of more bacon and some thai (?) chile in there too. (Hello, I'd like my bacon with bacon, please.) And mustard seed - a creamy cold slaw with a hint of horseradish. Mmmm.

I'm lukewarm on the new spicy chocolate cake with banana, but I generally feel that bananas are a breakfast food.

[Greystreet]

The new pork belly ssam is great. Grilled pork belly, sliced thick, in long strips. Like giant bacon! And tasty razor clams (cut into small pieces on the bias) with tiny bits of more bacon and some thai (?) chile in there too. (Hello, I'd like my bacon with bacon, please.) And mustard seed - a creamy cold slaw with a hint of horseradish. Mmmm.

I'm lukewarm on the new spicy chocolate cake with banana, but I generally feel that bananas are a breakfast food.

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Pictures please...

[kathryn]

[spaetzle_maker]

Wow! that looks beautiful! I ran into Kathryn on her way out of Ssam Bar on Saturday - although she did snag the last pork belly ssam, the kitchen graciously satisfied my need for pork belly. My pork belly ssam was slightly different than Kathryn's but also very delicious. Pork belly is always great, razor clams cut on the bias are beautiful, but the mustard! THE MUSTARD! Absolutely fabulous. The best mustard I've ever had in my life. Tasty and so visually gorgeous.

[HOLLY_L]

I have a question, don't know if I will get a response in time, but hopefully someone on these boards might know. I am in NY today, and already have dinner reservations at EMP. I was thinking I would do lunch at Momofuku Ssam, but I looked at the website and realized a lot of these great dishes you're all talking about are dinner only, and the lunch menu is much abbreviated. Should I still go for lunch, and if so, what is best to order? Should I go to Momofuku Noodle Bar (which seems to have regular menu at lunch?) instead?

[Fat Guy]

One should basically never go to Ssam Bar for lunch, for the reason you've stated. The best bet at lunch has long been Noodle Bar. That said, I haven't yet been to the new Noodle Bar location so I can't vouch for it 100%.

[BryanZ]

The obvious answer is to have two (or even three) dinners. Here's how I'd swing it.

1) Shake Shack for a Shack Burger and small custard.

2) Burn off those calories by walking the 300 feet to EMP. Order the Gourmand.

3) Post-dinner drinks at Flatiron Lounge.

4) Late-night dinner at MSB.

That is about as good as you can do for eating in NYC right now. In fact, I may do the exact same when I'm home for the holidays.

[HOLLY_L]

The obvious answer is to have two (or even three) dinners.

I wish - I am already being optimistic about having lunch and dinner! Yesterday I had lunch at JG (thanks to all the recommendations here) - prior to actually eating the lunch, I thought I would go to Ssam Bar for dinner afterwards. But the dishes were so tempting (I wanted everything!), that I ordered 4, and then was foolish enough to get cheese and dessert. I still might have been able to make it to Ssam Bar with an early lunch, but my JG lunch was at 1:45. And I still thought about going late night, but ended up being too tired/stuffed to stay up past 10.

I think I will try Noodle Bar and will report back in that thread. Thanks!

[BryanZ]

Psh, if you must.

In all seriousness though, a 6 course late lunch at JG is about as good as you can get for daytime dining in NYC, so you certainly got that right. Just don't order the noodles at Momo proper or, at the least, share with someone. Focus on the other items.

[Fat Guy]

I wouldn't even call Noodle Bar a second choice or compromise. I've had meals at Noodle Bar that were better than meals I've had at Ssam Bar.

[kathryn]

The obvious answer is to have two (or even three) dinners.  Here's how I'd swing it.

1) Shake Shack for a Shack Burger and small custard.

2) Burn off those calories by walking the 300 feet to EMP.  Order the Gourmand.

3) Post-dinner drinks at Flatiron Lounge.

4) Late-night dinner at MSB.

That is about as good as you can do for eating in NYC right now.  In fact, I may do the exact same when I'm home for the holidays.

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Or

3. Go to PDT for a cocktail and a Chang dog

4. Then go to MSB for a late night dinner (open until 2am)

[Nathan]

Noodle Bar for lunch. kimchee stew is nice for this weather but the non-noodle items are the way to go.

[zEli173]

One should basically never go to Ssam Bar for lunch, for the reason you've stated. The best bet at lunch has long been Noodle Bar. That said, I haven't yet been to the new Noodle Bar location so I can't vouch for it 100%.

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I take exception with this blanket statement. I agree that lunch at the Ssam bar bears little relationship to the real Momofuku experience, but it has it's virtues. The primary one being affordability. For $12 their lunch deals are a pretty good deal. Plus, it's quick and hassle free.

IMO, the lunch combo is a great way to go if you're looking for some pork buns as you can have two of them, along with pickled vegetables -- another signature item --, a side, and a soda. The sides are just a means of recycling leftover ingredients from the main menu and they've never really impressed me, but they ain't bad.

I'm less excited about the other combos. From the first time I heard of it, the burrito style Ssam never sounded terribly appealing to me. I did eventually get around to trying one, and that just confirmed my skepticism. The rice bowls are basically just deconstructed burritos. Still, while nothing worth writing home about, these two choices still make a pretty decent lunch.

So yes, if one were to just have lunch at Ssam, he would really be missing the point of Momofuku. But it's not to be completely dismissed, especially for pork bun fans (i.e. everyone).

[johnder]

I actually like the lunch at momo ssam, I go there at least once a week. Yes, it isn't the same experience you get at dinner, but you get small samples of things that are available at dinner, like the apple kimchi.

I think the pork bento box is one of the best deals around. (after the Gramercy Tavern 12 buck soup and sandwich)

I would much rather pay 12 bucks for berkshire pork bowl than 10 bucks for some crap from the deli.

[Fat Guy]

To rephrase: you can get a tasty, economical lunch at Ssam Bar, but it would be crazy to go to Ssam Bar for lunch expecting to get anything like the dinner experience we've spent 599 posts raving about here. If you want something akin to that experience at lunchtime, you have to go to Noodle Bar.

[spaetzle_maker]

Just because I want to be the 600th post... HOLLY_L, I look forward to hearing your reports. I hope that if you went to noodle bar, you got the new smoked duck breast dish with sour cream that's been sweetened with cinnamon, some beautiful mustard, diced quince and arugula. The noodle soups and other soups (kimchi stew, beef brisket nyumen, etc..) are also wonderful for a cold winter's day, but are a tad filling for a lunchtime meal.