In early December, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy Sunday lunch at Momofuku Ko in the East Village. Getting seats at the 12-person counter requires careful planning and online reservations - and to say the price tag for lunch is steep is an understatement. But if you're a foodie, there's no money better spent! This was, without question, our best meal of 2010 - and likely our best meal ever to date.
No photos are allowed in the restaurant, so we only got a shot of the outside door - nondescript except for the signature peach. However, we did record the menu and our impressions (with at little help from our new friends in the next seats over) - all 16 courses! See below.
Menu from Momofuku Ko – 12.5.10
1) Carrot puree sticks (lightly fried on the outside), beef tongue with yogurt and rye toast, oyster with sweet potato vinegar
2) Amazing risotto with pumpkin seeds and duck
3) Sashimi - Madera - Japanese snapper-like fish with chives (my fave), Spanish mackerel with beets (thadd's fave), Fluke (had barbeque’d flavor), New Jersey scallops with buttermilk sauce and poppy seeds.
4) Australian wagyu beef with turnip greens, Santa Barbara uni with pea shoots and horseradish (puree looked like pumpkin - not our fave)
5) Pig face salad - thinly shaved pig, apples, Japanese yuzu (tangerine type fruit from California, originally only produced in Japan)- great, tangy, ash, pork cracklings, micro seaweed.
6) Oxtail consommé - vegetable tortellini, sprouts – cilantro (Ravioli made out of thinly sliced daikon radish)
7) Breakfast - 7 courses in! Puffed egg from upstate New York– made with a nitrogen whip cream canister, bacon broth. Thadd thought this dish had too much bacon flavor.
8) Bento box - duck meatball in black cherry and tomato sauce, clam both with littleneck clam (chilled), broccoli with house made XO sauce, and grilled rice rolled in pork fat. Loved the duck meatball!
9) Japanese mushroom ravioli (sourced from mikuni) and matsutake mushroom tea.
10) Almond crusted skate - almond milk foam...lots more stuff. Cauliflower.
11) Shaved Hudson Valley Foie Gras - with lychee and pine nut brittle. Riesling jello. Phenomenal.
12) Squab with black olives and sunchokes. White grapes, roasted. Artichoke. Squab. Potatoes in bacon fat. Granola barley and chestnuts.
13) Gruyere consommé. Toasted brioche with onion jam and lemon confit.
14) Pear compote. Peppercorn citrusy ice cream - Japanese.
15) Bittersweet chocolate pudding ice cream. Puff corn rice. Little glass of Hazelnut milk.
16) Vegetable kimchi onigiri to take for later!
