The Archives
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East Village, Restaurants
Duck Lunch at Momofuku Ssam Bar – NYC
01.11.13 | Permalink | 3 Comments
It’s hard to get away from work for a nice lunch. I’m not talking about Chinatown lunches where you can be in and out within fifteen minutes if you’re a fast eater like me. I’m talking about a real sit down restaurant with waiter service. But if you can, I highly recommend Momofuku Ssäm Bar for their duck lunch. MORE »
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East Village, Restaurants
Bo Ssam at Momofuku Ssam Bar – NYC
10.27.12 | Permalink | 3 Comments
Bo ssam, slow cooked pork shoulder (a variation on traditional Korean bo ssam, 보쌈, which is steamed or boiled pork belly eaten in vegetable wraps) is nothing new at Ssäm Bar, but it took me a while to get my hands on one. Why? Because as many of you probably know, eating bo ssam requires much planning. Not only do you have to round up 6-8 people, you also have to secure a highly coveted reservation on Momofuku’s online reservation system (which is a trial in itself), and then make sure the majority of your guests arrive 15 minutes within the time of the reservation. Fail at the last part, and the restaurant gives up your spot and you’re charged $200. If you want to cancel the reservation, you also have to cancel 24 hours in advance of the seating time to prevent the “penalty fee.” Two years ago I made a reservation, but leading up to the day, friends started emailing saying they might be late or they might not be able to make it because of work. The scenario was precarious at best, so I decided to cancel and reorganize for another night. Of course, that didn’t happen. In the days and weeks that followed, new restaurants, new bars, and new foods had to be tried, and bo ssam was quickly pushed off into the far lard-clogged recesses of my mind. That is until a few months ago when my friend, Christina, emailed asking if I wanted to join in on her Ssäm fest. She had already made a reservation and all I needed to do was show up. What had been difficult had become all too easy, and ultimately, oh god, so delicious. MORE »
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East Village, Home Cooking, Palisades Park, Restaurants, West Village
NYE Weekend Bites – NJ & NYC
01.06.12 | Permalink | 3 Comments
As if you haven’t heard it a million times already, Happy New Year! No New Year resolutions for me this year. I decided resolutions are bullsh*t (c’mon, you all know it’s true), so without further ado, let’s talk food! MORE »
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East Village, Restaurants
Dinner at Momofuku Ssäm Bar – NYC
07.02.10 | Permalink | 8 Comments
When I have guests from out-of-town, I always recommend Momofuku Ssäm Bar. Why? Simply put, because the restaurant is freakin’ awesome. Or to be more specific, Momofuku Ssäm makes insanely good well-crafted food that could be served in a four-star restaurant in a casual atmosphere. Unfortunately, friends are not always convinced, especially if they’re Korean. Their mentality is that while they’re in New York, they don’t want Korean food. However, Momofuku Ssäm isn’t a Korean restaurant. It’s New American with Asian influences, Korean being one of the more prominent influences. And even if they’re not Korean, they don’t want to go to Ssäm because they haven’t heard of the restaurant. They rather go to Lombardi’s or Magnolia Bakery (Lombardi’s I like, Magnolia I do not). Well, seems this year things are changing. Ever since Momofuku’s cookbook
came out last year, all of sudden the Momofuku restaurants have become New York destinations.
Last month, when Alvin came to visit and said he wanted to go to Ssäm, I was stoked. I love taking people to places I love. It’s a win-win situation, for them and my belly.
I began dinner with the Seven Spice Sour, togarashi infused sake, fresh lime juice, and yuzu. I loved it. It wasn’t spicy, but it was clean, crisp, tangy, and not too sweet. I ordered another as soon as I finished it. Alvin ordered the Celery & Nori, which he said he liked, but wished the nori flavor was stronger. MORE »
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East Village, Restaurants
Lunch at Momofuku Ssäm Bar – NYC
Steam Buns @ Momofuku Ssäm Bar
A few months ago, my mom and I decided to have a spa day courtesy of my boyfriend David. After a relaxing and somewhat painful morning of pampering (extractions hurt like a mofo), we decided to continue the theme of indulgence with lunch at Momofuku Ssäm. As I wrote in a previous post, my mom and I absolutely love, love, love Momofuku Ssäm to death. When it comes to meat, David Chang, the owner of the Momofuku restaurants, is a genius. He seems to really appreciate the actual taste of meat, as he prepares all his dishes so the natural flavors of a particular meat is always showcased. Nothing is overwhelmed with a heavy, over-seasoned sauce. MORE »
