Momofuku Noodle Bar
(212) 777-7773
171 1st Ave
New York,
NY
10003
40.7299
-73.9842
Neighborhoods: Downtown, East Village
What People Are Saying About Momofuku Noodle Bar
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Though this hectic noodle nook has moved down the block, the airy space retains the unified light-wood walls and counter seating of the old location, and a larger capacity helps ease waits for a table. Good news, as the place is still chock-full of nattily dressed East Villagers, citywide trekkers and the odd slurping celeb, all tended to by an unruffled staff.
The Food
Chef David Chang strikes some of his most vibrant notes in the openers, such as pork buns whose sweet dough plays off the flavor of the tender, luxuriantly fatty meat. Tart accents add snap to fresh oysters with pickled lemon, and smokiness has its day in the fantastic, Southern-tinged dish of full-bloomed shrimp, creamy grits and bacon. By comparison, the enormous ramen bowls taste subdued but are still rewarding. Pork, duck and other meats meld into the hearty, full-bodied base, making for fragrant mouthfuls of noodles, poached egg and, in another soulful twist, mellowed collard greens.
User Reviews
bucentaur
May 01, 2009
we followed the recommedation from another well known restaurant guide to this Japanese noodle bar with high hopes. However it turned out to be a not so enjoyable experience. The first thing we noticed was that the seats were REALLY uncomfortable to sit on no to mention the elbow to elbow setting (although that's a given for any city dinning). After settling down with a view of the kitchen, I realized that this so called "Japanese noodle house" has no Japanese chef in the kitchen, not even a single asian face in front of the stoves. A great indication of the authenticity of the food one would expect. When our food came, the whole meal experience went downhill even more quickly. My wife ordered a serving of diver scalop with a price tag of $12. It turned out to be ONE single scalop, yes, ONE single not-so-big prefrozen scalop! Not the fancy type with the shell on, even smaller than the kind of scalop you would get from costco for $10.99 a POUND! What a rip-off... when the noodle came, again the portion was miniscule. The ramen it self was pre-made dry noodle, and the broth, which is suppose to be the essence of Japanese ramen, was plain and salty. For anyone interested in Japanese ramen, I strongly suggest you to turn away from this over-rated place. In fact, with a similar price tag, the nearby ipudo-NY can make you much happier after a meal.
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chenjilltw
March 28, 2009
While this restaurant is indisputably hip, I think that food-lovers and ramen-connoisseurs will be highly disappointed in this place. If you really want a delicious bowl of ramen, this WILL disappoint you. My bowl didn't have nearly enough broth or ramen. The staff was pretentious and unsympathetic when I told them I wasn't happy with my entree, and my waitress made me feel as if I were wrong for having high expectations. "Men Kui Tei" or "Sapporo East", also in the East Village, are far superior options in my opinion. If you want a great bowl of ramen, I recommend you go to a place that cares about quality more than a place like this. To be honest, I get the sense this place seeks to take advantage of its location and seeks to make business off customers who don't know quality ramen. You can do much, much better if you want a better meal! Top Ramen brand instant noodle might be comparable to this restaurant. However, if all you care about is modern decor, you may enjoy this place.
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sswww
March 02, 2009
Noodle is delicious esp. the soup.Noodle is delicious esp. the soup.Noodle is delicious esp. the soup.Noodle is delicious esp. the soup.Noodle is delicious esp. the soup.
read full reviewThe Details on Momofuku Noodle Bar
What to Drink:
Among the small selection of sakes, Masumi is an exceptional, dry but rounded variety that can be ordered by the glass ($11).
Local Favorite:
No reservations are taken and the space fills up early, so you may need a drink around the corner at Company.
Know Before You Go:
There's only one nonmeat noodle dish--so this isn't the place for your veggie date.
The Extras:
Visit Chang's spin-off, the more experimental Ssam Bar.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
