Momofuku Ssam Bar
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 254-3500
09/18/2006 Posted by sortmon
ive been to momofuku a couple of times and thought that it was pretty good. my friend heard about the relatively recent opening of ssam bar, so three of us went to try it out last night. unlike momofuku, ssam was pretty empty for 8pm. the interior of the place is pretty similar to momofuku like momo, theres a lot of stool seating at the counter, but ssam also has some table seating as well. i guess that the counter also doubles as the bar in ssams namesake though i didnt see anyone behind the bar serving drinks, nor did i see any alcohol. im not even sure if its even supposed to be an alcohol bar. the menu at ssam is very simple. there are 3 items on the menu flour pancakes ($9), bibb lettuce rice bowls ($13), and steamed buns ($8 for 2). for the pancake & the rice bowls, diners get to choose a filling of either berkshire pork, chicken, or tofu. the buns only come in pork or chicken. i chose the tofu flour pancake which they assembled in front of me (just like they do at chipotle). it was pretty much an asian burrito (a very big one) stuffed with rice, tofu, asian slaw, kimchee, edamame, & onions. i thought that it was overly salty (and i like salt), but wasnt bad overall. i also had a chicken steamed bun, which i found to be better than the burrito. the small bun was hot, moist, and soft and the chicken chunks in it were simmered tender. the drink menu is similarly short. they only serve OB beer, as well as smart water, vitamin water, and regular & diet dr pepper. more drink options would have been nice. in terms of service, there isnt much. diners order with burrito man, and you pay the cashier, then try to find a table. its more of a healthy fast food joint than a restaurant. overall, i thought that the place was pretty good. i was very full afterwards. i might come again if im in the area or ill go to chipotle.
Pros: steamed buns, reasonable prices, very filling food
Cons: overly salty tofu, very short drink menu
Write a review and share your thoughts with others
