Donna Li came in to visit this weekend with Sevag, a new friend of hers. There's just something about Donna- whenever we get together, we have the most amazing food adventures! I was excited to see her again (it's been like 6 months) and to get some delicious food! (Of course) Donna suggested that we go to Momofuku Noodle Bar- and I couldn't wait.
Momofuku Noodle Bar, located on 1st Avenue in betwen 10th and 11th Street is a small (yet seemingly spacious) restaurant that specializes in their noodle dishes!- Ok, and everything else on their menu seemed pretty freakin' awesome too.
While waiting for Donna (since I was early and/or she was late), I noticed two things:
I was already in love. The fact that it is clean is awesome. But then the fact that its produce is fresh and not raised with antibiotics was even better. Yaaaaaaaaaay!!! Looking at the menu, there weren't too many choices, but with the choices they provided- it already proved to be difficult to choose! We both ended up getting the same thing- the Momofuku Ramen while Donna and Sevag also shared the Pork Steamed Buns.
Pork Steamed Buns
Momofuku RamenStarting off with the Pork Buns, I wasn't really expecting anything special- I mean- it just looks like a normal bun with some sliced pork you can find in any Chinatown/Flushing shop. Boy was I surprised when I took a bite! The pork literally melts in your mouth, and was really light and delicate. I really was expecting a heavy, oily dish thanks to the abundant amounts of fat, but it was anything but!
The ramen was also good, my favorite being the soft-boiled egg delicately placed on top. Yum! It also had two huge pieces of pork belly! The noodles were cooked perfectly while the broth was warm and so satisfying- this is what I imagine ramen tastes like in Japan! Priced at $16 (for lunch), however, this was a very pricey ramen dish (er, was it flown in from Japan?)- am I not sure if it was worth that much money.
While I was enjoying my meal, I looked up to see a curious chalkboard. Donna and I asked what it was and the server informed us that it is where they get all their produce- from local farms!
This place is awesome! Using fresh, local ingredients, I admire this place very, very much. The prices are a little steep, but the dishes are delicious, fresh and satisfying. We then ventured off to their Milk Bar shop to pick up some ice cream afterwards!
I'm not sure when I will return to Momofuku next, but I do look forward to when I am rich enough to spend $20 on some noodles for sure!!! (Thanks Sevag)
I had a great day with Donna, and we got to spend a lot of time stuffing ourselves throughout the day. Momofuku was a great choice, girl!
Food: B+
Service: A
Ambiance: A-
Price: $$$
