Momofuku -

by unsightly

Friday Fuck-Up: Just One More Minute

So these are Momofuku’s Corn Cookies. Yes, they should be yellow, not brown. I am pretty good about using a timer when I am working on several projects around the house at once. However, when the timer went off for these I peeked and saw two of the cookies still had a slightly uncooked middle, so I popped them back in for ‘just one more minute’. I promptly got distracted by laughing at all the things that are not artisan, and about 6 minutes later smelled something funny. So I quickly grabbed them out of the oven, but it was too late. The first batch were goners.

But wait! This fuck-up is two-fold:

Porky Photo of the Day

Momofuku-style pork buns – from recipe here. Totally worth it if you’ve got an entire day to kill.

in Photos / Pig 0 comments

by BS

ES Local: Midtown Momofuku Madness in NYC

If you’ve been keeping up with the New York food blogerati over the past few days, then you know there’s been only one pressing recent world event. Clearly I’m not talking about water on the moon or health care passing the house, but Momofuku’s inevitable march into midtown. On Thursday, David Chang’s much, much, much talked about mini-chain soft opened Ma Peche, its first non-East Village location, inside the trendy Chambers Hotel. The Manhattan food world is basically treating it as a live-blog-worthy breaking news event. Here are a few of the first thoughts:

Midtown Lunch:

“The three terrine banh mi…is out of control good.”

Eater:

“I think it’s safe to say we have a new banh mi king in town”

Hotel Chatter:

“Even if you’re not into the rest of the food, you could order the cookie and a glass of milk and still have a smidgeon of the Momofuku experience. In fact, that’s what we recommend.”

Sorry, TVFF – sounds like the bahn mi trend isn’t dead quite yet.

Since it’s safe to say Ma Peche will be packed to the brim every lunch hour for the next, oh, five years or so, over at Oyster we’re looking at a few alternative spots to grab lunch in this just-south-of-Central-Park slice of Midtown.

(Photo: Food in Mouth)

in Restaurants / Sandwich 1 comments

by tvff

Cheflebrity Smörgåsbord: When in Rome

When I was asked for my last meal on earth, I immediately went Italian. I have a bit of Italian blood in me, but I’m not the typical New Jersey goombah. No, I’ve never worn a track suit and gold chain and you wouldn’t mistake me for an extra from The Sopranos. But it’s certainly the cuisine with which I most closely identify. I’m actually more Irish than Italian, but you’ve got to be kidding me if you think I’m spending my last moments with potatoes, cabbage and corned beef.

Looking at the list of my fellow ESers, I was struck by how many of them went for simple dishes that undoubtedly remind them of home, family, heritage and the positive memories of life around the dinner table. Nobody picked the twelve course tasting menu at The French Laundry. I briefly toyed with the idea of a star-studded mega-meal, but it just didn’t feel right. If you have one last shot, I think it’s best to go with something that reminds you of all the good stuff in your life.

Another wise choice for a last meal? How about a smörgåsbord?

– Well, if you were going to go high-end for your last dinner, you might want to go Jean-Georges. If he’s good enough to cook for the past four presidents, he’s good enough for you.

– James Beard winner, Philly food rock star and my personal foodie man-crush Jose Garces makes fish tacos on the Today Show. He’s pretty good on camera (hint, hint, Food Network folks!)

After the jump: a politico makes a bold statement on communicable diseases, a food festival as envisioned by William Golding, and the perfect gift for the Giada-stalker in your life.