South of the 49th Parallel, Korean-American chef and entrepreneur David Chang founded Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Má Pêche, Milk Bar and Momofuku Ko in New York City. North of the boarder is the Great White North Toronto Financial District where David Chang's expanded Momofuku Noodle Bar TO, Nikai, Daishō and Shōtō. Towards the Indian Ocean is Momofuku Seiōbo in Sydney, Australia. I digress.
We fell more in love with David Chang after watching The Mind of a Chef produced by Anthony Bourdain.
Of course you can find the various Momofuku specialties stacked in one building at 190 University Ave right next to Shangri-La Hotel Toronto.
What do you order for big group parties at Momofuku?
One of the specialties of Momofuku is their Bo Ssam. Essentially, this is no small task for one person. Which is why it is perfect for large group dinners. Momofuku Daisho features large format meals that are served family-style. Reservations are required and Daisho offers mulitple large format meals for parties of 4-10 people.
I'm still amazed at the notion some hold 'sharing' food with such a shock value. Family style / sit-down meals, where dishes of food are placed center of table in large portions from which diners serve themselves are customary at home. It seems once we 'go out to eat', this becomes a big deal.
Bo Ssam is Korean for wrapped. It includes a whole slow roasted 6-8 hours pork butt with a brown sugar and kosher salt rub, a dozen oysters, white rice, bibb lettuce, ssäm sauce (korean bbq sauce), kimchi and ginger scallion sauce.
You are encouraged to make wraps with the pork and condiments or eat as they please.
$240 for your entire party (6-10 people), not including additional food and drinks ordered, tax and tip.
Chicken Buns 6 each: Fried chicken with pickled turnip, date hoisin, scallion wrapped in an open faced big bun. Nothing special and over-hyped. The infamous pork buns are not available on the 3rd floor Momofuku Daisho. Can not be brought up from the first floor Momofuku Noodle Bar because they are 'two seperate restaurants operating in the same building'. If you must insists on enjoying your pork buns made with hoisin, scallion and cucumber, you can order take out and physically walk it upstairs to your seat! Seems awfully a lot of trouble for just one dai bao we can do without!
Fluke Sashimi 14: Marinated in citrus oil with a wash of buttermilk, yuzu and Sirracha. The fish was much too fishy. If would not order this again. Seriously, this was not worth the calories!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette. This is a side plate added on to the Bo Ssam. Tasty and something I would love to make at home.
Momofuku Milk Bar Milk Store in on the second floor off from Nikai cocktail lounge and closes at 11pm. This little section 'grocery' store fits no more than six people. What to buy from the Milk Store?
Crack Pie is available in single servings for $6 or $48 for a whole pie. Unlike Milk Bar in NYC, these are flew in and stocked. The sugar pie is super sweet with a crumbly crust steeped in syrup.
Cookies! Plastic wrapped cookies at $2 each or $11 for six. Best sellers are compost cookie packed with graham crackers, butterscotch and chocolate chips, potato chips, pretzels and coffee ground. I actually prefer the cornflake marshmallow maple-pecan-coconut cookie. I like the soft chewiness of the marshmallow. Also available are blueberry & cream, peanut butter, and corn.
Momofuku Milk Bar is the bakery dessert pioneered by Christina Tosi and David Chang. Two of my favorite recipe books are Milk Bar Life: Recipes & Stories
and the classic Momofuku Milk Bar
. You can also make cereal milk cupcakes!
Speaking of cereal milk, you must try the cereal milk soft served ice cream! Slightly salty and loads of sweet. Crunchy cereal corn flakes are sprinkled on top and settled on the bottom.
Now I can say that I've been to Momofuku. I feel that not everything blew our minds or was a delicious as anticipated. I do blame it on the hype. Just like the hype that brings countless patrons requesting for the pork bun on the third floor only to find that it is only available at the noodle bar.
Now you will just have to go and judge it for yourself! Let us know what you liked or didn't like about it in the comments below!
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FOLLOW:
Momofuku Daisho Toronto Daisho;
Momofuku Noodle Bar;
Momofuku Nikai; and
Momofuku Shōtō.
URL: http://momofukutoronto.com
Cuisine: Japanese, Korean, Asian-Fusion
Hours:
Mon 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Tue 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Wed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Thu 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Sat 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Sun 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
190 University Avenue, Toronto, ON
(647) 253-8000
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