Japanese cheesecakes topped with shaved black truffles
Momofuku Ko
Background:
David Chang is a food god, and Jason’s conduit to the world of fine dining [see our review of Momofuku Noodle Bar here]. We love his brash attitude towards vegetarians, his lack of adherence to silly rules of “fine dining” and his prolific nature in the restaurant business. If Chang opened it, we will come. Also, Jason has broken his “only sports” rule to allow us to watch Mind of a Chef (briefly, and only in between sporting events), the first season of which is hosted by Chang himself. There is nothing we like more than watching Chang slurp ramen all over the world, except for getting the chance to visit one of his restaurants and eat his delicious food!
Lil' baby peacho
Momofuku Ko is Chang’s fanciest restaurant--the only option is a 13-17 course tasting menu. Head Chef Sean Grey operates the kitchen with precision and grace, which we got to see first hand as we sat in the seats overlooking the kitchen. This is the best of both worlds--great food and getting to see how the sausage gets made (Hamilton reference in honor of the other cool thing we did that same weekend).
Jason visited the original location of Ko when they first opened--this location is much larger and features cool art from artist David Choe, and you can see the duck and beef aging in glass cases along the back wall.
The best seat in the house
We really pushed our limits of lateness with this visit--we had a 12:30 reservation and a 4:00 flight. We decided we were just going to go for it and take our time, and if we missed the flight, so be it. We were super casual until we almost actually missed the flight, and then we were those people frantically running through the airport and the gate door was closed literally right behind us. We cut it close but we made it, and we got to enjoy one of the best meals of our lives. Who says you can’t have it all?
Eat This:
Pomme souflée, lobster paloise, chicken oyster, white kimchi
It's a Sunday afternoon, baby, and I'm alive
24 karat kimchi shooters in the air
These three amuse bouches were a favorite of the entire evening. The pomme souflée was essentially a crispy little potato chip filled with a delicious cream, and the lobster paloise was like a crunchy lobster roll. J'adore.
For the chicken oyster, we were instructed to eat the oyster, and then down the kimchi like a shot. As Jason's mom Teri would say, these three bites really "set the tone" (shoutout to wedding invitation stress flashbacks!). We were ready to eat until the lethargy and self-hatred set in. And away we go!
fluke -- barrel aged bonji
BONJI (TM)
The fluke was presented simply--with only a brush of bonji. What's bonji, you ask? Why, only the liquid seasoning designed and trademarked by the man himself. Is there anything Chang can't do? We were told to dip the fish in the salt and eat it with the mustard greens. Yessir.
sea urchin -- chickpea, hozon
This dish and the next one have remained on the menu when many other options have been rotated out, according to the interwebs. The interplay of textures makes this dish truly special--the soft, springy texture of the sea urchin blends with the rich hummus-like hozon. Hozon is another Chang original seasoning that is akin to a miso paste. I read this review that likened this dish to being licked by a puppy. And while that may be a strange simile, it's not even slightly inaccurate.
ko egg -- caviar
Ahahahha he's barfing caviar
Jason made the chef laughed when he said this one looked like pac man. Then, all I could see was pac man throwing up. All likenesses aside, a soft boiled egg with caviar and salty potato chips is a winning combination.
BREAD INTERLUDE (Cue the romantic music)
Marbled Butter: A Still Life
What's this? Why, just house made sourdough with butter that has been aged in a cave next to blue cheese. YUM.
beef -- au poivre
Ko has the meats--what up, Arby's?
What's a fine meal without a simple rare-to-raw beef? Why, it might as well be Taco Bell, says Jason.
razor clam -- pineapple, basil
Spotted
The light citrus flavor of the clams was just the thing after the beef. The drops of basil were fantastic--the flavor was so concentrated and fresh.
skate -- vin jaune
katsu roll
"But you had all those cappuccinos earlier?"
"Yeah, but that was like, you know, foam"
Lemme see your katsu roll
This dish was truly special. After preparing the huge Skate fillet, the chefs removed it from its fried breading, and told us that the fried coating is only to make sure the fish stays flavorful and doesn't dry out in the cooking process. The (naked!) fish is then covered with a potato foam that's been cooking away in a whipped cream bottle in a sous vide bath.
THEN, the chefs take the "leftover" fish skin and fill it with cabbage, thus creating the most delectable little "sushi roll," which is enjoyable both because it tastes fab and because you know nothing was wasted.
duck -- squash
Duck, duck, duck...DUCK
Hi-res squash
The duck was the grand finale to end all finales, and Jason's favorite dish of the afternoon. We had watched the chef give tender loving care to this duck from the moment we sat down--grilling, roasting, seasoning. And repeat. And finally, here it was. Of course, it was cooked to perfection, and paired with the squash, which was cooked practically to the point of falling apart--well, the whole experience was divine. Sweet, but still filled with savory umami.
Dessert:
Japanese cheesecake with grated black truffles
Bouncy, flouncy, trouncy, pouncy, FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN
And this was my favorite. I have been dying to try Japanese cheesecake, which is a light, bouncy, fluffy thing--almost like a cheesecake souflée. The cake was only just barely sweet, and the truffles on top were the perfect complement. This was also a great gateway course--somewhere between an entrée and dessert.
foie gras -- lychee, pine nut, reisling jelly
Heaven is just mounds and mounds of shaved goose liver (see also: a vegan spooky Mormon hell dream)
What would you say if I told you that this was a sweet sorbet topped with frozen foie gras that is grated over the dish right before you eat it? Why, that's crazy, you might say! Straight from the mind of a chef, as it were, and this dish was the only repeat on the menu from when Jason ate at Ko years ago. We can see why it's a staple--we have never tasted anything quite like it. The foie gras melts quickly as you eat it, so the texture and flavors change with each bite.
wild rice --kombu
Nice rice cream
One of the chefs told us that this course was one of his favorites, and we agree completely. The nuttiness of the brown rice keeps the ice cream from being too sweet, and the topped rice adds texture and depth. We were, of course, terribly full at this point, but hey--you can always eat ice cream.
persimmon -- yuzu
Jason has a yuzu diffuser in his office now
...and more ice cream! The citrusy granita was a lovely finish and refreshing palate cleanser after a perfect meal.
Drink:
Jason and I both enjoyed some cocktails (he had non-alcoholic and I went for the hard stuff, per usual).
Drink up before you get on the plane: a life lesson in traveling
Atmosphere:
It’s modern and sleek inside Ko. The focus is on the front kitchen/prep area that the bar faces, which is really all the decor you need.
Chang Dining Empire Hospitality:
The staff was amazingly gracious to us--the chefs answered our questions (as they were cooking our food), and the servers never missed a beat on replacing the silverware, replacing napkins when you got up from the table, and overall making us feel like royalty. The best part? At the end, one of the hosts asked us if we wanted to see the back kitchen! Is that even a question?! We got to go into the back and see the behind the scenes prep happening, and also got to view their private dining room reserved for parties and such. This added such a special touch to our visit, and we were so grateful for the opportunity. We asked our gracious host if Chang still comes in often, and he said, “some might say too often!”
Frankie’s Notes:
When we were running through the airport I pretended that we were running late to catch our flight to Paris and we had left Kevin at home (but we didn't know it yet, naturally); I feel sad that Alexander Hamilton never knew the pure joy and beauty of a Japanese cheesecake; A David Chang musical would have a number with dancing ramen flavor packets; Jason and I have written a tax season musical, and the opening number is called: "It's Another Monday for Jason;" Seriously, our musical is legitimately amazing, and we only want it produced by Lin Manuel Miranda or Trey Parker & Matt Stone; We keep a block of foie gras on ice at all times now in case Chang ever drops by Charlotte. WE LOVE YOU, DAVID CHANG!
Rating: 5 out of 5 /two Michigan pugs
