Iconic East Village spot for elevated Asian comfort food. Famous for pork belly bao & spicy noodles, with consistently great ramen.
Will Hartman reviews Momofuku Noodle Bar, an East Village spot that's been a staple for ramen and creative dishes since 2004, highlighting its consistent quality and enduring appeal.
This iconic East Village spot, a David Chang creation, offers a lively atmosphere with an engaging open kitchen. It's known for reimagining Asian street food into elevated comfort dishes, with its signature steamed buns and spicy ginger-scallion noodles being major draws. While the ramen is a reliable choice, the menu also features standouts like the pork belly bao and spicy scallop hand roll, making it a consistently appealing destination.
The restaurant is celebrated for its innovative take on Asian street food, particularly its iconic steamed buns with rich pork belly and its springy noodles in a spicy ginger-scallion sauce. While the smoked pork ramen is a consistent favorite, some dishes like the chilled spicy noodles and roasted shiitake bao have received mixed reviews due to being overly oily or having texture issues. Standout recommendations include the pork belly bao, garlic chicken ramen, and spicy scallop hand roll.
"Highly recommended dishes include the signature Pork Belly Bao, Garlic Chicken Ramen, and the Spicy Scallop Hand Roll. The shrimp patty steamed buns are also a standout."
Customers generally have a positive view of the restaurant, praising its consistent quality and appealing atmosphere. While the ramen is considered reliable, some note that newer establishments offer more complex variations.
Important Note
Some customers have noted that certain dishes, like the chilled spicy noodles and roasted shiitake bao, can be overly oily or heavy, and the prices have increased due to inflation.
"A commenter referred to Momofuku as a 'chain' while asking for recommendations from the list."
Neutral"A user reminisces about Fuku's early days when it was piloted from Momofuku Ko on 11th Street, praising its "insanely good" full thigh chicken."
Positive"The original poster consistently finds Momofuku Ramen Bar to be a good experience but notes the impact of inflation on its pricing."
Neutral"Recommends the shrimp patty steamed buns at Momofuku Noodle Bar."
Positive"Offers large format meals like suckling pig and fried chicken and caviar. The user has dined here before."
Neutral"Mentions Momofuku (Momofuku Noodle Bar) as one of the many ramen places in the area."
Positive
