Momofuku Nishi
“Very different from the Ceci e Pepe, this is a great one to order as well for some contrast.”
“Spicy beef Sichuan ($28), Clams Grand Lisboa($32), Chicken & Dumplings(&30) and a side of Fried fingerling & smoked yolk & tarragon($14).”
“David Chang himself was also in the house tonight, which was both nerve-wracking and exciting.”
Momofuku Nishi
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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David Chang, you did not let me down. I think Momofuku Nishi is my favorite of his restaurants (second to Ko)!
The restaurant has that momofuku clean, oaky look and feel. The menu is fairly simple though ever-changing with what's in season. There's 4 main components: 1) appetizers, 2) myūn, which are the noodles and pasta dishes, 3) entree, usually only a couple large meat/fish options, and 4) side dishes. Of all the times I've dined at Nishi, I've never ordered an entree dish, but rather order a hefty mix of the other items on the menu. Between 2 people, I think it's comfortable to order a couple appetizers, a couple myūn dishes, and a side dish. I always order the beautifully crafted cocktails–but should really focus on saving room for dessert!
The flavors are innovative and refreshing. I would call it an Asian-Italian fusion at the bottom of it all. Thanks to the frequently updated menu and the ease of making reservations using the online system–I've dined here quite a number of times already! If you see any of the following items on the menu, I highly recommend ordering it! Of the appetizers, the Diver Scallops are served with ceviche-like flavors, and the scallops themselves melt in your mouth. I also really loved the silky Tofu with smoked trout roe and peas, a delicate balance of delicious. Of the myūn dishes, the Ceci e Pepe is a staple served with a dressing of chickpea that's fermented like miso and fresh black pepper. My favorite may be the Clams Grand Lisboa, which is Lisbon style clams on al dente chow mien–very, very flavorful! I also enjoy the Chitarra with the fresh take on xo sauce, Spicy Lamb Lumache, and I was lucky enough to come during ramp season and had the ramp gnocchi. Of the side dishes, the fried fingerling potatoes with smoked yolk is very good, but if you see the grilled sweet potato & anchovy–it's one of the flavors I've memorized and learned to recreate it at home because it's so good.
On top of everything amazing that goes with dining at Momofuku Nishi–they also don't accept gratuity because they're already paying the staff appropriately!
I feel like I would have given this a 3.5 star review but unfortunately that's not an option. With a party of 3 and a reservation, we were quickly seated. Let me mention this first, it is very loud there. I felt like I was screaming just to have a conversation with my friends. If I was there for any longer, I think I would have lost my voice.
Onto the food…. we knew we were going to get dessert afterwards so we ordered lightly. For the 3 of us, we ordered 2 appetizers and 2 pastas. The red snapper and diver scallops were both light and refreshing. Had a nice citrus profile which was a good palette starter. As for the pastas, the waitress recommended the ceci e Pepe and we added on the Soft shell crab. Both were decent but not spectacular. The flavors were kind of one dimensional – the first pasta tasted just like pepper and the 2nd pasta tasted only like garlic.
I totally get the idea behind the restaurant being an asian italian fusion. I don't think it was executed that well though. Sorry David Chang.
Another David Chang restaurant, so as expected.. the hypebeasts are out and reviews are all over the place. Coming in with tempered expectations, my party wholeheartedly enjoyed our meal at Momofuku Nishi. A reoccurring theme was that the acoustics of the restaurant was obnoxiously loud, but it was fine for us. The plates came out at staggered with varying wait times but it wasn't noticeable.
*appetizer*
Diver Scallop (4.5/5): a refreshing start to dive into the meal
Beef Crudo (3.5/5): not your normal crudo
Fried Whole Shrimp (3.5/5): eat the whole crunchy thing! including the head.
*myun* (noodles)
Ceci e Pepe (5/5): lives up to the Lebron-coming-to-the-NBA-from-HS hype. No cheese? impossible.
Spicy Lamb Lumache (4.5/5): Not even sure how to explain this dish except that it was delicious. Described as Ma Po Tofu but with lamb and shelled pasta?
Clams Grand Lisboa (4.5/5): Crunchy full flavored chow mein under a layer of clams
Chitarra (2.5/5): the squid flavor was too overwhelming for me
*side dish*
Fried Fingerling & Smoked Yolk & Tarragon (4.5/5): Every bit as gooey and delicious as potatoes can be.
Had a lovely lunch at Momofuku Nishi. The restaurant was relatively empty so we just walked right in. The server was exceptionally friendly and helpful as to her favorites on the menu, etc. The food was all very delicious. The tomato salad, lobster buns (Chang's take on a lobster roll was pretty phenomenal), raw beef and butter noodles were all simply prepared but full of unique and memorable flavors.
The only thing we noted as a downside was the steep prices/small portions – lunch for two was over $100, so come for a special occasion or a day when you feel like dropping a lot of dough…
No wait on a Monday evening! Score! I'm so happy I got to try this place because I love all momofuku restaurants and I know it won't disappoint.
Ceci e pepe: Simple but amazing! We ordered 2 dishes
Sirloin crudo: A must!
Scallops: fresh and delicious
Fried fingerling: yes order it
Spicy lamb: Really good too!
Pistachio cake: Simple but was really good! Loved the lightness and the cream.
Really hard to go wrong with any dishes here.
I don't know if disappointed would be the word, but I wasn't blown away by Nishi in the way that I was by Ssam Bar all those years ago. The butter noodle, as everyone says, is the thing to get and the romaine lettuce tamarind walnut starter is excellent. The clam pasta and egg yolk potatoes are both quite good too but perhaps less memorable. Their newest addition to the menu, a squash side was decidedly plain.
All of Momofuku's restaurants serve delicious umami flavor food. Momofuku Nishi from start to finish was phenomenal! We started off with their version of an Asian inspired Cesar salad. Wow this was the best salad I've ever had. The shaved and sliced walnuts cooked in fish sauce and butter coated each lettuce leaf perfectly. We then got the clams lisboa which was so flavorful and the chow mein noodles were so good I just couldn't have enough! My husband got their famous cheeseless caci e Pepe which was excellently creamy and flavorful. We indulged and got a side of flash fried potatoes with smoked egg yolk. It blew my mind away! It was so decadent and creamy!
*Review for Brunch only!
Momofuku Nishi just recently started serving brunch, so when my friend told me she was visiting NYC, I thought we would give this place a try (I seriously still need to come for dinner though!!!). The interior looks just like all of David Chang's other restaurants, really simple and clean with wooden high chairs and tables. Brunch service starts at 12pm but we arrived at around 11:40am just to be safe. When my friend arrived, she was second in line. There were plenty of free tables during our meal, but I think this will pick up once more people know about their brunch service. While waiting for them to set up, we also spotted David Chang in the kitchen…score! After greeting all the guests (he's a super nice guy!!!), he actually dined right next to us with another party, pretty cool :).
here's what we got to share amongst the 4 of us:
Diver Scallops (tiger's milk, shio kombu) $17
YUMMMMM what a good start. The diver scallops were perfectly fresh, and the tiger's milk was a nice acidic balance to the creaminess of the scallops. The dish also comes out super pretty in a vibrant green.
Soft Tofu (soy milk, bonji) $9
Homemade tofu, which was good (nothing terribly special), but pretty small portion for $9.
Mixed Greens (kimchi vinaigrette) $10
Fresh and perfect for a summer day. The kimchi vinaigrette provided a nice amount of heat and acidity.
Dagwood Sandwich (the "mile high sandwich") $22
This was delicious!!! This was a humongous tall sandwich with layers of pork pâté, cured mackerel, roasted chicken. Super flavorful with multiple textures…loved it! It comes with two halves, which we then halved again to share – it was plenty! Order this!!! Even though it's a hefty price to pay for a sandwich, I feel like all the ingredients in there are all top quality.
Ocean Trout & Unagi Sauce Rice Bowl (soy egg, kimchi, hon shimeji, green onion) $24
This was pretty good, pretty much a fancy bibimbap. The ocean trout was reaaaallyyy well done, it was at a perfect medium rare with the vibrant coral color still visible. It also had this super nice crispy skin on top.
Butter Noodle (chickpea hozon, black pepper, fried egg) $19
This seems to have been renamed from the original ceci e pepe name – it IS super rich like everyone describes it, but I think this actually had too much butter, and perhaps along with the sweetness from the hozon, it tasted exactly like shortbread cookies..kinda weird on pasta, but I guess interesting? Pretty damn pricey for the portion though.
We got to try their papaya salad too, compliments of the chef. I loved the slight hints of cilantro throughout. Since it was a hot summer day, I also ordered their limoncello slushie which was delicious…super small glass, but refreshing!
Time to stop by for dinner sometime to try their dinner-only dishes!
***Brunch is walk-in's only right now, no reservations!