Momofuku Milk Bar

New York City, NY

Amazingly after a 10 course meal at Momofuku Ko, we were still able to handle a midnight snack at another David Change establishment. The streets of the East Village were alive at midnight and we came across Momofuku Milk Bar, the dessert outpost in the David Chang's restaurant group. The place was packed inside and out, with people just hanging out, enjoying soft serve and milkshakes, and some even awaiting a table at connecting Saam Bar for a very late dinner. 

Famous Momofuku Buns

Momofuku's most famous item are its buns, filled with pork belly, green onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce. There are pricey (2 for $10) but I couldn't miss our opportunity to give them a try. The most unique component to the snack was the fattiness of the pork itself. It was well cooked, so the fat basically melted in our mouths. Otherwise, there's really noting special to this bun that you would be able to get at a Chinese restaurant with roast duck.

Cereal milk soft serve and crack pie

The most famous item from the Milk Bar is the cereal milk soft serve. On the menu, cereal milk is trademarked, but when you taste it,  you want to laugh. It literally tastes like the milk at the bottom of your bowl when you're done with your cereal. I give credit that its a unique idea that was capitalized upon, but I just don't crave sugary milk as an ice cream flavor.

The crack pie is also a famed Milk Bar item, tasting like a gooey, caramel, pecan tart (without the pecans), a bit too sweet in my opinion. I'm still shocked to see so many people crowded at Milk for a tiny $5 scoop of soft serve and an even more expensive precut slice of pie, but in NYC, David Change's restaurants are treated like celebrity hot spots and are always packed.

Rating 6.5/10

March 5, 2011