My spouse and I
visited Momofuku Nishi for lunch on a Sunday afternoon in mid-January 2017.
Nishi is open daily for lunch and dinner, although it closes for a few hours
between meals. Because Nishi does not accept reservations for lunch, we arrived
at opening time so that we could be seated immediately, but approximately 10
minutes later, patrons filled all tables and stools. The restaurant has no
formal drinks bar, so there is little space to wait. Nishi accepts dinner
reservations using the Open Table system, although you are reserving only a
spot at a communal table or counter that you will share with other diners. (Nishi
is not a place for a quiet romantic date, but it might be a fun place for a
first date because of all the activity.)
In early 2016, chef/owner David Chang opened Nishi (which means “West” in
Japanese) in Chelsea on Eighth Avenue near West 22nd Street. The
space includes regular-heigh light-wood communal tables with backless stools in
the front half of the space, with one high-top communal table (with high
backless box-shaped stools) toward the middle, and two different bars on either
side of the rear of the space that offer high stools for dining in proximity to
the semi-open kitchen. Decorative accents are minimal, but include a painting
of a woman in a bathing suit riding a huge bicycle. The overall simple décor
and furnishings resembles other Momofuku restaurants. Chang also operates Momofuku
Noodle Bar (see our review from January 2015), Ssam Bar (July 2013), Ko (May
2011 and May 2012), Ma Peche (July 2012 and January 2011), Fuku (February 2017),
Fuku+, and Milk Bar in New York city, as well as other restaurants in Sydney
Australia (August 2012), Las Vegas, Washington DC, and Toronto Canada.
Nishi serves a unique blend of Asian-Italian-Korean-American cuisine. We shared the Impossible Burger as our
starter; we wanted try this signature item, but neither of us wanted to “give
up” our main course option for the plant-based burger. (Although the burger is
vegetarian, it tastes like meat and even “bleeds” a bit when you cut or bite it.)
As main courses, we ordered the jajangmyeon (pork sausage, chili pan mee, fried
egg) and the butter noodle (Nishi’s take on cacao e pepe that uses a chickpea miso
protein sauce to coat the pasta instead of traditional Pecorino, then tops it
with freshly ground black pepper and a fried egg), accompanied by a side of the
papaya salad (Nishi’s spin includes unripened papaya, miso, and toasted rice).
For dessert, we shared a slice of the butterscotch Bundt cake topped with a
buttermilk sour cream. Nishi has a no-tipping policy, so prices include service.
We loved our lunch
at Momofuku Nishi and we applaud
the creativity of David Chang as he expands his restaurant empire!
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