The 3 US Cities Where You Can Find David Chang's Momofuku Restaurant
Since opening the first Momofuku Noodle Bar in 2004, David Chang has been slowly building his culinary empire across the U.S. As of right now, you can dine at a Momofuku restaurant in New York City, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. No matter what coast you're on, you can enjoy award-winning meals masterminded by Chang.
The original restaurant opened in New York City, and shortly after, it was named the "most important restaurant in America" by Bon Appétit. Riding on this success, Chang opened his next restaurant in 2006 on the same block in the East Village, dubbing it Momofuku Ssäm Bar (now located on Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport). This was followed by Momofuku Ko in 2008 near the same area, which was awarded two Michelin stars in 2009 and has held on to them ever since.
Chang went west in 2017 when he extended the Momofuku universe to Sin City with the opening of Momofuku Las Vegas. And if you're already in Nevada, you might as well hop over to California, where in the heart of Chinatown in L.A. Chang gave us Majordōmo, the first and only Momofuku restaurant in the Golden State. Having found good success in the city, Bāng Bar is Las Vegas' and Chang's latest noodle bar iteration, opening in 2021 on the second floor of the Boulevard Tower, aka The Cosmopolitan.
How the restaurants differ
Each restaurant offers its own unique cuisine, ranging from casual to trendy to a Michelin-star experience. Momofuku Noodle Bar is inspired by Japanese ramen shops, and it mainly serves exciting ramen dishes and in-house steamed buns. If it's a pork-focused meal in a large trendy space you're craving, then head to Momofuku Ssäm Bar. It's known for its meat and seafood that is grilled tableside, making for a memorable dining experience. As for his last NYC restaurant, Momofuku Ko, this is a treat on another level. It's a 10-course tasting menu where you're seated along a small kitchen counter serviced by award-winning chefs. And (good or bad), you shouldn't expect to eat the same dish twice, as the menu constantly changes.
Going westward, Momofuku Las Vegas is located in The Cosmopolitan and has a rotating menu inspired by Japanese, Korean, and American cuisine. You can have everything from pork ramen to green curry rice cakes to a whole duck served with confit fried rice. Bāng Bar is in the same resort, located in Block 16, the Urban Food Hall, but is geared more toward gamblers on the go with wraps and rice bowls. Chinatown's Majordōmo in L.A. is a trendy night out in a giant industrial space. There you can expect to see Tapioca Lo Mein, Pork Belly Crispy Rice, and Grilled Wagyu Zabuton.