Momofuku seiobo

I don't even remember where or when I heard about the infamous pork bun, but since then Momofuku has been on the bucket list, and we finally had a chance to go to this amazing place.

Course 1: deeply smoky potato puree within a wafer thin tuile, served with a dollop of apple and topped with grated freeze-dried apple.
How could anyone make something so thin, shattering with a neat crunch?
Who would have thought potato and apple would be a good combination?

Course 2: the infamous pork belly bun
The bun is soft like the heart of a marshmallow, and the pork belly so luscious. The optional sriracha lifted this bun to another realm.

Course 3: freshly cooked mud crab with toasted amaranth
The texture of this dish was incredible. The crab was so fresh it felt like it was still wriggling in the bowl (we did discuss whether crabmeat is like muscles - must be how the crabs get around), and the toasted amaranth felt like sparkly popcorn in the mouth. Perfect. I started saying every dish was my favourite at this point.

Course 4: confit potatoes with parson's nose and ocean trout roe.
Chicken arse just doesn't sound as great as parson's nose - it actually tasted like a blob of soft shell crab or other deep fried item fried beyond recognition of its source, for which I guess one should be thankful. Here the confit potatoes have an attractive sticky glaze, pairing well with the salty trout roe and the chicken arse.  I particularly loved how two people would work silently but frantically at plating this dish.

Course 5:  baby octopus, baby turnips and smoked eel jelly on a bed of almond milk.
How I could have eaten a whole bowl of this - the octopus was slippery and impossibly tender, well matched with the crunch of whole microscopic turnips and the strong scent of smoked eel jelly. The bitterness in the turnip leaf complemented the almond milk just perfectly.

Course 6: roasted spice cauliflower, mushroom, and egg yolk perfection 

 Look at that perfectly glistening yolk! I wonder how they made it such that it sat so prettily on the dish, yet the centre was lusciously soft once you poked it apart. The roasted cauliflower in this dish was one of the most amazing elements I ate at Momofuku - I would love to recreate it at home. 

Course 7: Grilled mulloway with baby carrot and seaweed puree (missing picture.. sad)
We remarked upon how the top of the mulloway was grilled to just the right crunch, yet the flesh was soft and so yielding to the slightest touch. The kombu puree could have been overpowering, but with the sweetness of the carrots and the fish, the chemistry was just perfect.

 Course 8: Cowra lamb with baby cucumber, and an anchovy tarragon puree
The execution of this dish was incredible - the lamb was cooked to a glistening even pink, with a thin layer of lamb crackling (who knew?) and a nice tempting layer of fat. No one else seemed to like the cucumbers as much as I did - who knew char grilled cucumbers could be so delicious?

Course 9: goats curd with mint sauce and blackcurrant puree
No way to get around this, the curd was so strong it was like licking a goat. Both the red & green elements brought strong visual elements to the dish, but also offered opposite contrasting flavours. Mixed up together, it gave a new flavour altogether.  

 Course 10: sorrel & pistachio icecream with muntries
This dish was intensely green, and had a rather peculiar grassy flavour which I guess is due to the sorrel. The muntries were small bursts of juicy tartness which offset the grass icecream well. 

Course bonus: canele!
I love canele, and this version was so well caramelised with a just set middle - what a perfect end to the degustation. They were even kind enough to offer one to a friend who had come to meet us (because we had taken over 2hrs for the degustation) which I thought was a generous gesture.

Overall it was an interesting foray into a different world that I don't belong to. The flavours were simple and intense, yet the combinations formed amazingly rich flavour and textural experiences. Obviously a phenomenal amount of effort and thought had gone into the preparation, and it was a pleasure to watch the kitchen team work solo and in teams - like watching a great show.

I was shocked to find out when I got home that many people did not have such an amazing experience at Momofuku - in fact, on urbanspoon it gets a measly 70% which must be a record for a 3hatted restaurant. I would certainly love to return for another gastronomic feat!