Where to eat in [Toronto]: Momofuku Daishō

10/31/2014

looking down on the noodle bar

eggplant buns – tomato, provolone, banana peppers

Mmmmmmomofuku. There is a reason you need a reservation on the third floor, the tables were continuously full right up until eleven-something in the evening. I know it was around that time as models from the last show were trickling in sans makeup and with a seemingly insatiable appetite for the raw seafood platter. The seating is unpretentious, the tables a pale wood, and the view unbeatable- Momofuku is encased in a glass cube that looks out into downtown Toronto. The amuse bouche was a bowl of marinated cucumber pieces that sound dull but were actually an excellent start. We ordered the famous duck buns and were thoroughly disappointed to learn they had run out of duck for them. Tip: go early and order the duck buns as soon as you sit down. Instead, we had to settle for the second place eggplant buns which were yummy in their own right but slightly ruined by the lingering disappointment of missing out on the duck. Next was a buckwheat noodle dish followed by two large plates which we shared: duck and pork. Our sides were brussel sprouts and carrots. Everything was so flavorful with unique combinations of textures (crispy puffs of rice in the brussel sprouts, a chewy taro cake underneath the duck). I would almost recommend eating each dish individually, one at a time. Our favorite dish was actually the brussel sprouts- they were golden brown, saturated in a delicious fish sauce, and the edges were slightly crispy along with the rice puffs which added a nice change to every bite. Dessert was skipped in favor of the milk bar where I picked up the Crack Pie® which is actually imported from the original bakery in Brooklyn, NY every day. Crack Pie® cannot be described in words, it must simply be eaten. So catch the next flight to Toronto or New York, stat. Click below for more photos.