Yesterday, I finally persuaded someone to go to Momofuku Ssam and have the duck lunch with me. It's not that people I know don't want to eat the duck lunch; it's just not the easiest thing in the world for most people to leave their offices and go have lunch in the East Village for an hour or more.
Momofuku Ssam is one of my favorite restaurants in New York, if not my actual favorite. Maybe I like the whole David Chang aesthetic, or maybe I'm just so powerfully under the sway of those damn pork buns, which cause me to go into paroxysms of ecstasy every time I bite into one. I've had them several times, and still -- every time. (I should note, I've had two pork belly bun-type concoctions that at least come close to Momofuku Ssam's, and they were at Animal in Los Angeles and Family Recipe in New York.)
Still, I'd never had the duck lunch, which was instituted only last year; and I'd wanted to go ever since I'd first read this glowing review. Yesterday, with a friend newly in town and between jobs, I was able to go. And my word, did it live up to the hype. Here, with apologies for the bad lighting, is what it looked like:
We didn't order the duck bun, though I'd like to in the future. But perhaps the best part was after we'd ordered, when the waitress came over to our table with a plate of the steamed pork buns in her hand. She told us that the kitchen had fired an extra by mistake, so she was giving it to us. Hang on. One of my favorite foods in the whole world, and she was just... giving it to us, for free, even though we hadn't asked for it but secretly wanted it all along. Is this what it's like to be a millionaire? Or in heaven?
I would provide a humorous example about angels bringing me things unbidden in heaven, but to be honest, I can't think of many things I'd want more than a Momofuku Ssam pork bun I didn't have to pay for. (Sorry for the rhyme.)
As for the duck itself, it was fantastic -- bursting with flavor, lusciously fatty, skin that was shatteringly crisp. I said to my friend, "I could eat this forever." And I might have, except of course we had to save room for Momofuku Milk Bar across the street (for once, I forwent the crack pie for the candy bar pie).
So that's another dish that's long been on my bucket list, that I can finally cross off. It got me thinking about other dishes on my culinary bucket list. I've done pretty well at eating most of the legendary dishes whose reputations loom large on the epicurean landscape. But there are a few still left, and no doubt, as each year passes, there will be even more.
Here's my culinary bucket list -- based on dishes, not just restaurants (with two exceptions) -- in vague order of how much I'm salivating to eat the dish. I'm sure I'm forgetting some. What's on yours?
Mutton Chop at Keens Steakhouse (New York)
I'm such a Peter Luger fanatic that I confess Keens wasn't even on my radar until it was re-reviewed by the Times in 2005. There hasn't been a suitable occasion for me to go since then, but I've been wanting to go, and the mutton chop is what you're supposed to get. I mean, just look at that thing. Last week someone in my Facebook feed posted a picture of it just before he devoured it, and I felt a white-hot jealousy akin to how I feel whenever I realize Ryan Gosling can never be mine.
Burger at Peter Luger (New York)
Yes, I have been to Peter Luger several times. The burger is supposed to be quite good, even extraordinary; but I can't ever bring myself not to order the steak. That'd be like traveling all the way to the Grand Canyon and then not actually looking at it because you got distracted by a nice tree. I'm sure it was a very nice tree. But it was no Grand Canyon.
Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern (New York)
It's tough to get a table at Minetta Tavern, but I've somehow managed it three times. Twice, I couldn't resist ordering the famed Côte de Boeuf with bone marrow. Once, I got incredible crab cakes and shared the regular burger. Maybe it's the $26 price tag, or maybe it's the fact that if you're lucky enough to get a table, you feel you should order something more "special" than a burger that's so expensive. Still, next time, I'm getting it.
Burger at DB Bistro Moderne (New York)
Are you sensing a theme here? I've been to DB Bistro Moderne twice, and neither time did I pay for my meal. Why did I not take the opportunity to order the famed burger of sirloin, braised short ribs, foie gras and black truffle? Was it guilt that I'd be sticking my hosts with a bill for a $32 burger? I don't know. But I've been kicking myself ever since.
Pastrami at Langer's (Los Angeles)
I adore the pastrami at Katz's. I will defend it vehemently against all other New York pastramis. But I've heard that the pastrami at Langer's is even better -- mostly because of the bread -- and I don't doubt it could be true, but this is just something I have to find out for myself.
Pizza at Di Fara (New York)
Apparently the pizza at Di Fara is the best pizza in New York. I only know this because the people on the boards at Chowhound say so. Be that as it may, I know next to nothing about Di Fara except it's in Brooklyn somewhere, and it's not a part of Brooklyn near me, and the lines are long, and ... well, that's all I know. Someday I will get there. If I can ever find out where it is. (OK, I just looked it up. It's in Midwood, off the Q train. I am an intrepid eater, but I can tell you right now that I'm probably not taking the Q train just to eat pizza.)
Fried Chicken Dinner at Momofuku Noodle Bar (New York)
This is one of those group things you can't just decide to do; you have to get a minimum number of people together to do it. I love fried chicken, and this is supposed to be excellent fried chicken, and I craaaave it but whenever I mention this to people, they say, "Oh yeah, I've always wanted to do that!" and it never comes up again. Cowards.
Bo Ssäm at Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York)
Momofuku Ssäm popularized the large-group dining experience in New York with their Bo Ssäm, which is a slow-cooked pork shoulder with Korean fixins; and though I've already had a whole-pig dinner (at Back Forty, for my birthday), I'm still looking forward to the day I finally get to experience the Bo Ssäm, because it sounds so fun and like such a spectacle. Runner-up: the whole pig at the Breslin.
Cheesesteak in Philadelphia
I have never been to Philadelphia. (I KNOW.) Therefore, I have never had a real Philly Cheesesteak. I would name Pat's or Geno's as my purveyor of choice, but I know some consider them touristy now, so I'd have to do some research before picking a spot. One of these days I'm going to hop on a train to Philadelphia by myself, have a cheesesteak, go to the museum, and head home.
Tempura Bacon at The Red Cat (New York)
This is probably the easiest item on my bucket list. I've just never been to Red Cat for some reason, and why wouldn't I want to eat tempura-fried bacon? C'mon.
Foie Gras Brulee at Jean Georges (New York)
As a rule, I don't eat foie gras, for ethical reasons. But I would make an exception for this, because it falls under the Allowable Exclusions Act: "I'm on vacation," "Someone else ordered it," "The host served it to me and it'd be rude not to eat it," and "It's famous."
Po-Boy at Mother's (New Orleans)
There's no good reason I've never been to Mother's -- the line, maybe? But I've only been to New Orleans twice as an adult, so obviously there were a ton of other places we had to go. It's possible the po-boys here aren't even that good anymore, but it's just one of those things I want to try. Also: the fried chicken at Dookie Chase, since I went to Willie Mae's last time.
Ricotta Pancakes at Locanda Verde (New York)
I love Locanda Verde, but I've only been there for dinner. It's said they have a great brunch, and many speak highly of the ricotta pancakes. That's... um, all I have to say about that, since I'm not normally a huge pancakes fan.
Anything at French Laundry (Yountville, CA) or Per Se (New York)
Sometimes I despair that I will ever eat at French Laundry or Per Se. I've wanted to eat at French Laundry for, what, 15 years now? More? But it's not so convenient for me these days, and no matter how I look at it, I simply cannot justify spending $300 or $400 or whatever it is on dinner at Per Se. This is just going to have to go on my "if I ever win the lottery" list or my "if I'm dying and decide to blow all my money on decadent food" list. Which is sort of what a bucket list is anyway, right?
