A New Year in New York

While the title of this post is somewhat misleading, as I did not spend New Year's Eve in New York, but rather in Los Angeles, I did indeed visit Manhattan a few days after the beginning of 2007. One of the best meals I had there was at Momofuku Ssäm Bar, a sleek space on 2nd Ave. and 13th Street that serves wraps, stuffed buns, and rice and noodle bowls for lunch, all with northern Asian ingredients (think kimchee and edamame).
Unfortunately, according to my sources, the premium menu emerges after 10:30 pm. Nonetheless, I thorougly enjoyed my rice bowl with beef brisket, especially the crunch of the just-cooked bean sprouts, the smoky black beans, the picked shiitake, and the tender brisket. The ambience is akin to that of a Chipotle restaurant; albeit with a brown color scheme and Asian influences--expect plastic bowls, serve-your-own water, and abundant bottles of Sriracha. As for price, portions run large for under ten dollars. Service was minimal, limited to the friendly rice bowl preparer who let me try all the sides with my rice bowl, along with the curt woman at the register who "carded" my companions and myself when we purchased beverages, inciting a flurry of fumbling into handbags and wallets. But looking younger than our quarter-century odd years is a good thing, right?
Rating: 8/10.