Momo? No.

The Unwelcoming Momo...

I have spoken about Momofuku Ma Peche in the past... as it really used to be quite phenomenal.

The amount of Momo Empire haters that are out there, you'll love this post, because it aligns with the level of distaste you have for the restaurant model in general.

But that is not the purpose of this blog entry, to be mean or unfair.
Again, I feel like I have to note that consistency is key. It is an element so often forgotten -in many areas, not only within the service industry.
Since losing star chef Tien Ho, Ma Peche is just NOT what it once was.... The restaurant also lost some really great FOH and waitstaff in the process. The consistency that used to be spot-on has really lost its way, too.

Let me tell you a little bit about the frustration:

Yesterday, the immature hostesses that greeted me were unbelievably rude -and NOT just to me. I heard one of the teenie boppers (barely out of diapers, that's for sure) tell multiple people that "We don't seat incomplete parties." I was really taken back by the dismissive, pompous attitude. I wanted to scream, "BITE ME, witchie-poo!" Geez! But I didn't... although one UES type almost gave her a spanking on the spot for the rude response for a table for two. Good thing her husband joined her as she poised herself to give this little girl a public flogging for her bad behavior...There's just no reason or room for poor front of house staff. Ever.
And as many times as I have visited, I wasn't even aware that Ma Peche accepted reservations. It's out of the norm for the Momos to do that. Most importantly, the place was NOT full... at all. It's not like they couldn't accommodate and allow us to have the one seat open for the 3 minutes we had to additionally wait. I should have just said there were 3 and then when we had a 4-top, then the other person would just magically "show" --- but I didn't know that there was this pissy policy being enforced by prickly princesses at the hostess table.

After taking our seats .... you know, once we had a COMPLETE party, we ordered quite a spread since it was a business luncheon: shrimp curry, all 3 vegetables that were on the menu, some pork buns for the Momo virgins that accompanied me on this visit, steak tartar, the brisket and a chicken Bahn Mi sandwich.
It wasn't a long wait for the food and the fried brussel sprouts were fine... my guests thought that the curry and brisket were also decent but not remarkable. The pork buns... THE signature of any Momo: dry and falling apart with fatty meat in the middle. The Bahn Mi that I had always enjoyed didn't have its overall freshness taste either.

A lunch that used to be fantastic had fallen to hum-drum.

The wait staff in the dining area wasn't terrible, as they were responsive -but the whole mojo of the place has fallen flat on its face. That coolness feeling was just cold and blah.

Too bad, Ma Peche. You lost the best chef you'll ever have and lost a lot of business that I used to send that way, too.

They won't need to worry about seating me as a complete or incomplete party again. This is a NoNo for that Momo Ma Peche. (Insert disappointed sigh here.)

I'll wait to hear where Chef Ho turns up next. I'm sure to be a fan of his Ho House where ever it might be!

February: A Good Month for More Chocolate

My Best Valentine. Ever.

Yes, I know it's past Valentine's Day.... but there's never a time to not talk about chocolate. Actually, I think I should capitalize the word, "Chocolate" because it is a proper. noun. Yes. That's better.
Let's talk about Chocolate, shall we?
My husband won the "best gift giver ever" award this year when he gave me the most enormous box of Vosges Chocolates I have ever seen. It was the trifecta of heart shaped boxes: it had the purple color, it was huge and it was full of Chocolates from one of my favorite chocolatiers.
And trust me, there are many favorites... but this one is a top five of all time. Anyone who can serve up a truffle with dark Chocolate and BACON -and taste like heaven gets my vote!
And as if it weren't enough, he also gave me a box from the lovely La Maison du Chocolat. (It's fun just to say that over and over again.) It's my favorite tiny box of Chocolates, but it cost more than the large, mondo-heart from Vosges! 
(Is that a NYC thing? To have everything so over-priced that you have to hope you can make next month's rent payment if you buy it?)
Maybe, so. It didn't matter.
I had TWO boxes of Chocolate from my sweetie and one body to consume it. I shared a little, but I'm not sure about the lasting holistic effects of all this candy-filled goodness... -it was a very good way to show me he loves me and hopefully he doesn't care that now I need to go clothes shopping for some comfy "mom jeans". I think I will go for some stretchy material to accommodate the extra confection that is now my butt.