OH MY GOD
I. SAW. DAVID. CHANG. And he made my food.
I can’t breathe. He’s sitting at a table ten feet away, catching up with friends. I’m barely breathing, sipping on a powerful creation of a cocktail I can no longer taste. That's really saying something because I'm sipping on the Vesper, and the vesper doesn't whisper, it drops like a brick in the best way possible. The Japanese gin and vodka combination is seamless but strong and if you like to savor those spirits, it's a smooth-sailing mixed martini with a slip of sakura vermouth.
David has a deep belly laugh, peals of genuine amusement, congruent with the humorous personality of Ugly, Delicious. The menu seems to reflect his views and his genius, fun yet balances concoctions with whiffs of whimsy, like the Zombie cocktail.
A cat mug waves a fistful of mint invitingly, begging you paws and take a sip. It's a harder margarita, much smoother than the vesper but not as sweet as the Mai Tai. A triple-threat of mescal, tequila, and raicilla take on a fruity finish with a Domo mix that must be their iteration of a sour.
The market menu is enticing, and we're advised to avoid the meatier dishes since we have a giant roast waiting in the wings. I can't say I've had any Chang starters or sides that weren't pork buns or chicken wings so I'm looking forward to the Summer Melon and all that follows. This one is off-the-vine sunshine just chilling in a bowl. Jumbo shrimp, tender and fresh, mesh with melon cubes and cukes, cold against heat, sweet against tang in a chili lime vinaigrette.
Casual Cherry Tomatoes cut through the meat, a low-key color-wheel of red, orange, and yellow, slightly savored by sesame seeds and basil. The peaches make the combo sweeter, steering it in the direction of fruit.
Marinated Mushrooms taste almost pickled, but they're too tender to be dehydrated. Piles of caps and stems are slick with notes of acid and pistachio adds some nut.
The Santa Barbara Uni is genius - it's the kind of dish that can recapture the magic of Momofuku in a single bite. It's a dish that covers every corner of your senses, invigorating when the uni-infused silken tofu hits your tongue. The uni itself tastes fresh out of the shell, the avocado is soft and dense, and the yuzu adds a splash of citrus.
The main event just sucks. We pre-ordered the whole plate short rib and they didn't deliver. The server tells a sad story about how it fell apart in the smoker and isn't fit to be served. Normally, I'd be enraged, and there would be a nasty yelp review to come, but they offered us the Smoked Pork Shoulder as a consolation prize and I think I'll be okay. I'll have to go back for the short rib, but the pork is an experience in itself.
It starts with a dozen Oysters, freshly shucked, much more butter than brine. These are approachable and much more neutral for those who can't handle too much raw bar, and for me, the mollusk maniac, they mollify the dregs of deep disappointment.
A giant roast appears on a cart, our pork shoulder, carved table-side. First a ssam with every kind of lettuce or daikon and all sorts of pickles. The meat is tender and a delightful face-full of smoke.
More pork, this time stewed into a Posole. The stew is very salty, but the pork adds an aromatic oomph that makes it mouthwatering.
Same for the Kimchi Fried Rice. It's like the fried rice you get in K-town, made from the barbecue drippings of your grill, but it's made from the best meat and dripping you'll ever have. The flavor is full and unlike any other.
The shoulder still has 2-3 pounds of meat left on the bone, and it all goes into a box for later. No room for dessert despite our longing looks at the overwhelming tower of shaved ice that walked by just minutes before it all started, and we call it a lovely night.
You never forget your first love. There’s nothing like that first bite of a Momofuku pork bun, that feeling of fat dribbling down your chin as you suddenly realize that some things in this world are truly made of magic. Majordomo doesn’t challenge everything you believe in or change your life that way but that doesn’t make the experience less delicious.
If I had to pick some words to describe the food, the word “approachable” comes to mind. It’s original and it’s inspired, but it’s all the aspects of Asian cuisine that most people can enjoy. The family-style sharing brings people together, and the simple but flavorful meats are easy to eat and even easier to try. I think I still prefer the "rising star" David Chang over the "celebrity chef" iteration, but everyone has to evolve as they grow. I'm forever grateful for the chance to see my hero up close, and although I don't know when I'll make my way back to Majordomo, I'll probably still visit Momofuku every time I go to Vegas.
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