Momofuku @ Las Vegas

After 15 years in operation, the two-Michelin starred restaurant Momofuku Ko is closing on November 4. There’s still the sister restaurant in Las Vegas that is still serving some of Chef/Owner David Chang’s signature dishes.

Momofuku was founded by chef David Chang in 2004 in New York City. Credited with “the rise of contemporary Asian-American cuisine” by the New York Times and named “the most important restaurant in America” by Bon Appetit magazine, Momofuku has gained worldwide recognition for changing the way we eat. Momofuku Ko opened in 2008 in NYC and got two stars from 2009-2023. Thirteen years later, Momofuku Las Vegas opened at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The menu in Las Vegas draws influence from all over the world, including the United States, Korea and Japan. The menu features steamed buns, noodles, and meat and seafood meant for sharing.

Pork Belly Buns

hoisin, cucumber, scallion

A simple combo of roasted pork belly, hoisin sauce, lightly pickled cucumbers, and scallions on a steamed bun. The pork belly is brined for 24 hours, then roasted.

The pork was soft and flavourful. We grew up eating a similar version of the bun called hupchui pau 合嘴包, which is fluffy and sweet. And like these buns, meh mom would prepare braised pork belly called kongbak 控肉 and these buns are also called kongbak pau.

Shoyu Pork Ramen

pork belly, pork shoulder, slow poached egg

Piled high with the same pork belly that appeared in the pork belly bun, pulled braised pork shoulder, scallions and a slow poached egg, this ramen is familiar and yet strangely different from those that you are used with from Japan. The soup broth was not exactly tonkotsu bone soup but it was easily satisfying with hints of sardines and other flavours.

The noodles were springy and had that slight alkaline taste that you would not get from other ramen shops in America because this is one flavour that is unaccustomed to the Western taste. But it was that taste that balanced out with the rich, sticky broth.

Chirashi Bowl

market fish, shiro ponzu, nori

This sashimi style lunch bowl is packed with a variety of fresh fish, cured salmon roe and pickled vegetables. It is always changing—they always pack it with whatever they are into and can get at the moment.

You can opt to eat it like a normal chirashi don or make you own maki with the nori sheets given. The rice was sushi rice and slightly vinegared and mix of fish was quite normal though.

When Chang opened Momofuku Noodle Bar in 2004, he played a significant role in shaping today’s dining scene. His restaurant served elevated versions of comfort food, carefully crafted with high-quality ingredients. I came in 2017 when it first opened and what set Momofuku apart was its welcoming and stripped-down atmosphere, making it more approachable than other fine dining establishments at the time.

Momofuku’s influence is undeniable.A decade later, food writer Greg Morabito observed that Chang’s iconic pork buns had become an integral part of our modern American restaurant culture.

However, F&B business is a cut-throat business, with fleeting loyalty among the diners. The Momofuku empire has shrank to just a couple of sit-down restaurants and a growing pantry business. I dread the day we have to get these pork belly buns out of the freezer section of the supermarket.

Momofuku Las Vegas
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Level 2, Boulevard Tower 3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel : +1 702.698.2663

Visited Oct 2023

#momofuku @momofukulasvegas @momofukunoodles