Meal Review: Beef 7 Ways at Momofuku Ma Peche

I love Momofuku.  Let me clarify, I’ve never been to a Momofuku to order a regular dinner off of the standard menu.  I have however used their online reservations system multiple times for every large format feast they offer.  I am a loyalist of the fried chicken at Noodle Bar, the Bo Ssam at Ssam Bar and most recently the duck also at Ssam Bar.

Needless to say I had been amped to try Beef 7 Ways since Ma Peche opened.  This meal requires a bit more dedication as the overall cost is considerably more than their other offerings at $450 for the seven  family style courses.  It also requires eight people who love meat.  Shortly after getting a number of co-workers to commit I made a reservation for the first Friday in January.

Walking into Ma Peche has a different feel than the other downtown Momofuku restaurants.  There is lack of character and the room is a boring space.

On to the food:

Course 1: Tendon

The salad was good, not amazing but basically a standard pre-meal salad with tendon.  I didn’t mind eating the tendon (I thought I would based on the name) but it didn’t really add anything to the salad.  The texture wasn’t chewy or crispy it blended in with the salad.  So far mediocre but I figured it was just a warm up for the absurdity that would follow.

Course 2: Beef Carpaccio

The Beef Carpaccio course was wagyu beef served with ginger, scallion and radish and was delightful.  I could eat this course all day but I’m not sure it was much better than any other beef carpaccio I’ve had.  Carpaccio is always delicious and this was no exception.

Course 3:Meat Pie

Ok so I was weary to try this dish.  I’m usually an adventurous eater but tongue is one of those things that I’ve never tried and would be ok if I never ate.  The meat pie is made of tongue, potatoes and a deliciously substantial crunchy crust.  The tongue resembled a normal chopped meat and tasted great.  The texture was soft and moist and not chewy at all.  This course was dense and filling and I was glad I ate it.  The brussel sprouts were delicious – fried until crispy and seasoned well.

Course 4: Ribs

The ribs were an entire rack so I think it depends on which one you chose out of the batch.  They got mixed reviews around the table but mine was extremely disappointing.  The meat was chewy, it stuck to the bone and the flavor was just a mediocre Asian BBQ.

Course 5: cote de bœuf

For the finale the fifth and sixth courses were served at the same time and were served ssam style.  For those of you that have been to Momofuku before you know the drill – four sauces, lettuce wraps, fresh herbs and fresh vegetables to wrap up in delightful packages and eat with your hands.  This was my favorite course of the meal and was excellent.  There was more than enough in each of these courses to feed our party of eight.  The quality of meat for the cote de boeuf was fantastic and it cut like butter.   I liked the cote de boeuf better than the brisket but they were both the only parts of the meal I’d be interested in eating again.  The brisket was served shredded in a hot pot with a chili jam and was also delicious but I prefer a sliced BBQ style brisket over the shredded on served here.

Course 6: Brisket

Course 7: Oxtail Soup

The oxtail soup was a nice finish to a filling meal.  It was served in a small tea cup with one piece of oxtail. The broth had been resting for a while and had a very strong flavor which not everyone was a fan of but I enjoyed.  It was the perfect size and it made you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The overall consensus on the meal was that there weren’t many dishes that we would order again on their own.  Everyone was glad that they went and it was a fun night but I was underwhelmed and for the price there are many better meals to be had in NYC.  Unfortunately I can’t recommend Beef 7 Ways but I do whole heartedly recommend the other Momofuku meals.

01/17/2012 | Categories: Large Format Feasts, Restaurant Review | Tags: BBQ, Beef, Ma Peche, Momofuku | Leave A Comment »