Dana Hallman

Review of Momofuku Ma Peche

I had brunch at Ma Peche. The food was tasty. St...

I had brunch at Ma Peche. The food was tasty. Started with pork buns then had the chicken and waffles. They were very good. I'm a chicken and waffles fanatic and these held their own. I only gave the restaurant 3 stars because the service concept doesn't work. I don't know about you, but I don't want food that's passed below half the restaurants nose before I decide whether or not I want it. The dim sum concept in this restaurant, where plates are carried table to table and placed under each customers nose, doesn't seem very sanitary and definitely not appetizing. Also, I ordered a mimosa three times that never came. The waiter kept telling me he would send the drink cart. Sadly the cart never made it. Why they would try to wheel a cart through such tight space makes no sense. The cart lady had to keep telling people to push in their chairs because she couldn't take it through. Needless to say, the back of the restaurant never saw the drink cart. I also ordered one of each cookie from the Milk Bar, the associated bakery you pass through on the way out of the restaurant. The corn and compost cookies are the best. All others were like eating raw cookie dough. I get the soft cookie concept, but these just didn't seem to be cooked through. Momofuku recently opened a venue in DC. I will check it out to see what it's like, but I don't think it will become one of my standard go to restaurants. As for the prices, I live in DC where restaurant prices are ridiculous, so I didn't think the prices were that bad. I'm sure in NYC where a good meal can still be had at a reasonable price, Momofuku may be considered high given the cuisine. Truthfully, I think the better restaurant is the Noodle Bar in the Village. Great eats, great service, and down to earth atmosphere.