David Chang gave us culinary news to celebrate this week: the celebrity restaurateur and owner of beloved New York City-based ramen joint Momofuku Noodle Bar will open a D.C. counterpart in the spring.
Chang told the Washingtonian that the space, a 4,500-square-foot hall in CityCenterDC, will also house a pop-in Momofuku milk bar and a trendy dessert cafe that dishes out creative cakes, cookies and pies. Look out for the Ritz cracker cookie and “crack pie,” both crowd favorites.
Though Chang anticipates a slightly experimental menu, he said D.C.’s Momofuku (Japanese for “lucky peach”) will serve his iconic pork buns. The stuffed-and-steamed, melt-in-your-mouth dough (pork belly, pickled cucumbers, hoisin sauce, sriracha, scallions) has inspired hundreds of copycat recipes from both amateur chefs and figures like Martha Stewart.
We’re also hoping he brings us nightly bun specialties, like options with brisket and shrimp that frequent his New York base.
While Chang said to expect “super-casual dining… I don’t want to make food for foodies,” he also told the Washingtonian he “[doesn’t] really want to serve burgers either.” So what’s inspiring him of late? Spinach dip and chicken fingers.
Let the countdown to opening day begin.