Ko

Last night, Albert and I had our *first* date night since Izzie was born. I had been feeling like crap the last couple of days, but was still determined to go out for our planned dinner. As we headed out, after giving kisses to Izzie, we talked about how it was our first real adult dinner by ourselves without Izzie. I remember that one banging time Al and I went to my doctor's visit together and we had lunch at Casa Mono after I had just found out I had cancer - not exactly the romantic date.

For those of you that don't know, Momofuku Ko, is the hottest ticket in town. I've been a fan of Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ssam Bar for awhile. If it wasn't so flippin' far away from our place, I'd go a few times a week. Ko is David Chang's new baby. An online-reservations-only-12-seat restaurant where Noodle Bar used to be. (Well, there were 3 empty seats next to us, but one of the cooks said it was "very rare" and "reserved for friends of David Chang.") I tried so many times trying to get reservations at their website, and lo and behold, last Sunday, I finally got one. After doing a ridiculous dance in my living room (Al joined me just for kicks, the only thing I could say or talk about the rest of the week was howIgotareservationatKodon'tyouwishyouwereme).

The food was amazing. 8 courses with 3 extras. Here they are in order:

Chicaron with Japanese spice.

English muffin slathered with pork fat with chives

Fluke in buttermilk and Sriracha, with poppyseeds and chive blossoms.

Albert got the pork belly on greens and oyster in kimchi consomme.
I got the Lousiana crayfish, with wild mushrooms in pea soup.

A smoked soft-boiled egg (cooked sous vide) with caviar on a bed of onions with fingerling potato chips.

House-made lasagna with snails, porcini mushroom, dehydrated broccoli rabe with some ricotta cheese foam.

Lychees and Reisling gelee topped with shaved frozen foie gras. (!!!!)

Grilled trout on bacon puree with pickled radish and almonds.

Chicken roulade with morels and ramps, on Swiss chard with a spring salad.

Albert got the kiwi sorbet with mango spice.
I got the cantaloupe sorbet with a praline.

Albert had rhubarb with yellow-cake ice cream and chocolate.
I got the cereal milk panna cotta with corn flakes and hazelnut with avacado.

Amazing.

I would've gotten some pictures, but one of the cooks said no pictures. I guess it could be annoying to other guests, but I thought nofairthisismyfirstmealoutinmonthsandIsawtonsofphotostakenheresowhywon'tyouletme? But I didn't want to be annoying, besides the dude was making my meal, so I obliged. If you want to see some pictures of what I ate, I found a link here. I also had my first glass of wine in over a year last night. I don't know if it was the heat, or not drinking for that long just lowered my alcohol tolerance, but after just a glass of wine (yummy) made me tipsy and tired!

After dinner, full and content, Al and I grabbed a cab and headed home. It was nice spending a few hours without Izzie, and acting like normal people, but after all that I was ready to go home and meet our gurgling and happy daughter (who was wide awake at 9pm).

So.... aren'tyoujealousthatIgottogotoKo?