New York City is often regarded as
one of the most influential food cities in the world with some of the top chefs
from our country and beyond keeping the city as their home base. My list of places to dine in New York is
unbelievably long, so when I was invited down to the city for a press trip- I
capitalized on any free time by crossing off one of my top spots. Momofuko has been a household name in my
place for years. A conglomerate of Asian
inspired restaurants in New York and Sydney, founder and executive chef David
Chang is widely regarded as a genius in the kitchen. I polled my food experts when I knew I had
some time on my hands and the resounding response was to go to Ssam Bar.
Located on the crossing of 2nd
and East 13th in the East Village, Ssam Bar capitalizes on big
flavors in every dish, though in this casual eatery Chang refuses to hold fast
and steady to one particular ethnic influence.
His dishes have notes reminiscent of flavors worldwide, but each is woven
in an intricate pattern worthy of the highest praise. I lucked out on my visit- as I entered the
spot hungry and ready to chow down, and had the delightful experience of
getting to witness David Chang in the flesh being interviewed. My food crazy world was made.
I selected to try the steamed
buns, a staple for anyone who knows their weight in a Chinese kitchen. Chang offers several varieties of this dish,
from the classic pork to the playful twist of pulled duck. I went with the pulled duck. Here Chang pairs this rich meat with a
tzatziki sauce, a bit of that spicy harissa, a little mint and a couple of
cucumbers for good measure. The
combination of flavors from just the accompaniments brought the flavors
normally paired with lamb to the forefront, and then when combined with the
beautiful, gamey duck it was a surprise to my taste buds. The encasing steamed bun was delightfully
doughy with the clean, non over powering flavors of simple ingredients of
yeast, flour, water…those true, staple ingredients. Combined together, each component was able to
shine on its own- the crisp cucumber, the creamy yogurt, the fresh mint, a
small kick from the harissa…every bite got the title of “the perfect bite”.
Now before I headed off on a jet
plane down to NY I did a little research, I asked around for what was good and
the resounding response from my fellow food obsessed friends was the Rotisserie
Duck Bowl. Duck breast, cooked to
succulent perfection over a rotisserie, served atop a mountain of rice and
watercress on the side. I opted for a
side of lettuce leaves with it so I could make little wraps, and I was given
traditional accompaniments of Hoison Sauce, Siracha and fried shallots. It was impossible not to dig in immediately. Craddling a lettuce leaf in my hand, I
spooned in rice, a little siracha sauce, watercress, and then piled on a piece
of duck and a sprinkle of the shallots.
I piled that bite into my mouth as fast as I could and found heaven in
food. The duck was rich and powerful in
its decadence. The natural flavor of the
duck shone forth in its glory, not overly seasoned by anything else, and stood
perfectly on its own, like that resilient teenager who refuses to succumb to
peer pressure in the face of that spicy sauce, the peppery watercress or the
crisp shallots. These were simply gestures
I cleaned my bowl, ravenously
shoveling bite after incredible bite even long after I was stuffed. There was no way I’d let even a grain of rice
go to waste. I experimented with the
different accompaniments- leaving some off, adding in others…every combination
was tried and every combination worked.
Ssam Bar isn’t to be missed
whether you live in NY or in LA. It’s a must
go…now.
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