Even though Momofuku Seibo had been on our to-eat list since 2013, we kept postponing our visit because our naive selves thought the restaurant would always be around… How wrong we were when they announced the permanent closure of their Sydney location in April 😅😅.
By the time we saw the announcement, everything was booked out. I was despecito and signed us up to every single timeslot waitlist 🤣. After a few disappointing attempts, we were finally fast enough to snatch up the vacant seats (thanks stranger for cancelling!).
We dined on the 26th May 2021. The tasting menu was $190 per person.
By the time we saw the announcement, everything was booked out. I was despecito and signed us up to every single timeslot waitlist 🤣. After a few disappointing attempts, we were finally fast enough to snatch up the vacant seats (thanks stranger for cancelling!).
We dined on the 26th May 2021. The tasting menu was $190 per person.
Tasting Menu
Unlike David Chang’s other international locations, Momofuku Seibo was a Caribbean-inspired restaurant, located in the buzzing Star casino. Each dish was inspired by a different country, playing with traditional elements in a creative way.
The Welcome Platter was a grand starter, featuring a variety of seafood-based dishes all inspired by Trinidad and Tobago. We were recommended to start at the top and work our way down.
The Welcome Platter was a grand starter, featuring a variety of seafood-based dishes all inspired by Trinidad and Tobago. We were recommended to start at the top and work our way down.
Nestled on an array of bush leaves was our first entrée: two servings of peppa marron. These crayfish were fiyahhh! Literally 🔥. It was a slow-burning heat that consumed every tastebud with its ferocious spice. I couldn’t even eat my second one because I thought it was too overwhelming 😅. P.S. My chilli game is improving. I can eat 2 chillis now! Kekeke.
Looking past the spice, Mick said the crayfish had a creamy texture and fresh, sweet oceanic taste. If we focused on the dish alone, its presentation was a little lacking in creativity but at least the flavour was a punch.
Looking past the spice, Mick said the crayfish had a creamy texture and fresh, sweet oceanic taste. If we focused on the dish alone, its presentation was a little lacking in creativity but at least the flavour was a punch.
In the second tier dish, there was one serving of oyster with guava mignonette and a XL pippies with plantain each.
The Pacific oysters were creamy and fresh, elevated by the tropical vinaigrette and finely chopped shallots underneath. The guava added an interesting sweet note that made us ooooo upon first taste, but there was nothing spectacular about it. Just a nice, different approach.
On the other hand, the pipi was the best entrée of the lot. It was a perfect bite of creamy, sweet crustacean that made our eyes roll backwards and lingered deliciously on our tongues afterwards 🤤. The caramelised sugar flavour of the plantain was the perfect chosen partner.
The Pacific oysters were creamy and fresh, elevated by the tropical vinaigrette and finely chopped shallots underneath. The guava added an interesting sweet note that made us ooooo upon first taste, but there was nothing spectacular about it. Just a nice, different approach.
On the other hand, the pipi was the best entrée of the lot. It was a perfect bite of creamy, sweet crustacean that made our eyes roll backwards and lingered deliciously on our tongues afterwards 🤤. The caramelised sugar flavour of the plantain was the perfect chosen partner.
On the bottom of the tower was the salmon roe with papaya chow and buss up shut roti. On its own, the presentation was simple. The sauce was light and sour. The pickled papaya was an enjoyable, dry crunch that cut through the sourness well. And the accompanied roti was fluffy with a crispy exterior. It had a somewhat bland, oily taste that paired well with the stronger papaya flavours.
True to its origins, this was a messy dish that required a bit of technique. By the end of it, we were dripping sauce everywhere 😳. Overall it was okay. The flavours were there but the gastronomy needed a bit more oomph.
True to its origins, this was a messy dish that required a bit of technique. By the end of it, we were dripping sauce everywhere 😳. Overall it was okay. The flavours were there but the gastronomy needed a bit more oomph.
The solomon Gundy with cassava was a delicate bite, created with a smooth cured-salmon pâte layered on a light, crunchy cracker. The cured fishy flavour was not overwhelming and balanced by the sweet notes of cassava. There was a surprising burning sensation afterwards, thanks to the traditional spicing method of chillis and seasoning. We enjoyed the contrasting textures of this appetiser.
The last of the entrée was the caviar with fermented pineapple and rum. The saltiness of the Sterling caviar was balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple concoction underneath. It was a simple spoonful oozing Caribbean vibes 🐟🍍🌴.
Moving to the next country, we had kalalou diri; an okra and beef dish inspired by Haiti. This tasted like homey soul food. It was well seasoned with notes of sweetness from the carrots. The texture was mushy (rice) and slimy (okra) so at first, it was a little odd for our palates but we really enjoyed the warm, soulful feeling.
This Jamaican beef and abalone patty were some of the most delicious patties we have had. Inside the crispy and puffy turmeric pastry was a creamy and savoury gravy filling of abalone and bone marrow. The abalone flavour was very prominent. Biting into it was like being cuddled up by our favourite, warm childhood memory – just so piercing to the soul and satisfying to the tastebuds 🤤🤤🤤.
Our next country and dish was the Barbados pudding and souse, with blood sausage and squid laid upon Jalapeno, lime and parsley oil.
Traditionally, offal is used but Momofuku spun it up with some delicious blood sausage. This is an ingredient we loveee, thanks to 순대 (sundae), so seeing it in another cultural dish was fantastic for us. The sausage was mixed with sweet potato, giving a mildly savoury and sweet flavour profile and the fluffiest texture. Combined with the spice and citrusy sauce, this was such an aromatic dish with lots of play in textures, colours and flavours.
Traditionally, offal is used but Momofuku spun it up with some delicious blood sausage. This is an ingredient we loveee, thanks to 순대 (sundae), so seeing it in another cultural dish was fantastic for us. The sausage was mixed with sweet potato, giving a mildly savoury and sweet flavour profile and the fluffiest texture. Combined with the spice and citrusy sauce, this was such an aromatic dish with lots of play in textures, colours and flavours.
Our main dish was jerk karubi plate with pikliz and cavalo nero, inspired by Haiti. The jerk brisket was a naval end cut that had been slow-cooked over a flame grill, resulting in a deliciously smoked and charred piece of tender beef. We enjoyed the fatty cuts of the naval end but it was a very filling bite. At first, our greedy asses wanted a serving each but by the end of it, we were glad this was a shared dish 😂.
The pikliz was a Haitian condiment of pickled cabbage, carrots and Scotch bonnet peppers. This tasted familiar, like an Asian coleslaw, thanks to the garlic powder and white vinegar.
The Cavallo nero was drenched in miso paste and had strong sesame and umami flavour profile. Both were interesting combinations for vegetable side dishes.
The Cavallo nero was drenched in miso paste and had strong sesame and umami flavour profile. Both were interesting combinations for vegetable side dishes.
For desserts, we had a Jamaican hummingbird cake, made of mascarpone curd, all spices cake and pineapple jam. It was a buttery and spongey layered cake, with a mildly sweet flavour. We enjoyed the pineapple but overall, it was not memorable.
The last dish was cucurucho, an “icecream cone” from Cuba. This was a coconut cone, wrapped in palm leaf with a theatrical touch of nutmeg ice cream and freshly shaved nutmeg. The cone was very sticky and very sweet, balanced well by the chilled, mildly bitter ice cream. It was fun getting our hands dirty in the unveiling of our food. We thought we re finished after this until….
Extra
… They brought out this cute binoff cake as a celebration of our anniversary 🥺😍. This was like eating a thick, sweet marshmallow. There was melted caramel layered inside, making it a very sticky cake. We loved the evenly burnt details on the outside. We also got the cutest card, signed by the whole staff! Aww 🥺.
SERVICE
The service was impeccable. Attentive, efficient and professional, it’s no wonder Momofuku has had amazing reviews for the past decade.
REVIEW
We thought the price was a bit steep for the menu but it was under an internationally well-known brand located in the casino so we understand rent is expensive.
Everyone having the tasting menu was seated at the bars facing the kitchen. We watched as the chefs prepared sashimi, lobsters and t-bone steaks, all of which did not go to us. These were being made for a different “secret” menu, served only to those sitting on the regular dining tables. When we asked, the servers were very hush-hush, telling us this menu was exclusive for their regulars patrons. Just want sashimi, ya know..🥺.
Overall it was a really good dining experience with some gastronomically intriguing ingredients showcasing traditional Caribbean food but nothing was spectacular. Some of the dishes were delicious, some were okay-good.
Thanks for reading.
Happy eating 😙
Everyone having the tasting menu was seated at the bars facing the kitchen. We watched as the chefs prepared sashimi, lobsters and t-bone steaks, all of which did not go to us. These were being made for a different “secret” menu, served only to those sitting on the regular dining tables. When we asked, the servers were very hush-hush, telling us this menu was exclusive for their regulars patrons. Just want sashimi, ya know..🥺.
Overall it was a really good dining experience with some gastronomically intriguing ingredients showcasing traditional Caribbean food but nothing was spectacular. Some of the dishes were delicious, some were okay-good.
Thanks for reading.
Happy eating 😙
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Wow, superb blog structure! How long have you ever been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The total glance of your web site is magnificent, let alone the content material!!
You are clueless about animal rights.
Author
That’s why I eat all the piggies 🐷
¡Hola! Podría haber jurado que he visitado este sitio antes, pero después de mirar muchos de los artículos me di cuenta de que es nuevo para mí. No obstante, estoy ciertamente contento de haberme encontrado con él y lo marcaré como favorito y lo revisaré con frecuencia.
¡Hola! ¡Esta publicación no podría estar mejor escrita! ¡Leer esta publicación me recuerda a mi anterior compañero de habitación! Siempre seguía charlando sobre esto. Le enviaré esta página. Bastante seguro de que tendrá una buena lectura. ¡Muchas gracias por compartir!
¡¡Quiero agradecerles por esta muy buena lectura !! Ciertamente me encantó todo. Te he guardado como favorito para ver las cosas nuevas que publicas …