New York: Momofuku Milk Bar
After Artichoke, the next stop on our jaunt through the East Village was Momofuku Milk Bar:
A full-fledged meal at Momofuku Ssam was too much to take on in my grand scheme to snack our way through the East Village, but as I still wanted to introduce my sister to the world of Momofuku, a dessert break at the Milk Bar made perfect sense.
Behind the rather nondescript storefront lies a field day for the senses:
There's so much to look at, to smell, to decide on. You can also hear the murmuring of conversation plus the clattering of plates and forks in the dining room of Momofuku Ssam, which is connected to the Milk Bar by a small hallway.
I tried the crack pie last year with my best friend and I really wanted my sister to experience its magic for herself:
If you don't like rich, buttery things, this isn't for you. I remember really loving crack pie the last time I had it, but for some reason it was just overwhelmingly sweet to me this time around. I've identified two possible reasons for this: 1) last year we split the slice between 3 people while this year it was just between 2 and 2) I'm getting old and my tolerance level for sweetness has been significantly lowered in the past year. Both make sense to me.
Since my visit last year, I've been regretting not trying the compost cookie. I decided to rectify that error this trip:
As its name suggests, the compost cookie is basically a bunch of good stuff thrown together. It includes pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, and chocolate chips. I was expecting more from the cookie...especially since there's potato chips (!) in it, but sadly, while it was good, neither my sister nor I were impressed.
As its name suggests, the compost cookie is basically a bunch of good stuff thrown together. It includes pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, and chocolate chips. I was expecting more from the cookie...especially since there's potato chips (!) in it, but sadly, while it was good, neither my sister nor I were impressed.
I think what really disappointed me on this Milk Bar run was the new product packaging development:
When I asked for a slice of crack pie, I did not expect the lady behind the counter to reach down and grab a pre-packaged cardboard sleeve. Even the cookie came in a sealed plastic bag. I'm not speculating about the freshness of the food, but I am commenting on the loss of, for lack of a better word, warmth in the entire transaction. There's just something so cold and detached about being handed a pre-prepared cardboard box or plastic bag.
Efficient? Yes.
Warm, fuzzy feeling inducing? Not so much.
Momofuku Milk Bar
207 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
(212) 254-3500
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