De La Nonna (Los Angeles, CA)

De La Nonna Restaurant
710 E 4th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90013 / 312 S Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-221-1268
www.delanonna.com
Fri 12/29/2023, 04:00p-05:40p





Some friends and I recently attended the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition held at The Grand LA, and needed somewhere to have an early dinner afterward. We ended up walking over to the Arts District to dine at De La Nonna, a pizza-focused spot centered on Detroit-slash-Sicilian-style pies. The place opened back in November 2021, and comes to us from principals Patrick Costa, Jose L. Cordon, and Lee Zaremba. And if you're curious about the name, it means "from the grandmother" in a mash-up of Spanish and Italian, a nod to Cordon and Costa's heritage.

About the Partners: Executive Chef duties are handled by SoCal native Patrick Costa, who was born in August 1983 to a mother who was a Navy officer. He thus traveled often as a youngster, and even spent a portion of his childhood in Rome with his Italian family. He later moved to Chicagoland to attend Lake Forest College, achieving a bachelor's degree in international relations in 2005. However, the kitchen beckoned, and Costa thus decided to pursue a culinary career, eventually finding himself working at Boka Restaurant Group's Perennial in Chicago, which opened in June 2008 under the watch of Giuseppe Tentori and Ryan Poli. In September 2009, he joined Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, and became a chef de partie at Laurent Gras' L2O.

From there, he moved back to LA and helped Jeff Mahin launch Stella Rossa Pizza Bar, which opened in Santa Monica in April 2011. This was another LEYE project, and spawned Hollywood's Stella Barra Pizzeria two years later. However, Costa left the company in May 2014. Afterward, he became Exec Chef at The Hart and The Hunter, where he stayed for a year. He then joined Reiss Co to oversee culinary operations for the entire group (Sunny Spot, Salt Air, Vito's Pizza). Costa departed Dave Reiss' side in May 2018, then began consulting for Boise's Wylder Hospitality, which lasted until April 2019. He then started working with Tartine, and opened the bakery's SaMo location in March 2020. However, the pandemic struck shortly thereafter, and thus the Chef teamed up with longtime friend Jose Cordon to launch a pizza pop-up called De La Nonna.

Born in November 1984, Jose Luis Cordon hails from the Chicago area, and graduated from St Viator High School in 2002. He began his hospitality career two years later, working his way up from host and barback roles to positions in bartending and management. His last post in Chicago was at Community Tavern in Portage Park, where he was opening beverage director. He left at the end of May 2016, relocated to LA the next week, and soon found work at the Viceroy L'Ermitage in Beverly Hills. In August 2017, Cordon moved over to Ever Bar at the new Kimpton Everly Hotel in Hollywood, and during this period, also worked with cocktail catering company N2 Mixology. In early 2018, he began a role as bar manager at Felix, where he stayed until DLN came into the picture.

De La Nonna first popped up at the end of August 2020 at Dudley Market in Venice. From there, it moved over to Melody in Virgil Village, and then to WeHo Night Market, which was held at Employees Only. In the first half of 2021, DLN also spent time up north at Bodega Los Alamos, as well as at Little Prince in Santa Monica, and it was in April that year when Zaremba joined the crew.

Lee Michael Zaremba was born in December 1981, and originally comes from Iselin, New Jersey, near Edison. However, he spent his teenage years in Cincinnati, where he began his hospitality career by bussing tables. In 2004, he relocated to Illinois to study advertising at Columbia College Chicago. After finishing up in 2007, he worked in marketing and PR, but soon realized that such as career wasn't for him. Zaremba thus decided to travel and focus on his breakdancing, and upon returning to Chicagoland, he found himself bartending at Ripasso in Wicker Park.

Not long after, he transitioned to Simone's Bar in Pilsen, then joined Logan Square cocktail bar Billy Sunday in December 2012. He eventually worked his way up the ranks from bartender to GM, and then to beverage director for parent company Folkart Management. Zaremba left in March 2017 for a position at Boka Restaurant Group, where he oversaw the beverage programs for numerous BRG properties until November 2020. Following, he moved to LA and began work on turning De La Nonna from a pop-up into a proper eatery.



De La Nonna takes over the former home of Lupetti Pizzeria, which opened back at the end of July 2018 but shuttered during the pandemic. The restaurant was redone by partner Heather Tierney of Wanderlust Design (who's also behind Apotheke and The Butcher's Daughter), and now sports an aesthetic that's simultaneously grandma-like, tropical, and retro. There's quite a bit of outdoor seating available, as you can see.


And here's the menu, which features a number of appetizer-ish dishes to go along with those rectangular pizzas. Meanwhile, beverage options include Italian-inspired cocktails, a couple beers, and low-priced, natural-leaning, mostly Italian wines. Click for larger versions.


Bluefin Tuna Tartare [$17.00] | Olive Tapenade, Pepperoncini, Tonnato, Crostini
Up first was a tuna tartar that was a bit too assertive with its use of tapenade and peperoncini. The piquancy of those two ingredients tended to overpower the fish, though fortunately, the creaminess of the tonnato sauce toned things down, and I liked that smoky, toasty bread, too.


Jupiter Jazz [$16.00] | Mezcal, Passionfruit & Pineapple w/ Hazelnut & Lime
My first cocktail demonstrated those tropical, passion fruit-powered flavors I expected, juxtaposed against hits of citrus and sweet spices.


Kanpachi Crudo [$18.00] | Asian Pear, Pomegranate, Lime Leaf & Chili
Our next raw fish preparation was much more successful, and definitely a favorite of mine. The amberjack ate slick and supple, and paired beautifully with the dish's prickly, peppery heat. Also crucial was the apple pear, which imparted a juicy sweetness that worked for contrast.



Whipped Eggplant [$14.00] | w/ Calabrian XO Sauce
I'm usually not a huge eggplant fan, but this version was another highlight for me. The marriage of smoky melanzana and the stinging heat of XO was outstanding, and matched up seamlessly with that grilled house-made focaccia.


Roasted Cali Baby Yams [$12.00] | Harissa Butter, Chives, Pickled Red Onion, Crispy Shallot
The sweet potatoes were also an accomplishment. Not surprisingly, the yams came out soft and sweet, but not too sweet, and melded easily with the restrained pungency of that harissa-boosted butter. However, the crux for me here was the use of pickled onions, which offered up both a countering acidity and a well-placed crunch.


Hot Buttered Rum [$14.00] | Amaro, Aged Rum, Brown Sugar, Butter and Baking Spices
My next choice of cocktail was a mostly traditional hot buttered rum, which felt appropriate given the weather. The drink was as hot and buttery as its name would imply, and showed off just enough of those sweet spices, along with a hint of bitterness from the amaro.


Burrata & Focaccia [$15.00] | Grilled Grapes, Fig Vincotto, Olive Oil & Sea Salt
And now we come to the least effective dish of the evening. The combination of the mozzarella and grapes seemed disjointed, and the flavors just didn't coalesce as well as I was hoping for, though once again, the toasted focaccia was on point.


Pepp [$18.00 + $2.00] | Pepperoni, Tomato, Mozz, Pecorino + Add Spicy Honey
Time for some pizza. Our first showcased those classic pepperoni flavors you want, but set against the sweet heat of spicy honey. In terms of the crust, it was somewhat bread-like, and generally light and tender, but with some nice crispy burnt bits.


White [$17.00] | Japanese Sweet Potato, Fennel, Onion, Pesto & Mozz
This next pizza ended up as my favorite of the three. The key here was really the pie's pesto-fueled freshness and herbaceousness, and how that played with the sweetness of the satsuma-imo.


Old Fashie [$16.00] | Rye Whiskey, Amaro, Coffee Bean & Citrus Oil
The evening's final cocktail was this old fashioned variation, one that was surprisingly buttery, and also displayed plenty of herby, bitter notes, as well as a touch of astringency from the coffee.


Sicilian [$16.00 + $4.00] | Capers, Pine Nuts, Tomato, Olives, Red Onion, Red Chili Flake + Add 'Chovies
Our final pie was this Sicilian pizza, which was the most unconventional of the trio. The taste of the anchovy, herbs, and olive was pretty aggressive, but somehow, the nuttiness of the pinoli kept things in check.


Salted Butterscotch Budino [$9.00] | Rosemary, Orange & Nutmeg
Moving into dessert, the butterscotch pudding was as rich and sugary as I'd want, with the rosemary and salt preventing the budino from becoming monotonous.


Cannolis [$3.00/each] | Orange Ricotta Cream
Last up were the cannoli, which featured properly crunchy pastry shells stuffed with an airy, citrusy ricotta cream.

De La Nonna served its purpose admirably, as we all generally enjoyed the food, which was mostly familiar and cozy, but with some unexpected touches that kept things interesting. It's a useful addition to the neighborhood that I could see myself returning to for a casual bite. As for the partners' other projects, they've since launched The Let's Go! Disco & Cocktail Club in an adjacent space that used to house hi-fi bar In Sheep's Clothing. It's a drinking den ostensibly inspired by the Italian discotecas of the 1970s, so I might check it out sometime; there's even an attached pizza slice takeaway window.

Hibi (Los Angeles, CA)

Hibi by Kabuki
3121 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006
213-674-7244
www.madebyhibi.com
Wed 12/27/2023, 07:15p-09:30p





One of the spots that I wanted to check out by the end of the year was Hibi, and I made it with days to spare. The food here is Korean-inflected Japanese, and just seemed rather interesting, hence my prioritized visit. Curiously, the place is part of Kaizen Dining Group, a company that's not exactly known for its ambitious cuisine. KDG traces its roots to Kabuki, the middling Japanese-ish chain of restaurants that was started back in 1991 by Korean-American restaurateur David Lee. In fact, it's his progeny Albert Lee and Solomon "Sol" Lee, in concert with Daniel Kim, who are the main principals behind Hibi (which, by the way, means "day to day" in Japanese).

About the Chefs: We'll start with Hibi co-founder Albert Lee, who grew up in the midst of his family's restaurants. Following graduation from Arcadia High School in 2002, he studied hospitality management at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (his father's alma mater), and also worked at the original Kabuki (at 3539 E Foothill Blvd in Pasadena). After starting out as a busboy, he moved up the ladder and eventually became part of the management team, but departed in 2012 in order to enroll in the Le Cordon Bleu program at the California School of Culinary Arts.

Once he finished his studies there, Albert became a line cook at Michael Cimarusti's seminal Providence, where he stayed until 2015. He subsequently relocated to New York, where he worked at Momosan Ramen & Sake, but was back with KDG by 2016. Albert conceptualized Tengoku Ramen Bar for the company, and opened the first location in Arcadia in October 2016, while a second debuted in Koreatown in May 2017; both have since shuttered. He then became KDG's Director of Strategy before launching Hibi with his younger (half-)brother Solomon Lee, who comes from the fashion and music worlds, and was even a musician in Korea.

Hibi thus soft-opened in September 2022 as a ghost kitchen type of setup serving rice bowls and such. It then became a proper restaurant in April this year, but was still very casual, and even popped up at Smorgasburg and MAMA's Nightmarket. However, that all changed in mid-August, when the Lees brought Chef Daniel Kim on board to completely revamp the menu.

Boasting over a decade of high-end restaurant experience, Kim cut his teeth at Le Cirque in Las Vegas. In the fall of 2013, he started working at Providence, where he stayed for a few years before moving over to Christopher Kostow's Michelin three-star The Restaurant at Meadowood in late 2016. He was a sous chef at TRaM, and during his tenure there, worked with John Hong and Katianna Hong, the couple behind Yangban. TRaM, sadly, was destroyed by the California wildfires of 2020, and following the restaurant's closure, Kim began hosting pop-up dinners under the Elmira banner and selling homemade chili sauce before being recruited to run Hibi as chef/partner.


Hibi takes over the former home of the short-lived 760 Prime butcher shop. It's a small space to be sure, and what's pictured above is pretty much the whole restaurant.


Here we see Hibi's refreshingly compact menu. The restaurant's wine list and selection of beer, sake, and soju are also abbreviated, so you'll probably want to make use of that corkage fee, which is $35 a bottle, limit two. Click for larger versions.


truffle tuna (6 pcs) [$29.00] | sliced bluefin tuna, winter truffle vinaigrette, puffed rice
Ruby-hued bolts of Spanish bluefin ate slick and savory, and combined perfectly with the nutty crunch of puffed rice and the oceany kick of gamtae, all while that truffle-boosted vin tied the dish together. A strong start.


potato salad [$9.00] | potatoes, corn, pickled cucumbers, pickled carrots
A Korean-style gamja salad had that creamy consistency I was expecting, and I appreciated both the tang and crunch of the various veggies.


To drink, I brought along the 2019 de Garde The Broken Truck, a blend of four spontaneously-fermented, oak-aged wild ales, created in collaboration with the former Tin Bucket beer bar out in Portland, OR. The nose was all about inviting aromas of peach and apricot, supported by a cast of sour, funky nuances. Taking a sip, I found the ale earthy and invigorating, its tart, spicy, herbal components joined by more of those stone fruit notes. This was drinking great tonight, and still has plenty of life left in it.


kinmedai crudo (6 pcs) [$34.00] | golden eye snapper, yuzu ponzu, scallion oil, smoked young ginger oil, weiser farms daikon, pickled pearl onions
Cuts of splendid alfonsino arrived supple and satisfying, with a clean, sweet taste that married perfectly with the depth and pungency of the scallion-ginger combo, while daikon and onion lightened the mood. It was such a smart, almost profound amalgam of flavors, one that actually wowed me a bit. However, my quibble here was that some sections of the fish's skin were tougher than I'd like.


k.f.c. [$18.00] | korean fried hamachi collar, golden sauce, kimchi powder
Twice-fried yellowtail collar came out juicy, sweet, and assertively saline, with a delicate crust infused with somewhat of a celery-like zing, I'm assuming from the kimchi powder. The fish opened up nicely with a squirt of binchotan-grilled Meyer lemon, and also paired well with that Japanese-inspired golden sauce, which was almost Thousand Island-y in nature.


maitake mushrooms [$17.00] | binchotan grilled mountain meadow maitake mushrooms, egg dashi sabayon, fermented mushroom powder
The hen-of-the-woods was another highlight. The mushroom had that semi-firm, multifaceted texture I wanted, while its gratifyingly earthy flavors matched up easily with the creaminess of that sabayon, with the shavings of cured egg yolk imparting further facets to the dish.


abalone [$19.00] | binchotan grilled abalone, roasted konbu oil, gamtae
Grilled abalone was pretty much spot-on texturally, with a tender, yet slightly chewy bite. Its smoky, savory flavors were on display, and linked up swimmingly with the grassiness of that gamtae seaweed.


miso butter cauliflower [$20.00] | mendoza farms cauliflower, miso butter, crisp iberico, wasabina purée, kizami wasabi
The cauliflower was a favorite of mine. I loved its crunchy, yet yielding texture, and how its smokiness and miso-fueled depth were paired with an almost cheese-y quality and just a hint of heat. Also appreciated was the dollop of purée on the side, which helped brighten things up.


bara uni toast [$42.00] | toasted sourdough bread, bara uni, fresh ikura, miso butter, aged provolone cheese
This sea urchin toast managed to be an unexpected standout. I was a fan of how the sweet, creamy nature of the uni coalesced with all the smoky, savory forces in the dish, but the real surprise was how well the provolone melded with everything without becoming overpowering. Meanwhile, the miso butter was also crucial, since it served as a sort of overarching element that helped integrate the dish.


scallops (3 pcs) [$28.00] | hokkaido scallops, roasted butternut squash, butternut squash purée, white kimchi
Scallops were cooked a tad more than I would've liked, but fortunately that didn't pose too much of a concern. I was actually really impressed by how well the butternut squash functioned, given that I tend to find the ingredient overly sugary. However, that wasn't the case here, and instead, I got this curry-like sweet spice that meshed with the scallops surprisingly beautifully.


stuffed chicken wings (4 pcs) [$21.00] | binchotan grilled chicken wings, taré, stuffed with garlic ginger rice, perilla leaves
Charcoal-grilled wings demonstrated a lovely smoke, and I enjoyed the ease with which the bird combined with its filling of delicately-seasoned rice and zippy perilla.


With the de Garde above dispensed with, I ordered a bottle of the kyoto white yuzu ale [$12] to last me the rest of the meal. As expected, the beer was easy-going and refreshing, and stood up admirably to the food thanks to its floral, spicy, yuzu-spiked flavors.



seasonal catch [$65.00] | binchotan grilled seasonal fish, yuzu beurre blanc, fresh ikura
The catch of the day was kurodai, or black seabream. The snapper was as juicy and saline as I was expecting, and showed off a delectably crispy skin to boot. At the same time, the beurre blanc was quite delicate, and actually paired better than I anticipated with the fish, complementing it without ever getting in the way. I got some nice pops of salt from the salmon roe, too.


Our black snapper was accompanied by a few side dishes. The broccolini was my favorite of the bunch due to its delightful smoke, perked up by pinpricks of tartness.


A trio of pickled vegetables comprised what seemed like cauliflower kimchi, something suan cai-esque, and a fairly familiar fukujinzuke.


Charcoal-roasted sweet potatoes were comfortingly soft and sticky, and featured both a smokiness and a sour heat to go along with their inherent sweetness.


The rice was unexpectedly tasty, even on its own, and boasted a lovely garlickiness and a just-sticky-enough texture.


miso caramel bar [$18.00] | black pepper ice cream, kinako, cinnamon crumble, miso caramel sauce
There's but one dessert at Hibi, and it did seem like a bit of an afterthought. I was hoping for something crisp on the outside but gooey on the inside, but the cake ate drier and tougher than it should've. That being said, the flavors were on point, with the richness of the caramel really making a lot of sense with the ice cream and the dessert's subtly sweet spices.

Hibi ended up being a great way to close out 2023 with, and in fact, this is some of the most exciting food I've had in LA all year. The kitchen's Michelin-level training was evident, and manifested itself in some clever cooking that was simultaneously brash yet finessed, gusty yet elegant. The team here really shows a lot of promise, and things look like they're only going to get better. In early 2024, Hibi will be shifting to a tasting menu format, which I'm confident will allow the restaurant to elevate the cuisine even further, so I'm definitely anticipating that.

Majordomo (Los Angeles, CA) [3]

Majordōmo Restaurant
1725 Naud St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
323-545-4880
www.majordomo.la
Tue 12/26/2023, 08:40p-11:40p





David Chang's Majordomo opened back at the start of 2018 to sizeable anticipation and considerable fanfare. The place was pretty difficult to get into during those early years, but the hype has since died down, and the restaurant has grown into a reliable Chinatown dining stalwart, and thus was the perfect choice for a recent late-ish, post-Christmas dinner.

Somewhat surprisingly, Chang has kept a relatively low profile in LA over the past few years. There was supposed to be a Momofuku Noodle Bar in WeHo, but that didn't end up happening. An outpost of Fuku did open at the SOCIALEATS food hall in Santa Monica back in September 2019, but shut down during the pandemic, only to be briefly revived as part of Kitchen United MIX, which replaced SOCIALEATS. Fuku then embraced a ghost kitchen model, but that experiment was poorly received, and the mini-chain now appears to be limited to just two locations in NYC and concession duty at various sporting venues.


Pictured above is the view from my seat at the northern edge of Majordomo's dining room. Things haven't really changed all that much over the years, which isn't a bad thing.


As for the menu, new dishes have certainly been added by Chef Jude Parra-Sickels since my last visit, though the same general feel remains. We also see the restaurant's cocktail list, wines by the glass selection, and array of sakes, beers, and sundry other beverages. Meanwhile, the wine pairing option appears to be new. Click for larger versions.





One thing that has changed is the wine list. Currently managed by Lead Sommelier Ryan Kraemer (Bungalow Kitchen, 71Above, Yusho in Chicago, PM in Nashville) and Hana Liu, it's quite a bit better these days. Corkage is $40 for the first two bottles, then $60 for each bottle thereafter, while magnums demand $70 a pop. Click for larger versions.


½ Dozen Oysters [$26.00] | kimchi, kombu mignonette
The evening commenced with a half-dozen oysters. I started with the Beausoleils (in the front), which showed off a delicate brine, while the Black Magics were noticeably more saline. The condiments really delivered as well. I appreciated the zingy acidity from the seaweed-boosted mignonette, but even better was that delightfully sweet-n-sour kimchi cocktail sauce.


MSG Martini [$17.00] | ford's gin, oka kura dry bermutto, umami two ways
Apéritif duties were handled by this martini variation. The cocktail had those cool, boozy, botanical aromas I was expecting, but layered with a healthy dosing of citrus. The taste is where the umami really came into play, as the drink was unabashedly savory in disposition. In fact, it was all a bit much, though the Japanese vermouth did help tone things down a bit.


Sliced Hiramasa [$22.00] | fish sauce ponzu, citrus, mint
Tidy shards of yellowtail kingfish ate light and clean, with a lovely texture. The fish paired well with the punchy taste of the ponzu, and I liked the dish's overarching notes of citrus, too.



Bing – Butter, Honey, Black Truffle [$26.00]
Majordomo is fairly well-known for its bing, and for good reason. The Chinese-style flatbread showed off a wonderfully fluffy, multi-layered consistency, and was tasty just by itself. However, as delish as it was, it was indeed much improved when matched with its sugary, musky, and oh-so buttery accoutrements. A favorite.


Autumn's Child [$17.00] | lairds bonded apple brandy, lermorton poire cider, amaro, quince, sakura, bitters, cocchi americano, lemon
My second cocktail was a completely different story than my first. It was decidedly assertive with its orchard fruit flavors, and also conveyed a good amount of sweet spices, making it rather apropos for the season.


Fried Cauliflower [$18.00] | pineapple vinaigrette, cilantro, red onion
Given my proclivity for cauliflower, I was obviously curious about this next dish. I reveled in its rich, umami-driven flavors, countered by touches of tartness and heat, though I just wish that the florets were crunchier.


Grilled Shrimp [$36.00] | jalapeño, garlic, lemon
I ended up eating the shrimp whole, replete with head and shell, and found them mouthwateringly seasoned, with sophisticated spicing and a welcomed tang.


Banana Chocolate Old Fashioned [$16.00] | copalli cacao rum, thai baby banana, miso, tempus fugit crème de banana & chocolate
This riff on an old fashioned demonstrated a surprisingly savory nose, though one with touches of mint and banana. Tasting it, I got cocoa up front, along with restrained banana and more mint, all grounded by the boozy weight of the rum. Overall, the cocktail wasn't nearly as dessert-y as I'd expected.


Roasted Pumpkin [$16.00] | mole, pickled red onion, oregano
I'm generally not a huge fan of pumpkin, but this was a standout tonight. The key was how the squash's smoky sweetness so effortlessly linked up with the nutty heat of that mole, and I quite liked the acidity provided by those pickled onions, too.


Macaroni & Chickpea [$58.00] | miso, black pepper, black truffle
This chickpea miso-enhanced pasta arrived well-textured, with a nice chew on the noodles, and the classically woodsy, earthy flavors of the truffle certainly made sense in this application.


Tepache Junglebird [$18.00] | casco viejo tequila, mal bien espadin mezcal, caffo red bitter, tepache, five spice, pineapple, agave, lime
My second long cocktail went down easy. Think bittersweet spices, plenty of tangy pineapple, and nary any trace of booze.



Duck Confit Crispy Rice [$51.00] | cranberry, leeks, shiso
I'm a sucker for crispy rice, so it should come as no surprise that this was another favorite of mine. In addition to the generous portions of crispy, toasty nurungji, I also enjoyed all those soft, deeply-flavored shreds of duck. The bird was further complemented by the fruitiness of cranberry and what seemed like crunchy, candied hazelnuts, while the leeks and shiso lightened the mood.


Grilled Wagyu Zabuton [$83.00] | steak diane sauce
Our final savory was this Denver steak, which was spot-on in terms of texture, and boasted a satisfying beefiness to boot. However, I found the accompanying sauce a bit overwhelming, as it tended to cover up the inherent tastiness of the meat.


Missionary's Downfall Frozen [$17.00] | sweet potato shochu, 3 rum blend, kikori rice whiskey, peach, shiso, mint, honey, pineapple, lime
The night's penultimate libation was this reworked version of a tiki classic. Not too surprisingly, the cocktail went in an unabashedly tropical, sweet, fruity direction, with just a smidge of herbiness. The frozen consistency of the drink was rather nice, too.


And here we see Majordomo's dessert menu and selection of after-dinner drinks. Click for a larger version.


Pandan Pie [$10.00] | coconut, palm sugar
I have hard time resisting pandan, and indeed, its grassy, ricey warmth was well conveyed here, set against the toasty sweetness of coconut. In addition, I quite liked the pie's brûléed top.


Domoquito [$20.00] | mt. gay xo rum, mars iwai tradition whiskey, amaro braulio, coconut, condensed milk, nutmeg, cinnamon
Our last cocktail was decidedly dessert-y, and highlighted the back-and-forth between coconut, dairy, and fragrant baking spices, offset by just enough bitterness and booziness.


Citrus Pavlova [$19.00] | brown butter, mint
Finishing out the meal was one of the better pavlovas I've had as of late. I appreciated how the refreshing bits of citrus paired with the meringue, while just as crucial were the heftier notes from the brown butter.

The past several years have been tough for David Chang restaurants. Since my first visit to Majordomo, we've seen the closures of Má Pêche (June 2018), Momofuku Nishi (May 2020), Bar Wayō (May 2020, after opening in July 2019), Kāwi/Peach Mart (March 2021, after opening in March 2019), Momofuku Ssäm Bar (September 2023, after relocating in April 2021), and most painfully, Momofuku Ko (November 2023). And that's just New York. Thus, in its hometown, the company is down to just two Momofuku Noodle Bar locations (the second opened in November 2018) and one very casual Bāng Bar (open October 2018), in addition to a few Fukus.

In Las Vegas, both Majordomo Meat & Fish (open December 2019) and Moon Palace (open January 2020) at The Palazzo shuttered in June 2022, though Momofuku and Bāng Bar (open April 2021) are still around at The Cosmopolitan. In Washington DC, Momofuku CCDC closed in May 2020. In Sydney, Momofuku Seiōbo's final service took place in late June 2021. Finally, the tri-level Momofuku location in Toronto (which held Noodle Bar and Kōjin) came to an end in December 2022.

Thus, outside of the aforementioned restaurants remaining in NYC and Vegas, Majordomo is the only other entity left of the once thriving Momofuku empire. Given this grim situation, I really hope that Majordomo can hang on, because the food here is pretty damn good. This really is a key spot for the Chinatown (and Downtown) dining scene, so let's keep our fingers crossed.