Momofuku goes ItaliAsian on us.

I like anything Momofuku, so when the Chelsea outpost opened, I immediately made plans to go with a friend. Like all “long wait” restaurants, you can go there, put your name down, chill and then you’ll get a text when your table is ready.

After almost two hours we got a table (it went by quickly because I watched The People vs OJ Simpson at a friends apartment nearby, but I was originally quoted an hour and a half, so that was annoying).

When we got to the restaurant, we were sat right away and immediately ordered a carafe of the house red wine, which was delicious!

Since the menu wasn’t listed on their website, I only knew the menu from past reviews/social media.

We started with the Romaine & Walnut Bagna Cauda, which we thought was more like a fondue, but turned out to be like a Caesar Salad. It was a “healthy” surprise when you think you’re getting a cheese dip.

Next we got the Black Bass with Tiger’s Milk and Shio Kambu. It was very light, but the sauce took over the taste of the fish. Not my favorite.

Next we got the Chicken & Dumplings, which was in a broth with noodles and shiitake mushrooms. This was very hearty, but not what I imagined. I probably wouldn’t get this again.

Now the Ceci e Pepe was something I looked forward to and it almost lived up to expectations. It’s similar to the Italian dish, but is made with chickpea hozon and black pepper. It was super, savory and very tasty! It was luke warm and could have been a little hotter! With that said, I wanted another one once we finished it! I would come back just for the wine and Ceci e Pepe.

Any other Momofuku, I don’t think I could rate less than an 8, but Momofuku Nishi gets a 6.5. Some things were yummy, but the rest was just good. They do better with straight Asian cuisine, no need to get all crazy with hybrid food.