Momofuku Bo Ssam Dinner

The bo ssam dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar was the first non a la carte meal I had at the Momofuku empire. I did not know what to expect. Momofuku limits this dinner to a party of 10. In actuality, it can feed a party of 15.

No meal at Momofuku should ever go without the steamed buns. It's unlike any other pork bun you have had elsewhere. Ippudo runs a close second but there is nothing like the Momofuku one. I've had it a few times now and it has come down to being a hit or miss. I still hold on to the memory of the first time I had it when it was amazing with a huge slab of pork belly slathered with hoisin sauce, a slice of cucumber and slivers of scallions for bite. The bun was fluffy and soaked up all the fatty goodness and salt of the hoisin sauce and pork.

Pork Belly Steamed Bun

Here is the kitchen hard at work. Our table had picnic benches and was right beside it behind the Momofuku Milk Bar. The Milk Bar has since moved across the street and Ssam Bar now has extra seating and party room space.

The kitchen hard at work.

The bo ssam comes with bibb lettuce, oysters, rice, kimchi, sriracha, and ginger scallions. You can eat the bo ssam solely with the rice or you can assemble everything together to make a taco like concoction.

Bibb lettuce with sauces

When the oysters reached our table, we immediately reached out for them. The server told us not to eat them on their own for the proper way was to put an oyster into our bo ssam taco. Dinner foul!

Oysters

Here is the bo ssam fresh out of the oven. It is a whole pork shoulder slow cooked. The meat just fell apart. The portion probably weighed about 5 pounds.

Bo Ssam

And this is how we ate it. The whole thing just works. I highly recommend the bo ssam dinner. I would just go with a full party of 10. We had nine people with us and walked out with leftovers good enough for 3 more meals. The meal is definitely an experience and the ambiance makes for a fun casual night out with the gang or family. And then you can tell everyone you had a bo ssam taco.

A bo ssam taco

Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003