At Ssam Bar with a Chef

The night before the Momofuku Ssam Bar review came out in the Times, I was having a drink with two chefs who were reveling in their friends’ newly earned two stars. Their star-studded friend is Tin, the man in the kitchen who makes sure that all of Chef-Owner David Chang’s dishes are being sent out to tables in all their much-publicized glory.

Ever since the review, I’ve been craving the Tin-touch about which I’d heard so much. My night came a few weeks ago when I made it to Ssam Bar with one of those friend-of-Tin chefs. We went during peak industry time (ie, post-midnight) and though it wasn’t crowded, we did catch of glimpse of restaurateur Charlie Palmer.

I was dizzy with delight when I saw the menu since nearly everything looked so delicious. When you make it to Ssam, get the oysters, which look as though they come unadorned, but upon slurping, the evident taste of kimchi comes through strong. Delish.

You also shouldn’t miss the outstanding sea urchin dish, about which I declared to my friend that I could and would gladly eat a bucket of it. The sea urchin came with litchi-soaked black tapioca pearls and a bonito flecked pillow of frothy tofu. An unusual combo yes, but the flavors were perfect. I’d eat a big bucket of it.

Everything on the menu brought up some memory of Vietnam, Japan, or Korea. The Brussels sprouts were bathed in fish sauce; the Chawan Mushi with snails and seaweed had a gelatinous texture so reminiscent of many little dishes I’d tasted in Tokyo. Many dishes had some sort of pickled component, which reminded me of ban chan, the small dishes of tangy veggies that arrive with most Korean meals.

Besides the kimchi-spiked oysters, other little surprises that got me excited were the crosnes that turned up in our mushroom salad and oreo flavored mochi ice cream for dessert flown in from Hawaii. I was also shocked by how delicious the burrito—the concept with which Chang had originally begun—really was.

Small things are always changing on the menu so when you go be adventurous, a taste from Tin is bound to please.