Back when David Chang opened Momofuku CCDC, the City Center location of his ground-breaking New York noodle house, we had high hopes that the menu wouldn’t always read like the roster of greatest hits it largely was in the beginning. Don’t get us wrong—we love us some brisket buns and ginger-scallion noodles. But over a year later, we’re still waiting for some of the quirkier dishes you won’t find on his menus around the country. That’s just one of the reasons Momofuku CCDC didn’t make the cut this year. The others had to do with quality-control. Chilled spicy noodles, which the server touted as “the hottest thing on the menu,” barely boasted any fire—or depth of flavor at all. Crispy beef and an bowl of beef noodle soup were disappointingly bland. And while we appreciated the local-flavor effort that went into a bowl of chilled ramen with crab, the delicate broth was doused with way too much Old Bay. We’re looking forward to checking out the place in the coming months—and hopefully finding more reasons to visit beyond those gingery noodles and rightfully famous buns.
Newcomers to This Year’s List
Restaurants No Longer On the List
*Closed
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
