As luck would have it there was a terrible amount of traffic on the way up to the city and we got there 40 mins later than planned. There was already a queue forming but at least it wasn't significantly long. Also, being a party of 2 rather than 5 has its perks as there was a table for us in a short 30 or so mins. 

"Omg, we get to sit and watch all the action happen in the kitchen!! *squeals*" - Open kitchens, esp at established restaurants, make me feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy. 

Literally, how good is this view. 

What I thought was great was that they had hooks under the table for ladies handbags because we all carry expensive LV's that we simply can not put on the ground (shout out to you for your thoughtfulness, Momo). A double sided menu, one for food and one for drinks, was already on the table for us to ogle at when seated. 

Our drinks arrived quickly soon after we ordered. While I will never be a sommelier, I have come to appreciate wine (that time in Italy was well spent). This Riesling was one, if not the only, white they had by glass (for Ssäm Bar) but it was excellent, for lack of a better describing word. Light, dry and not too sweet, ticking all the boxes for me. Vee is more a cocktails person usually but got a Dr Pepper for childhood nostalgia's sake. Sorry if this would offend anyone, but I absolutely hate Dr Pepper; it reminds me of cough syrup *ick*. 

Now for the good stuff. First up... 

THE INFAMOUS MOMOFUKU PORK BUNS *pwoooarrhhh*. I've only dreamt about eating these, so I guess dreams really do come true :'). The portions were a bit smaller than a palm size and I've also read that they are usually $15 for two, which sucks but when will I ever get a table again. 

The small buns could barely hold the fatty goodness of the pork belly, which was oh-so juicy, tender and flavoursome. The buns were warm, soft and held the contents up well. It wasn't till I ate half, aka one bite of it, that I noticed the sriracha sauce. The smear of chilli sauce just topped it off. So many noms, but I did feel underwhelmed by it (maybe my expectations were too high) and Vee commented she enjoyed Ippudo's pork buns more.... 

After seeing this dish on many tables, I knew I had to order it. It was the last of the truffle season and I had to get in before it goes. Chawanmushi is pretty much steamed egg custard, a dish any Asian growing up would be familiar with. The price tag was a bit steep for such a small serving but it was an exceptional dish (and my fav of the night). Having only tried snails once before I didn't really taste it in this at all, but the custard was silky smooth, even if you're not an egg person like Vee, and the hint of rich truffle is truly decadent. 

Brussel sprouts isn't a typical Asian vegetable, at least not in my house hold. I wanted a veg dish and Vee loved fried brussel sprouts so it was a win-win. The salty fishy flavour with the bitter sprouts, especially with the char taste, and soft crunch from the rice bubbles makes this a memorable dish. It was a tad too salty though and made us reach for our waters after every few bites. 

The idea of eating cow stomach upsets a lot of people, but those people are boring so don't listen to them. I've grown up eating pretty much any part of an animal that can be eaten, so tripe is child's play to me. If done right, it can be amazinnngggg, like Chang's superb example. Not sure how it was cooked, maybe braised for hours because the flavour and texture was beyond. So soft and tender and full of spicy sweetness. I wish I had some rice to mop all that sauce up. The egg was an added bonus; 65 degree egg (I think) was silky and I felt that the yolk highlighted the flavours more. Very decent priced as well considering the serving.

We were quite full by the end of the meal and un/fortunately Ssäm Bar didn't offer a dessert menu. Luckily Messina was just around the corner and who can say no to that? The staff were kind but casual, the chefs were young and it's a very laid back atmosphere - much like Chang himself. I also got a kick out of watching steak being grilled and sliced and a young sous chef shuckling oysters in front of us - oh, what a treat!

I'm sure their normal trading would be different to our experience. I've read a lot of comments of how the degustation menu is quite disappointing for the price and that the music could get a bit loud, which I experienced towards the second half of the night. I guess something they could improve is toning down the hard rock just a little for more ambience to make people not feel they're just in an extension of the food court. Regardless though, I will always be a fan of Chang and I hope Momofuku brings more to the table for their Sydney establishment.