Momofuku Nishi

New York

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PERMANENTLY CLOSED

Drawing from cuisines as varied as Italian, Japanese, and Korean, as well as executive chef Josh Pinsky's mother's own kitchen, David Chang's Momofuku outpost in Chelsea redefines "fusion" in a creative, yet surprisingly congruous menu. The Momofuku empire certainly has a way with noodles, and Chang's take on the traditional ceci e pepe is further proof of his mastery -- instead of cheese, the dish is made with umami-packed, house-fermented chickpea taste.