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Momofuku Ko

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Momo1No self-respecting review of Momofuku Ko would begin without explaining in detail how “hard” it is to get a reservation. Go read one of those.

What you don’t hear is that being fifteen minutes late may result in losing your spot and cost you $150. Hence the tension as our train inches to Astor Place. This restaurant is so expensive that it costs $300 if we don’t show up – and probably around $400 if we do. In that way, the cost of the thing becomes part of the experience.  When you aren’t made of money, you find yourself asking “is this going to be worth it?” a lot.

And it’s not like you can cull too much from the internet, especially photos which are a no-no (hence these clandestine shots and links to other people’s pics). Personally, I take joy in documenting my experiences, so that was a bit of a drag. But I’ll play ball. I even installed the Cover app they suggested on my phone so I could forgo dealing with the bill at the end of the meal. In retrospect, I’m glad I did.

If you don’t know, Ko is part of David Chang’s empire of establishments – including Momofuku Milkbar in Carroll Gardens where a few nights earlier I enjoyed some cereal milk ice cream with corn flake crunch and chocolate fudge.  But I digress.

So our reservation is for 6:20 and we get there on the nose  – only to find the place empty. It becomes apparent that reservations are staggered and we’re the first – so each guest gets the same attention upfront, and plates cascade from the kitchen in order. Order, as it turns out,  is key, from the controlled intake of guests, to the labeled mise en place, to the delivery of the right spoon just when it’s needed, to wrapping it all up in time for the next seating. Speaking of seats, there are only 12 and they surround the kitchen.

Like Benihana?” My friend asked when I tried to explain.
Uhm… no.

The amuses set the stage – a few sips of carrot soup with something whipped on top (while the middle-aged rock isn’t loud, the chefs are mostly soft spoken).  A tasty little soup but gone before there’s a chance to get familiar. Same with the bite of lobster that follows. By design, both leave you wanting more.

Is it hot in here?” My girl asks.
Not particularly.

The raw scallop with tomato water and basil is clean and sharp.  As is the mackerel with watermelon, black sesame and kimchi. Things are starting to get more substantial and tasty.

I’d been watching them slowly prepare the honeydew melon, cucumber and avocado dish since I got there – wondering the whole time what I was seeing. With some macadamia nuts, it was a nice plate – but I could tell it was daydreaming about pancetta.

The important proteins – when not raw – are cooked right in front of you – perfectly – and then dotted, sprigged and presented in semi-exact measure. I’m told most of the menu changes frequently, but that certain key dishes are mainstays.

People would be mad if we took the egg off the menu,” I overhear the chef say.  “That and the foie.quote1ko

Lucky me, because that egg dish was my jam, yo. And so simple: a soft boiled egg on a bed of baby potato chips, with herbs and caviar. Beautiful, simple, delicious. With crusty chewy sourdough bread.

Not as impressed with the peaky-toe crab tortellini. Though the al dente peas were nice. Something seemed a little pedestrian about it. Fucking pedestrians, am I right?

Some expertly cooked halibut finds its way onto our plates. With watercress and zucchini and olive, it was the biggest shocker of the night for me. To be honest, I never dug fish growing up though raised by Italians who were three fourths clam sauce.

You sure you’re not hot? Maybe it’s where I’m sitting,” she says.

Watching them prepare the next dish was something like food porn for my girl and I.  Frozen foie grated over a bowl of riesling gelée, pine nuts and lychees. Nine months later all 12 of us would give birth to twins!

And now the beef rib cap. Like the halibut, I watched the stages of it’s creation and was even concerned it might be overdone by the time it reached me. What a fool! It was delectable and perfectly cooked, with bagna càuda and a little romaine. A nice final savory course.

Momo3My girl, beautiful as she is, ain’t looking so great when the first dessert arrives (celery ice-cream with blueberries, sake and sweet rice). And by the time the second dessert (coconut lime sorbet with rum meringue, frozen banana and shortbread) hits the table, she’s really looking pale. Especially difficult from her yellow baseline.

I suddenly don’t feel so good,” she says, and I eat her dessert while she explains. After a trip to the restroom where she tossed two hundred dollars of fine food and sake into the toilet, she comes out looking a little worn.  Some of this drama did not go unnoticed.

Is she OK?” the chef asks.
She’s not feeling too well. We’re gonna split.
Oh, I’m sorry. I hope it wasn’t something she ate.
I doubt it,” I say, uncertain. Still, I know this girl pretty well; she can eat the anus off an antelope. And I ate everything she did with no problems.

On the way out, they hand her some sparkling water for the road and give us copies of the menu. Thanks to Cover, we didn’t have to wait around for a check.

Welp, at least you got to taste it,” I say to my girl, walking back to the train.
Twice,” she said.

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Rest Easy Eric Curran a.k.a M.C Krispy E

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Almost every year for the past 6 years and on the same day, I’ve posted the same pic of me in the hospital  during my temporary and untimely demise  in 2015. A few weeks after I was back to “normal”, I asked Eric “Why’d you take the pics?” And he said, “I knew you would want to write about it if you lived.” Eric was right. Eric was often right and Eric always had my best interest at heart. I am going to miss my friend.

You ever meet someone and become friends immediately?! Well this was not the case with Eric. Before he was my manager at Morgan Stanley, I would often see this 6’4″, giant white guy walk up to the only black woman at work, say something then walk away without any hint of human emotion. Naturally I thought he was a jerk until I asked her “Yo, is that dude bothering you?” She laughed and proceeded to tell me he was a great person, which I ultimately got to experience first hand. Little did I know this Italian from Staten Island was more Brooklyn than most Brooklynites.

Eric was not with the shits!! If there were ever someone who lived their life in direct, honest and no uncertain terms, that would be Eric. He would ask me questions at work like “Why are the other consultants making more money than you?” I knew the answer to that question and so did he. Eric then proceeded to increase my salary by 15K. After arguing with all our managers that “You need to hire Alfred!”, they eventually did 1 year prior to the 2015 incident. In the hospital, one of my friends asked me, “What if you didn’t have health insurance when this happened?” I would be in debt for the rest of my life is the obvious answer. I still am in debt for the rest of my life but at least, it is to those who made sure I had a more enjoyable life and for that, I will gladly repay.

My mom loved to tell me the story of how she met Eric. After they told her I was going to be in the ICU for some time, she told the doctor “Well I’m not going anywhere.” She then hears a voice from that back of the room that says “Well I’m not going anywhere either!” That was Eric and in true form, he was at that hospital every single day until I was discharged.

Eric passed away in December 2021 of stage 4 cancer. After feeling faint on his way to my bbq, he went to get checked out and was diagnosed. During the past 5 years, Eric lost his mom, twin brother and dad. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like but I’m glad that pain he was feeling is no more.

It’s been a bit difficult to deal with it to be quite honest and I’ve been writing this in my head for years but never had the bravery or grace to accept that my friend wouldn’t be here soon. I also can’t imagine what it must be like to lose your entire family nucleus unexpectedly. In true Eric fashion however, I would like this to not be about me but whomever has lost someone and has been coping. I’ve always intimated that my life would not be as enriched as it was were it not for the people in it. The problem with that is there is also no way to deny that it feels empty without those who helped craft your path. Rather than focus on the negative, I would rather focus on the examples of duty, family and emotional intelligence. All concepts reinforced by Eric that have led me to have successful relationships since I’ve put them into practice.

From being my manager to my business partner, writer, book editor, artistic director, and most importantly, my friend, I am going to miss you MC Krispy E a.k.a “Enrique Pollazo!” And although you told me Enrique means Henry in Spanish and not Eric, it was too late!

Sidebar. The day I was discharged, while everyone was deciding what was best for me, no one had remembered that I would need clothes in order to leave the hospital. Eric shows up (unasked) with all the clothes I had on the day I coded, laundered and ready to go. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve friends like this but i need to keep doing it! Sidebar complete.

Rest in Peace Eric. “Be Good.”

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Writing Your First Book / Should I Self Publish?

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I had the distinct pleasure of  participating in a panel discussion on writing your first book, presented by the Harlem chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.  Alongside Jim St. Germain, Author – A Stone of Hope: A Memoir and Dr. Keneshia Nicole Grant, Author – The Great Migration and the Democratic Party: Black Voters and the Realignment of American Politics in the 20th Century.  We opined on pain points, benefits and strategies regarding our inaugural voyages into authorship. Feel free to watch for your self and I hope this provides some insight to all those looking to make the same voyage. Enjoy!

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What the NFT is a BEEPLE?

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On March 11 this year, the digital artist Beeple sold a collage of digital images from his “Everydays” series for nearly 70 million dollars as an NFT, or non-fungible token. And if that sentence confuses you, you’re not alone.

A non-fungible token is a unit of data on a digital ledger called a blockchain, where each NFT can represent a unique digital item, and thus they are not interchangeable. NFTs can represent digital files such as art, audio, video, and other forms of creative work. While the digital files themselves are infinitely reproducible, the NFTs representing them are tracked on their underlying blockchains and provide buyers with proof of ownership.” – Wikipedia

Still confused? Let the artist himself explain it, and learn how he went from NFT newbie to making the third most expensive artwork by a living artist in three months. Not to suggest Beeple is an overnight success. The “Everydays” series alone involved creating a piece of art every day since May 1, 2007 – and he hasn’t missed a day.

Check out some of Beeple’s amazing and controversial work below.

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