Over 300 restaurants into New York City, I've finally eaten at Momofuku Noodle Bar. I wanted it to taste good, because Momofuku Ko (now closed) introduced me to fine Asian food when I first visited the city, and because we could do with more focused, elevated Asian American food.

It did taste good, and disappointing. Perhaps the food couldn't've lived up to the hype it's built over the years. And perhaps I wanted to align with my Asian peers who found it over-hyped.

Or perhaps David Chang just offered the right food at the right time, telling non-Asian Americans that ramen can rise above instant, and Asian food can rise above takeout. We live with that concept now, given the surge I've seen in elevated Asian food, particularly Asian fusion in fine dining. And now, knowing his anger and his harms, I have less a taste for Momofuku and more a taste for the next crop of Asian American restaurant(er)s.