the dish

Momofuku Ko Bar Proves Cold Fried Chicken Can Be Just As Good As Hot

That’s right. The fried chicken at Dave Chang’s new à la carte annex to Momofuku Ko proper is served by the piece and straight from the fridge, and listed on the handwritten menu as “Fried Chicken But Cold.” Undoubtedly smart alecks will take issue with this. They’ll say, “What, no ‘Bread But Stale’? No ‘French Fries But Leftover’?” Yet just as the English like their beer tepid, some folks prefer their fried chicken with a little chill on it. Executive chef Sean Gray, who’s also “a cold-pizza person,” notes that piping-hot or even moderately hot food inhibits flavor, though food scientists don’t really know why. Another reason cold fried chicken might be better than hot: no wait for it to cool off before you take a bite.

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On the menu at Momofuku Ko Bar; $7; 8 Extra Pl., nr. 1st St.; 212-203-8095.

*This article appears in the April 30, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!

Momofuku Ko Bar Proves Fried Chicken Is Just As Good Cold