David Chang Pivots Momofuku Nishi Into A More Straightforward Italian Restaurant

In early 2016, serial restaurateur David Chang opened Nishi as a Korean-Italian fusion entry into his Momofuku fleet. Five months later, the restaurant received a tepid one-star review from Times reviewer Pete Wells, calling it uncomfortable and loud, and referring to some of the food as "muddled or muted." In September of this year, Chang temporarily shuttered the restaurant for some kind of revamp, which we now know is to a more straightforward menu of Italian dishes and, blessedly, chairs with backs.

Starting Wednesday night, Chef Joshua Pinsky now presides over a kitchen turning out dishes like crudo and carpaccios, and, most notably, lots of pasta. The chef will offer six pastas on the reopening menu, including the popular Ceci e Pepe dish ($17/21) that uses chickpeas instead of parmesan. Pinsky also has a Pasta Tasting menu ($58) consisting of four pasta courses plus dessert, with noodle dishes—like an agnolotti with chicken liver in brown butter and the Lumache all'Amatriciana pictured above—not available via the a la carte menu.

Beyond pasta, there are proteins including Whole Branzino in herbed brown butter ($32), BBQ Pork Ribs with sweet and sour garlic sauce ($28), and Roast Pork in a rye jus ($29). The Italian classic Lobster Fra Diavolo ($62) employs spaghettoni infused with garlic and chili as a nest for a fried salt and pepper lobster; the dish is meant to serve two.

While we can't say for certain whether issues of excessive volume have been addressed, the refurbished dining room looks a lot more inviting than previously, when Chang employed his slightly uncomfortable (if signature) backless stools. The undulating booths and leather chairs look a hell of a lot more accommodating, especially after four plates of pasta and a few glasses of Italian vino.

232 8th Avenue, (646) 518-1919; nishi.momofuku.com