It's been over two years since Vancouver learned the city was set to be home to another outpost of Momofuku Noodle Bar, the New York-born restaurant mini-chain started by celebrity chef and Netflix star David Chang.
Chang, who infamously toured Vancouver for the cameras chaperoned by local favourite Seth Rogen, had fallen in love with the city and its food scene and had inked a deal to open a Momofuku at Vancouver House, the posh development in the newly-named "Beach District" west of the north end of the Granville Bridge.
Momofuku was aiming for a 2020 opening, and a menu showcasing local, seasonal ingredients in a concept that aligned with the original NYC location - including its calling card ramen, buns, and soft serve.
But we all know what early 2020 brought the world, and what it meant for some businesses. The pandemic's onset stalled Momofuku's progress; for one, Chang was unable to travel to Vancouver due to restrictions.
There remained optimism that Momofuku would still be able to make a go in 2021, but word around town recently pointed to the end of the road for the project after the signage that had been up on the side of Vancouver House touting the restaurant's arrival since fall 2019 had been taken down.
"We don't have any updates on Vancouver at this time," a representative for the Momofuku brand told Vancouver Is Awesome in an email Monday (Nov. 15).
A rep for Vancouver House developer Westbank had just a tad more to say, but still nothing definitive for now: "The Momofuku Noodle Bar planned for Vancouver House was postponed due to the pandemic. At this time, we are determining whether the project will move forward with our collaborators at Momofuku. We’ll have more updates to provide in early 2022."
And so the waiting resumes for the time being.
In the interim, several restaurants have opened their doors at Vancouver House, all local independent ventures, like Autostrada, Linh Café, and Ça Marche Crêperie.
Momofuku Noodle Bar has locations in New York City and Toronto, and Chang operates more related restaurants in New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
