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Masa 14, 14th. and Swann Streets in Shaw - Chef Ryan Ratino Replaces Eric McKamey - Closing at the End of Aug, 2019


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Late last week the following message was posted to our U-Street area email group:

Some questions were answered at last night's ANC1B meeting on the application for a new restaurant at 1825 14th Street. The placard described the restaurant as "serving Mediterranean fusion cuisine with a focus on Latin and Asian Tapas." At last night's meeting attorney Andrew Kline disclosed that the restauranteur is Richard Sandoval and the chef is Kazuhiro Okochi. Here are links to explore on each of these partners:

Richard Sandoval: www.modernmexican.com
Kazuhiro Okochi: www.kazsushibistro.com

Sandoval already has a presence here in DC with Zengo in Gallery Place. Capacity is estimated at 140 and will also feature a sidewalk cafe with seating for 25. CSNA review of the application will be on the April 9th agenda.

The concept -- "Mediterranean fusion cuisine with a focus on Latin and Asian Tapas" -- sounds pretty circa 1995 and I wouldn't have paid much attention had I not seen Kazuhiro's name attached to the project. Now all of the sudden it sounds interesting.

Anyone know anything about it?

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Anyone know anything about it?

I just got off the phone with Kaz. Here is the summary:

1) "People know things I don't even know about," he said.

2) Any discussion at this point is premature and speculative.

3) Kaz Sushi Bistro is going to remain open no matter what.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Yes, but that has never stopped us in the past!!!!!!

Best of luck, let us know when you want the hoards to ascend!

I'll update but as it stands now, it would be slightly amateurish to guesstimate on an opening date. As you all are aware, I'm sure, the final inspections and last minute things always push things longer than you anticipate.

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Well...I am going there on Monday as my 16 year old daughter wants to go to a book signing by Scott Schuman.... He photographs "street style" fashion. Oh, and she is the new "Veggie Teen" (thank you Zora for that wonderful coiner)...so Lord knows if and what she will eat.

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Well...I am going there on Monday as my 16 year old daughter wants to go to a book signing by Scott Schuman.... He photographs "street style" fashion. Oh, and she is the new "Veggie Teen" (thank you Zora for that wonderful coiner)...so Lord knows if and what she will eat.

it's all yours now, Raisa. my daughter is eating meat again :( and is in the final stretch of her teen years-next summer she will be 20. hang in there, it does seem to get better with time!
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We had an enjoyable early dinner at Masa 14 tonight. Obviously they need and deserve some time to get settled in, but a few early observations -

The vibe is cool, but friendly. There's house music playing, but it's not so loud that you can't have a quiet conversation (at least where we were sitting toward the kitchen). It's a beautiful space, with a HUGE bar.

It's pretty modestly priced, which we didn't really expect walking in. There are a number of $5 and $6 items on the menu, and while they are (as advertised) "small plates" the portions are pretty generous for what they are.

Some standouts from the menu included delicious crispy garlic teryaki chicken wings and a really outstanding smoked tomato soup with crab, tofu, and mushrooms. (The soup was $5...I think the wings were $6). It's an eclectic menu, as you can imagine from a place that bills itself as Latin/Asian fusion, and there were quite a few things I'm looking forward to trying next time (including Kobe beef brisket!)

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I guess they do have a few kinks to work out! Like telling their hostesses whether they are open for public dining or not! We called Saturday to assure that dinner was being served this past Monday during the book signing and were assured it was....wrong. It's okay, Veggieteen got her book signed and we had a very nice meal at the corneer at Saint Ex. We will attempt Masa 14 again in the future!

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Had dinner here last week. Highlights: Pork Belly Tacos al Pastor (love that they use Chinese steamed buns instead of typical tortilla), Serrano Ham Flatbread (not particularly Latin or Asian but nice texture, Serrano is Spanish ham isn't it?), Yucca fries with a great dipping sauce (chimichurri, lime aioli- sounded like it would be too much but the flavors blended really well). Not as into the Kobe beef brisket (overcooked) or black cod (also overcooked). Overall- a great experience and a nice space. Bar was packed. Glad to have a new option in the neighborhood. Welcome Antonio!

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Real Kobe or the Wagyu version?

There is no difference between the two whatsoever. They are both terms for the exact same thing and can be used interchangeably.

If you want to know the full story, the term "Wagyu" was recently invented by the marketing department at Harris Ranch Beef Company since Dan Snyder owns the rights to the name "Kobe Bryant" and has plans to trademark the term "Kobe" to use as a brand, developed especially for him by scientists at Cal Poly, of "under-sized condoms with that big condom swagger" to be marketed to pathetically hopeful teenagers and sold exclusively at Six Flags and Johnny Rockets.

Hope that clears things up.

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yes- very similar to gua bao. but a smaller flat circle with the pork belly placed on top rather than being folded over.

Tried this as well when I was there. I really liked the pork filling (or topping, rather) but thought the bun was too doughy, and too big, for the portion of pork.

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Just went on Tuesday, I really liked the Pork Belly Tacos al Pastor and my girlfriend really loved the fried oysters with bibb lettuce. We also had the serrano ham flat bread, the seaweed salad, and kobe beef brisket (which was probably not worth the extra price). They were all very good. We had a good value bottle of white wine (the Basa Rueda blend for $25). We tried two desserts, the white chocolate pot de creme, and the other chocolate dessert, both were forgettable. Overall, very good especially since it just opened. I look forward to going back soon.

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OK, this post is long overdue. I had a pre-birthday dinner here with NQD and my mom last week. No, we weren't taking a risk on a new place - NQD and I had already eaten here once before.

I didn't take notes, and it's been long enough that I don't think detailed descriptions would be accurate (I have no memory). But in general, I love this restaurant. Well thought-out recipes, excellently executed. There's a great mix of Asian and Latin influences that doesn't feel like "one from column A, one from column B." It's fusion for the sake of making food taste good.

The small plates concept works well - large enough to share, small enough to order lots of different things. At our most recent visit we ordered everything at once, but whether it was the work of the server or kitchen, it was presented as a carefully paced dinner, with the sequence of plates well planned, not just whatever came out first.

No, not everything was perfect, but in two visits I haven't tried anything I wouldn't happily eat again, just maybe a few things I would place higher on the rotation. Considering the very reasonable prices, it's an excellent value.

One warning: For people with a sensitivity to salt, be careful. I found nothing overly salty, just well-seasoned. Nobody's hand is slipping, but the food is meant to have a fair amount of salt. Very, very tasty, but be careful if you're monitoring your sodium intake.

OK, there is one major flaw - it's on the wrong side of the river. But I'm willing to overlook it. I'll comment on specific dishes after the next visit.

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AGM any dishes you can recommend to try or avoid as of now? going to check out Masa 14 tonight...

Snack on the edamame while looking over the rest of the menu. Or at the bar, if you start there.

Hijiki seaweed–jicama salad is required. Tuna sashimi flatbread is great, better than the serrano ham flatbread. I'm not generally a seafood fan, so otherwise you're on your own in that area; expect high quality ingredients, especially tuna (considering Kaz is a co-owner, no surprise there). Oh, NQD is a big fan of the crunchy shrimp.

Pork belly carnitas melt in your mouth; the pork belly tacos are very tasty, but some people said there was too much bun both for balance and ease of eating. I'll order them every time. The meatballs are good, their sauce is great (one person wanted more kick from the cheese). Someone posted earlier about overcooked brisket; ours was perfectly done and melted like the pork belly.

NQD really liked the fried rice the first time, but not as much the second.

Nothing on the menu is over $14, most of it under $10, and if you have people to share with, experimentation is cheap.

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I went last night with a couple of friends and tried a bunch of dishes, most of which were hits. The serrano ham flatbread was crispy with a bit of goat cheese, a thin slice of ham, and an equally thin slice of cantaloupe, topped with arugula dressed with a tangy lime-based dressing. A nice combination of flavors and textures. So was the tuna ceviche, with its creamy coconut, pineapple, and spicy "sauce." I'm not a big calamari fan, but went along with the group on the masa-panko calamari dish, which even I liked -- the calamari had none of that off-putting rubberiness. Two of my favorite dishes were the crunchy wok-fried okra, which was crunchy (as advertised) and a little spicy, without the slimy factor okra sometimes brings, and the fried tofu, which was light with a bit of a kick. The only thing that didn't go over well at our table was the spicy tuna hand roll, which was kind of gummy. (The rolls -- or at least that one -- are also not great for sharing. The term "hand roll" should have been a hint and a half that it would be one piece, but we all missed it.) We hadn't planned on having dessert, but were so delighted that the dessert offerings were small and inexpensive -- $4 each -- that we ended up ordering three of them. The Mexican chocolate tart had a nice cinnamon bite to it, and the white chocolate pot du creme was sweet and tart (from yuzu if I remember correctly). My friends loved the green tea tres leches cake, though it wasn't my favorite (and I found the slight green color a bit unappetizing). The fourth dessert -- which we didn't try - was mango panna cotta. The dessert offerings were haphazardly printed on an inexpertly cut half sheet of paper, which makes me think they might change. The atmosphere is industrial sauna (a reference to the design, not the temp) and the only thing that would keep me from coming back was the loud techno music. How long does something have to be ubiquitous before it's not considered trendy anymore?

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Okay here are my thoughts (based on memory, so sorry if I missed any details). Overall thought it was pretty good, minus a few misses below.

Smoked tomato, crab tofu soup - Nice tomato flavor, went nicely with the crab. Didn't really pick up too much smokiness however (if that is what you are looking for).

Ham flatbread - This was a miss for me. The dressing on the greens was great and with the goat cheese may have been more enjoyable. However the ham was exceptionally tough and chewy, and to me didn't really meld with the rest of the flavors.

Crab won ton rolls - Tried this since it sounded interesting, however wasn't really that impressed. To me it tasted mostly just like cream cheese.

Calamari - probably one of the favorites of the night. the breading wasn't the best I've had, but decent. However the sauce and side "salad" with mint/cilantro made this dish for me.

Meatballs - another nice dish, very flavorful and moist meatballs. Can you taste that it is Kobe beef? Personally I can't, but it was tasty so whatever. (As a general thought, personally I think it is more of a menu buzzword than anything.)

Crispy chicken wings - I wouldn't say crispy, since they were not. However the flavor of the wings was quite nice.

Pork belly taco - I think the ratio of bun to meat was fine for me, although the bun was a bit slimy on the bottom (maybe needs a different plating). Not the most flavorful pork belly I've had, but the pickled onion and cilantro add quite a bit.

Yucca fries - okay this one I can't really say since I don't think I've had yucca in years. They were very dense and tasted (for lack of better words) almost undercooked/raw. Not sure if this is how it is supposed to be or not. The dipping sauce was tasty regardless.

Green tea tres leches - M E H, meh. If anyone tried the green tea cake mix a while back from Trader Joe's, it tasted almost exactly like this but then soaked in what seemed like green tea steeped milk.

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I stopped into Masa 14 Monday evening, and the restaurant was packed - there was only one free seat at the bar, and I nabbed it.

There are 10 mixed drinks on their menu, and all of them range from $9-12 except for the Strawberry Lemonade ($7), a refreshing, not-too-sweet mix of vodka, fresh strawberry puree, and fresh lemonade. It was exactly what I needed at the time, and it hit the spot so much that I ordered a second one.

Out of 37 savory items on Masa 14's dinner menu, only 11 of them cost more than $9 (which might partially explain the enormous early popularity of this restaurant). They have a wood-burning oven (*), and I tried the Tuna Sashimi Flatbread, a football-sized crisp carpeted wall-to-wall with thinly sliced cold tuna (it's dressed immediately after the flatbread is pulled from the oven), and topped with wasabi aioli, arugula, capers, yuzu, sea salt, and red onion. It sounds like an odd combination, "tuna sashimi flatbread," but would have worked beautifully had there not been overabundance of capers, which gave off too much vinegary acidity to let the other ingredients share the stage. Regardless, this was hopefully just an overeager assemblage - I would get this dish again, and also recommend it to others.

Although the Pork Belly Al Pastor Tacos ($7) were pleasant, the total food cost of this dish had to be less than a dollar. The "tacos" are steamed buns, slimy on the bottom as wahoooob noted, topped with a miserly portion of pork belly, then pineapple, thinly sliced red fresno pepper, lime, cilantro, and pickled onion. The paucity of the pork belly makes this a predominantly sweet dish, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it would have been in better balance with twice as much meat, even if that raised the price by a dollar. The beers here are expensive, starting at $7, and I paired this with a Peak Organic Pale Ale - I was originally going to order the "Kobe" Beef Brisket ($14, and the most expensive item on the menu), which would have been a better match with the beer since it was served with oaxaca cheese potato (and achiote citrus sauce).

Because I ordered small for my second course, I had room for dessert, and I'm glad I did. The dessert menu is the size of a large index card, and contains only four desserts, priced at a remarkable $4 each! Make sure you order the Green Tea Tres Leches Cake with Passion Fruit Sauce - it's cool, refreshing, and a really wonderful way to top off your meal.

Sometimes, the smallest things can make or break an entire evening. At one point during my meal, a food runner tapped me on my shoulder, and alerted me to my keys which had fallen onto the floor. This seems like such a small thing, but if I had lost those keys, I was in big trouble; I sat there the rest of the meal just beaming, grateful to this gentleman for his attentiveness in seeing them on the floor - I can only hope there is return-karma in this world, and that something good has already happened to this person. I walked out of Masa 14 with a smile on my face, knowing full well that the rest of my evening was saved because of one good samaritan.

(*) Regarding my comment at the bottom of this post about Bibiana's pizza oven, I received a seemingly well-informed message saying that "Fire codes in DC do not allow for wood burning ovens when there are tenants above. There may be a room, but not tenants, or at least that is my understanding of the code which allows 2 Amy’s and Red Rocks to have such ovens with a dining room above."

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Although the Pork Belly Al Pastor Tacos ($7) were pleasant, the total food cost of this dish had to be less than a dollar. The "tacos" are steamed buns, slimy on the bottom as wahoooob noted, topped with a miserly portion of pork belly, then pineapple, thinly sliced red fresno pepper, lime, cilantro, and pickled onion. The paucity of the pork belly makes this a predominantly sweet dish, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it would have been in better balance with twice as much meat, even if that raised the price by a dollar.

I had a relatively big portion of pork belly compared to the bun size when I went, but that was when they first opened. I don't know if it might have started out larger, but it was a bit messy to eat so they may have reduced the size.

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I had a relatively big portion of pork belly compared to the bun size when I went, but that was when they first opened. I don't know if it might have started out larger, but it was a bit messy to eat so they may have reduced the size.

Ditto. But my bun wasn't slimy on the bottom. My comment was that I wished the bun was a touch thinner and wider, to make it less messy - it was hard to fold over.

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(*) Regarding my comment at the bottom of this post about Bibiana's pizza oven, I received a seemingly well-informed message saying that "Fire codes in DC do not allow for wood burning ovens when there are tenants above. There may be a room, but not tenants, or at least that is my understanding of the code which allows 2 Amy’s and Red Rocks to have such ovens with a dining room above."

What about Ella's? Seems to be in the same setup as Luigino's/Bibiana, as part of a huge office building with tenants above.

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I thought Ella's oven was fueled by gas with the occasional log thrown in for "that smoky flavor".. Could be wrong though..

Also, 2amys had 2 tenants above them for years, an accountant, and some sort of resale clothing store.. I know the accountant is gone-because that's where the upstairs dining room is, but I think the clothing store is still directly above the oven.

Maybe the code has changed since 2amys opened, and they got "grandfathered" in?

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I had a relatively big portion of pork belly compared to the bun size when I went, but that was when they first opened. I don't know if it might have started out larger, but it was a bit messy to eat so they may have reduced the size.

Just a couple of weeks ago when I tried it the proportions were reversed...too much bun.

Also, the Kobe beef brisket, whether from Japan or not, is freakin' awesome.

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A friend and I took advantage of Masa's excellent happy hour last night and are definitely adding it to our regular rotation. The happy hour is excellent -it lasts till 7 and a number of drinks (including house red and white, margaritas, mojitos, and the yummy strawberry lemonade) are $4, as are a number of the small plates, including the crunchy okra, which were delicious enough to convert my formerly okra-hating friend. the okra are coated in a cornstarch batter, deep fried, tossed with a tangy sauce and served with a citrusy-soy dipping sauce on the side. great bar food. I thought the drinks were on the sweet side, but my friend didn't mind that.

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BRUNCH!!!! Now open Sat and Sun from 11-3pm. Come and get yer chow on

What a great new option for brunch this is. In fact, this has got to be the most interesting brunch in the city. There were four of us today and we tried a lot of things, all of them pretty unique, and everything really worked well. That said, if you need a traditional brunch option this might not be the place to get it.

The highlights of the meal for me was a delicious yucca and brisket hash with fried egg and another dish whose name I can't remember but which included roasted chiles on crispy corn tortillas. Both perfect for a cold early Winter (or is it still late Fall?) morning. My friend loved his Kobe beef sliders, a bowl of creamy, cheesy grits was polished off moments after it hit the table, and generally everyone walked away happy.

As with dinner, portions are generous for "small plates," particularly at these prices. Service was great. Can't wait to go back and try more things.

Thank you, Antonio!

Dan

P.S. On leaving today we had a conversation with the host, who told us the brunch menu was going up on the web site today, but it isn't there yet.

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Fantastic happy hour deal, but unfortunately I couldn't get a drink because I forgot my driver's license :angry: . Half of the time I don't get carded, but for some reason every restaurant on 14th Street have carded me so far. The okra was crunchy and hot. The mussels were delicious, cooked in a slightly sweet broth with prominent miso and ginger flavor (not a single closed mussel in the bowl). I also saw 2 neighboring tables ordered some chicken wings in a dark lacquered sauce, can't comment on the taste, but they sure looked tempting. I am not a fan of the hand rolls here. I expected to see some chunks of tuna, not mashed tuna and mayo. I guess Masa 14 is just opposite of Zantan. Skip the raw fish and stick with cooked food instead.

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Half of the time I don't get carded, but for some reason every restaurant on 14th Street have carded me so far.

That's a clear sign there have been sting operations in the area. Some of these people the ABC Board sends in look well over 21 - I've talked with several bartenders who have been genuinely shocked when they found out the people they served were underage. And the penalties for doing so are immediate and severe (ever picked up trash in a bright orange police vest?)

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Just a couple of weeks ago when I tried it the proportions were reversed...too much bun.

I agree with that assessment as applied to the Pork Belly Steamed Buns. The wagyu beef and pork meatballs were juicy and flavorful, with a nice slightly fruity tomato sauce. The crunchy shrimp with chipotle aioli, sesame, scallion, and masago were also tasty, although they lost their warmth fairly quickly. Food comes out of this place at a rapid pace, at least it did for us. Ordering one or two plates at a time for sharing is best. Nothing took more than 5 or 10 minutes to arrive. Corzo margarita; very nice. Yes, we were carded. Very flattering, actually, at our advanced age. :angry:

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I agree with that assessment as applied to the Pork Belly Steamed Buns. The wagyu beef and pork meatballs were juicy and flavorful, with a nice slightly fruity tomato sauce. The crunchy shrimp with chipotle aioli, sesame, scallion, and masago were also tasty, although they lost their warmth fairly quickly. Food comes out of this place at a rapid pace, at least it did for us. Ordering one or two plates at a time for sharing is best. Nothing took more than 5 or 10 minutes to arrive. Corzo margarita; very nice. Yes, we were carded. Very flattering, actually, at our advanced age. :angry:

Sadly, we did not get carded her last night. I guess I am officially old.

Our experience overall was mixed. Our server greeted us with Disneyesque agressive friendliness and a canned speech that began with "Is this our first time here?" Dude, it's OUR first time here but I'm pretty sure you're a regular...and it was a bit absurd to hear the exact same canned intro delivered with the same inflection and pacing to the table next to us. I'm all for consistency - but surely there is a better way to deliver consistency than through memorized scripts. "May I guide you on a tour through our menu?" "All of our plates are designed for sharing, and we'll keep them coming until you tell me to stop!"

However, when we mentioned a food allergy, the server immediately became an earthling again, saying that he would consult with the chef about ingredients, and even mentioning a dish where a verboten item was present even though it was not listed as an inredient. Much appreciated.

Fried okra were very crunchy and when hot, were quite delicious. The hajiki/jicama salad was pleasant and not overly dressed. We also got fried rice, fearing a Ping Pong Dim Sum experience (being hungry after finishing the "recommended" number of dishes). It was good to act as a balance for all the crunch of the okra and salad. We then got the BBQ salmon and the crispy wings. The crispy wings were very crispy, but also cooked to a falling off the bone softness. Kind of odd, but tasty. HOWEVER, both dishes were outrageously salty. The pool of sauce in which the salmon rested was inedibly salty. I wish every chef in DC would reduce by half the amount of salt in every dish, especially those using soy sauce and other salty ingredients.

Our server's script evidently did not include checking on things like regular water refills. A bottle of wine and 5 dishes came to about $65 before tax and tip. It was a good value for the quantity of food, but I'm still experiencing the effects of the salt this morning - not the best way to remember the Masa 14 experience.

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Our server greeted us with Disneyesque agressive friendliness and a canned speech that began with "Is this our first time here?" Dude, it's OUR first time here but I'm pretty sure you're a regular...and it was a bit absurd to hear the exact same canned intro delivered with the same inflection and pacing to the table next to us. I'm all for consistency - but surely there is a better way to deliver consistency than through memorized scripts. "May I guide you on a tour through our menu?" "All of our plates are designed for sharing, and we'll keep them coming until you tell me to stop!"

Yup, we got that too. I know they are only trying to be helpful, but I find this type of spiel annoying. Been to Matchbox lately? They take this to another level. Sometimes, even when you tell them it is not your first time, they cannot help themselves and give you the speech anyway. A few suggestions are always welcome, but most menus are not that complicated to require a "tour." If they do require an explanation, they are probably not well written and informative to begin with.

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I had a relatively big portion of pork belly compared to the bun size when I went, but that was when they first opened. I don't know if it might have started out larger, but it was a bit messy to eat so they may have reduced the size.

Ditto. But my bun wasn't slimy on the bottom. My comment was that I wished the bun was a touch thinner and wider, to make it less messy - it was hard to fold over.

Just a couple of weeks ago when I tried it the proportions were reversed...too much bun.

Revisited last night. I'm really sad to see the transformation of the pork belly bun from the way it was during the soft opening period. The change really seems focused on the issue of being eaten tidily. The original, messy as it was, was wonderful. The bun is twice as thick now, and the meat is probably 1/4 of the original. The best part of eating a pork bun has always been having the juice saturate the bun to give it flavor, which the new anorexic slices don't really allow for. Growing up, I would eschew bun fillings to eat the juice saturated bread. Ditto with wonton skins. I think the dish is always going to be a messy proposition, in the same way tacos are, so maybe the stylistas of 14th Street just need to suck it up.

But seriously... the octopus with chimichurri and Asian slaw? YUM! The octopus is so tender, and I love the heat of the chimichurri up against the Asian slaw. My companion and I were discussing how nice it would be to have a sort of panchan-type plate for a few bucks - some kimchee, some Asian slaw, maybe some other vegetable to make a trio. I also wouldn't be averse to being able to order a few pieces of bun for scooping up sauces from plates like the pork carnitas. The pork carnitas with kabocha make me a happy girl.

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