Momofuku Milk Bar's Kimchi and Bleu Cheese Croissant -- But Where's the Kimchi?

Victoria Bekiempis

Queen Anne donated her Stilton.

Momofuku Milk bar's kimchi and bleu cheese croissant sounds like it should consist of an off-putting combo: pickled, vinegar-soaked cabbage and pungent, creamy curds tucked into the doughy recesses of a French pastry.

But the problemo with the East Village bakery's specialty winds up being more semantic than gustatory: The kimchee croissant appears to be completely kimchee-less.

Bacon chunks seem to take the place of the MIA vegetable. So Fork in the Road decided to get to the bottom of it.

According to a Momofuku spokeswoman, the sampled dish was not defective, and really does contain kimchi (even though you can't taste it -- like, at all).

Apparently, the sour strands of cabbage - which has bacon added to it -- get "pureed into a fine paste and then paddled with Plugrá butter." The shortening agent gets mixed with the dough "to develop that deep orange-red hue and smoky flavor." After, they roll up the croissants with "some Queen Anne Stilton."

So it's allegedly there, even though it seems like it isn't.

The Korean version of sauerkraut almost takes on the perplexing quality of an Abrahamic god here -- an undetectable presence. Authorities assure diners that kimchi does, in fact, exist in this plate, even though the people eating can't detect the fermented plant through their taste buds, nostrils, or eyes at all.

But the $6 snack does not disappoint, and amounts to much more than a high-concept spin-off of the common breakfast staple.

The melted bleu jazzes up the plain, flaky crust similar to the way liquid fondue enhances chunks of bread. And because the filling has more of a chicory aroma than a purely creamy vibe, the pastry is more unique than a routine cheese roll.

This offering does fall to the super-salty side of the flavor spectrum, so keep a drink nearby (maybe, even, Ssäm Bar's Old Fashioned?) if you decide to gorge on this hearty gutblast.

Have a restaurant tip or other food news? Send it to fork@villagevoice.com.