91 South 6th St. Brooklyn
Well, it’s about time that the Times recognized my friends and I for all the trying out new eating spots – yes – that’s us at Fatty Cue, doesn’t Jim look handsome? So moment of semi fame aside, how was the restaurant? Was it truly “packed with people in beards or vintage dresses” well, yes if you count Jim and I, was it true that “To eat at Fatty Crew’s new restaurant is to experience the very essence of nowness. No one else is cooking like this anywhere.” also as the Times articles states? Sure! Our meal, which was rambling and exciting was delicious. We started with a great cucumber salad with a nice kick, as well as the intriguing sounding Dragon Pullman Toast with side of master fat – essentially a fat stack of pillowy toast with a bacony dipping sauce (it was awesome). One of my favorites of the night though, was perhaps the most subtle, the pork loin smoked on the bone, sliced thin with green peppercorn aioli and herb salad. Topped with crunchy bits and an excellent sauce (the place is swimming in excellent sauces), it was surprisingly complex in the way that the best Asian flavor combinations can be.
For larger plates to share (we shared everything) we opted for the Mediterranean lamb (very good but not quite as stand out as the rest for me personally), the curry duck (wow flavors, but a tad too fatty for my taste to order again, though friends raved), beef brisket with steamed buns to accompany (tender and flavorful was the meat, the buns – which we got extras of were perfect for soaking up all that aforementioned sauce both definitely worth ordering again), and the creme de resistance the Ikan Bakar: whole mackerel, turmeric salt, smoked and seared in a banana leaf, chili-garlic-lime sauce. Not only was this fresh tasting and delicious as it came to us, where we picked it down to the bones – we then ate the bones! Seriously, the waiter (who was incredibly sweet and friendly) offered to deep fry the bones so of course we said yes, and the resulting crunchy snack was the best part of the whole meal. Why this isn’t done more often more places, I’ll never know.
Dessert was a yummy smores pie, but admittedly, not exactly what we were craving after the salty, flavor impact of the meal. Perhaps an unusual sorbet would have hit the spot better and felt less heavy after so much indulgence. Of course, we ate every last morsel of the pie, so my complaint is a minor one. It was certainly over all a dramatic dining affair in a noisy, comforting environment. I have always been a huge fan of Fatty Crab but rarely make it to the neighborhood in time to snag a table, but with an option so close by, I’ll definitely keep it in mind of any special nights. It’s pricier than one might expect for the portions and the comparisons to Malaysian joints in say, Elmhurst, but definitely worth it for the unique culinary experience.
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135 North 5th Street, Brooklyn
80 Berry Street, Brooklyn
At the Williamsburg Hall of Music