I can’t believe what I’ve been missing all this time! If I had only known the wonders that are Fatty Crab… but now I know and I’m so much happier for it.
Four of us (mostly chefs) descended on the comfy neighborhood joint, hungry, hot and thirsty. First of all, the place is not what I expected at all – especially so close to the meat packing district – it would have been better suited for what the neighborhood “used to” be than its current high-fashion version of itself. I’m so happy places like this still thrive – it renews my faith in NYC.
We started out with ice cold San Miguel’s (many of them) and placed an order better suited for twice as many people – the kitchen also supplemented this with many extra treats and we were especially grateful for their generosity.
Here’s the rundown:
Quail Shooters – four lightly cooked quail eggs cut open and topped with an assortment of chili sauces and pork fluff (mmmm!)
Jalon Alor Chicken Wings – Sweet, sticky, spicy… what’s not to love?
Steamed Pork Buns – Rivaling Momo, but not quite – definitely satisfying though
“Fatty Tea Sandwiches” – Pork belly and sambal aioli on white bread with crusts cut off – these were, surprisingly, the hit of the night – could be a new addiction in the making
Fatty Sliders – pork and beef burgers – add more pickle-y pickles and you got a winner – a great treat either way.
Lo Si Fun Noodles – Chewy rice noodles, Chinese sausage and shitakes – spicy, sweet, satisfying – maybe my personal favorite (besides the crab)
Singaporean Black Pepper Mussels served with brioche spread with peach preserves for dunking in the peppery broth
Short Rib Rendang served over coconut rice – this was the most popular entree (beside the crab)
Fatty Duck – Very tasty, tender with crispy skin
Chili Crab – Even though this was the last thing to come to the table and we were all stuffed by the time it arrived, we managed to eat every last saucy spicy bite, splashing the creamy chili sauce all over clothes, legs, arms, faces, etc. as we went. This dish is an event in itself… make sure to get extra bread for soaking up every bit of that sauce (and make sure this dish comes out before the short rib so you have room to do so!)
