The Gluttoness — April 08, 2009
Fatter West Side
The hype over the Fatty Dog had us clamoring to make it up to the Upper West Side. Part hot dog, part bahn mi, the XO sausage is as impressive on the plate as it is with the first bite. Sandwiched in a toasty potato bun, the warm bread envelops the meaty flavors as the savory juices mingle with fresh, tangy vegetables under the veil of a heavily spiced chili aioli. Spice is the name of the game at Fatty Crab, which would be more aptly titled “Sambal Crab,” for their allegiance to the spicy, fermented shrimp paste.
The Fatty Dog was the first of three “Fatty” snacks, the least exciting being the Fatty Tea Sandwiches. Boring white bread houses pork belly (fat) and sambal aioli (spicy fat)—but we already knew that. We’ve also known about the Top 5-caliber Fatty Sliders, which always have the perfect proportion of buttery brioche roll to well-seasoned patty to thick-cut cucumber slice. An Asian “special sauce” (maybe sambal and ketchup) would be great for dipping.
What’s ideal is that Pelaccio is in the building. And so is Corwin Cave. Intent upon our appetizers, we were surprised when we finally looked up and saw the thriving Wednesday night atmosphere—way more animated than I’ve ever seen the original Meatpacking space. The UWS outpost simply has more room and a lot of character.
The rustic exposed brick and industrial-sized fans creatively clash with the otherwise red and black motif. A vintage copper espresso machine loomed over our table and “99 Balloons” echoed through both dining rooms. Asian porn decorates the bathrooms and we were granted repeat viewings since the bartender was on point with his incredibly well chosen list of cocktails. The king of their specialty cocktails is clearly the dramatically presented Caribbean Rum & Coconut Water, which is served in a coconut shell like you would get in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The wine list is also expertly maintained and elegantly designed to combat spiciness. A 2006 Scheutebe was bone dry with peach undertones. A perfect pairing since our mouths were set aflame by Crab Noodles with Chili. The heat was mildly addictive and the creamy crab roe enhanced the crab flavor despite a weak showing of actual crab meat. It was our favorite noodle dish of the night, and deserves graduation from “special” to staple, especially since the Black Vinegar-Soaked Egg Noodles and Short Rice Noodles with Chinese Sausage were quickly dismissed as unworthy amongst our bounty of better dishes.
Robust spice continued with the Skate Panggang. Topped with a salty amalgamation of sambal, lemongrass, Thai chilies and fried pork, the sambal udang kering was overkill to some and under-appreciated by others. The intensity unwound with a break in the heat. Whole Fish Bakar featured Branzino, slathered in chili-ginger sauce, wrapped in a banana leaf and then grilled a la plancha. Subtle seasoning escaped through slits in the skin, leaving the buttery flesh remarkably unfettered. Two stabs at satay were equally successful. A chicken skewer was sweet from a coconut milk marinade, and the seared scallops were separated by small rounds of luscious lardo—hidden treasures of flavor.
Watermelon Pickle & Crispy Pork Salad was standard and delicious. Steamed Pork Buns could have come straight from the streets of Malaysia and a painted mural on the wall of a tropical Asian skyline made them even more believable. But the valiant rendition with a soft-boiled egg and sambal still couldn’t loosen Momofuku’s stranglehold on the dish. Our decision to order the Chili Sauce and White Toast sans crab proved delicious but disappointing. The chili wasn’t as thick or as vibrant as we remember— maybe the giant Dungeness has always altered our perception.
