Fatty Crab in the West Village (NYC)

As I started writing this post, I knew it had been a long time since I'd written, but I didn't know THIS much time had passed! Apparently the last time I posted was November 26! Wow. Time flies.

It's not that I haven't been eating-- oh, believe me, I've been eating some amazing meals in my new city-- but I've been so busy and way too overwhelmed to write :( And when not super busy and overwhelmed, I've been lying on the couch catching up on Jersey Shore and House. Clearly I have my priorities straight.

Anyway, I had a special request-- well, close to begging actually-- from one of my best friends in the whole world for me to write about our dinner, as he has never appeared on Dish This! before. So, drum roll please, please welcome Reginald Ambrose to Dish This!

This German resident and I went to college together in Boston, but his international abode means sadly we have not shared many (any?) meals in the past 3 years. In college, we shared quite a few-- 4 a.m. Hoy Hing Chinese delivery, staff meals at both restaurants we waited tables together at (one on Newbury Street, one in Brookline Village), tapas at Tasca in Brighton (when we were being fancy), flat bread pizzas from Angora in Brookline, and cookies off the floor of the Sheraton Hotel in Boston (don't ask).

Fast forward to a few weeks ago-- a FREEZING Saturday night, and our INCREDIBLE meal together at Fatty Crab in the West Village with Dish Bro.

Fatty Crab doesn't take reservations, so after many hours of drinks at WXOU nearby, we finally headed over around 10 pm. Luckily we only had to wait a couple minutes for a table, but it was still packed and rocking! Loud music blasting from the stereos, hipster waiters bustling about-- and an amazing smell wafting throughout. I was PSYCHED.

We started with drinks-- Reginald (ps the name refers to his late-night "alter ego" who used to entertain us with being an extra on the Jeffersons (don't ask) and dancing on tables) got the Recession Special ($10) which is a shot of whiskey, a shot of pickle juice, and a PBR Tallboy. Dish Bro drank some yummy white wine that I don't know the name of, but I did try it, and it was great. I went with a PBR tallboy-- class all the way here, folks.

Then we got some "snacks" for the table. The first was the "simplest" dish of the night but may be my favorite, for its unique flavor combination and creativity: green mango with chili -sugar-salt. This architectural beauty was addictive, and has haunted my dreams ever since. If I could only have some at my desk every day...

We also got the quail egg shooters-- another impressive display of presentation-- four teeny tiny eggs exploding with flavor. One spicy sriracha hot one, one with pork, one with the smallest little anchovy I've ever seen.

Our last snack was the vegetable steam buns (Reginald is newly a pescetarian).

My favorite part about Fatty Crab may be its unabashed, unapologetic usage of cilantro. There were mountains of cilantro everywhere! My idea of heaven. Also this guy's. Here was Reginald Ambrose's entree, a pescatarian's heaven (tons and tons of shellfish and seafood):

My entree was a preview from the Fatty Crab opening in Williamsburg that will be BBQ inspired-- smoked brisket with bao and herbed cilantro salad. This brisket was like tender, fat pieces of bacon. On a heavenly patty. With a delicious sauce. So it was disgusting, as you can imagine ;) [where's that new sarcasm font when I need it?]

Dish Bro got this insanely spicy Fatty Duck-- I really enjoyed sucking the fatty meat right off that glorious piece of duck (and this is coming from a person who only eats meat a few times a week). The heat was super intense, and my PBR just made it even hotter- awesome. God I love spicy food!

The aftermath after we attacked our food:

With the check, our waiter brought tiny pieces of mochi coconut cake. A heavenly end to a heavenly meal.

Fatty Crab left me feeling deliriously happy and energized (yet so full I felt close to exploding). This was EXACTLY Dish Gal's kinda place-- fun, delicious, and unique-- a place so good, it makes you feel high. Not that Reginald would know anything about that.