Fatty 'Cue - 50 Carmine Street

[weinoo]

Yes, yes - I know there is a Fatty 'Cue in Brooklyn and that it has been open for a number of years. And I've never been, but now that a second location has opened in Greenwich Village, how could I resist?

During the transition from what was here before (Cabrito), Fatty 'Cue became Fatty Johnson's, a pop-up of sorts, with guest bartenders and minimal menus. One night I enjoyed having the team of Brian Miller and Phil Ward mix up a few classics, as well as a few of their own concoctions, while behind the stick. And if you were there then, you wouldn't recognize the place now, all dark wood and adult looking..though we didn't make it into the back room, preferring to sit at the bar and eat instead.

A simple stater of Chilies and Cheese brought a nice portion of house made buffalo milk cheese, the consistency of ricotta, alongside some sliced, slightly pickled chilies and a pair of soft, Parker- house style roles, which was good to soak up some of the booze. Speaking of booze, a few of the specialty cocktails were great, including their White Negroni (made with Cynar and a Spanish white vermouth) as well as the Fatty Manhattan, incorporating smoked cherry coke as one of its components.

A late summer tomato salad was just as to be expected in the late summer, lush and delicious. For a main, the smoked lamb shoulder, served with house made pita bread and yogurt from goat's milk is an upscale and delicious gyro if ever there was one. A side of steamed and crushed new potatoes, paired with smoky-sweet corn off the cob, all served in a pool of green chile curry...sounding like a mess but tasting good, rounded out our meal.

The kitchen and service were both in fine form last night, and I am looking forward to a return visit because the rest of the menu looks good too. Though I'll probably be avoiding the 1/2 pound of deep-fried bacon unless I'm with a half dozen of my pork eating friends.

COMP DISCLOSURE: Pickle back, as if I needed one.

[weinoo]

Eric Asimov really likes the place, and tried way more food than I did before writing the above...

it epitomizes the witty, creative and delicious mashup of traditions from Southeast Asia, Europe and the American South at which the new Fatty ’Cue excels.

Full review in the Times.