Fat Daddies

[Holly Moore]

Fat Daddie's opened last Wednesday. They are where Nifty Fiftie's used to be - where 9th, Reed and Passyunk converge in South Philly. Good potential but a number of wrinkles that need some ironing.

The menu is mostly down home - southern fried chicken, BBQ chicken, meat loaf, BBQ brisket, grilled salmon, fried shrimp, oysters and flounder. Sandwiches too including pulled pork, a black angus burger and a foot long hot dog.

There were three of us for dinner. One opted just for sides - mac and cheese, greens and corn on the cob. Other sides include mashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato salad and hush puppies. Betwen us we had mac and cheese, collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. All were good except for the corn. Despite the fact that it's the middle of corn season and they're a couple of blocks from the Italian Market, Fat Daddies uses frozen "cobettes." No flavor, no texture, but very yellow. With all the care they put into the other sides, it's disappointing that they serve the frozen corn cobs.

Both the fried and chicken come as 1/4 chicken, 1/3 chicken and 1/2 chicken. Never seen 1/3 chicken on the menu. I ordered 1/3 of a fried chicken. I was supposed to get a thigh, a drumstick and a wing. Got a drumstick and three wings. Strange looking chickens they raise in South Philly. Both kinds of chicken are cooked to order. Both very good.

Prices are amazing for this far north of the Mason-Dixon line. My 1/3 of a fried chicken dinner with corn bread and two sides went for $7.25. The same in barbecue chicken is $6.25 - that flour and batter must be expensive. Meat Loaf is $7.

A lot of people will be calling Fat Daddies, Fat Dappies.

The middle "D's" have heads and legs added to make a pair of fat guys. Not good when you have to explain your logo to just about everyone who comes in the door.

Service was fine - our waiter somewhat of a character and fun. The whole place has a thrown together feel. Half the old Nifty Fifty's and half something else. Which makes it authentic small south where ambience isn't all that importance. Not much "life" either, but that should come with time.

Fat Daddie's has great potential. The good cookin' is already there. Just got some work to do elsewhere.

[serpentine]

Very important: Is the cornbread too sweet? Is the potato salad too goopy/too relishy? How are the hushpuppies? From what state does the pulled pork derive its preparation?

(Just want to find out how far to get my hopes up, considering how close this is to my house.)

[Holly Moore]

Of all the items you mentioned, the only I've had is the potato salad. It was ok, no relish, not gloppy. Might not be home made.

In the spirit of eGullet, and as you're pretty close to Fat Daddies, I think you're going to have to find out for yourself and report back.

[jmbrightman]

Just back from lunch at Fat Daddie's. The place was empty at 12:30. The waitress took our order at 12:45, and food was on the table at 1:20. Not a good lunch spot if you only have an hour. Two of for lunch us shared the following:

Buffalo Wings - on the specials chalkboard at .10 each, (minimum order 10). Wings were split, on the small size, but properly crisp and tasty in a tangy, vinegary Buffalo style sauce. no blue cheese dressing or vegetables were offered (or requested).

1/2 rack St. Louis style rib platter - this was the best offering. The ribs were meaty, nicely charred, lightly sauced, very tender, delicious. The 1/2 rack was 6-7 bones for $9, the full rack is $14. Sides were mac and cheese and greens, both very good. The cornbread was a little disappointing, a small rectangle served in foil, barely warm, and very crumbly.

1/4 fried chicken platter - your choice of dark or white, and my breast and wing seem like more food than Holly's leg and 3 wings 1/3 chicken. The chicken was just ok. The breading did not have much flavor and was on the greasy side, the chicken was also somewhat bland. The side of hushpuppies were very good.

pulled pork sandwich - this was very good as well, stringy pork that was somewhat carmelized throughout, served on a hamburger bun. a good buy at $6.25 with homemade chips and coleslaw. the homemade chips are a good idea, but need to be crispier. the coleslaw is unremarkable.

I will go back, likely for takeout of a full rack with sides. The menu does not list a la carte options as yet. They are a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Edited July 20, 2005 by jmbrightman (log)

[phungi]

jmb beat me to the post... ditto...

Edited July 20, 2005 by phungi (log)

[Holly Moore]

Just back from lunch at Fat Daddie's.  The place was empty at 12:30.  The waitress took our order at 12:45, and food was on the table at 1:20.  Not a good lunch spot if you only have an hour.  ....

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That is a little long. The fried chicken was part of the culprit. It is cooked to order which takes 15-20 minutes. But they should have warned you.

[jmbrightman]

phungi, you did include the arthur treacher hushpuppy flashback in your original post. I had forgotten that.

Edited July 20, 2005 by jmbrightman (log)

[jmbrightman]

Just back from lunch at Fat Daddie's.  The place was empty at 12:30.  The waitress took our order at 12:45, and food was on the table at 1:20.  Not a good lunch spot if you only have an hour.  ....

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That is a little long. The fried chicken was part of the culprit. It is cooked to order which takes 15-20 minutes. But they should have warned you.

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if the chicken had been tastier, I would be more forgiving. the server was very solicitous, and did explain the delay more than once...15 minutes into the wait, not at the time we placed the order.

Edited July 20, 2005 by jmbrightman (log)

[serpentine]

In the spirit of eGullet, and as you're pretty close to Fat Daddies, I think you're going to have to find out for yourself and report back.

Aye, Aye, Cap'n. Will do.

[jmbrightman]

talk about uneven. I went back tonight for a takeout rack of ribs, and the ribs lacked flavor, the meat was stringy, and the texture was that of boiled. far from stellar.

[mantee]

Holly was that a paper plate?

[jmbrightman]

Holly was that a paper plate?

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a sectioned plastic plate. finest kind.

[mantee]

Southern food just should not be this way.

[jmbrightman]

chrome colored plastic flatware as well. one thing I always liked about Deliliah's at RTM, real plates and cutlery.

[Yannii]

hi, i went to fat daddies yesterday, and everything was pretty good (brisket, mac and cheese, greens), but, i much prefer the cafeteria at the paradise baptist church located at 16th and fitzwater. in terms of quality, quantity and also atomisphere and service (although the cafteria does not have waitress service) paradise is clearly superior. does anybody else go there? i feel like it's somewhat overlooked (maybe due to it's weird hours, 4:30 - 8:30 only m-f, sat and sun lunch i think)

[mrbigjas]

wait there's a cafeteria in that church? i been living in and around here since 1991 and no one ever thought to tell me this?

[Yannii]

yeah definitely, i have been going there off and on for a few years. they have a big sign about the cafeteria on the front (hours are 4-8 btw, not 4:30-8:30) and the entrance is on the side (on fitwater). great "soul" or southern food. lovingly prepared and served. nice airy light filled (due to the sky-lit baptisimal pool (empty, but still smells a little like chlorine) which is the buildings atrium) cafeteria style seating. the great prices (and generous portions) make it a place i get to as often as possible. i really love the meatloaf, greens, yams, mac and cheese, sweet potato pie, patato salad, etc... fried chicken is cooked to order (so be prepared to wait 15-20 min) and excellent. i recomend it to everyone (except those on a diet...) have fun, report back.....

[mrbigjas]

thanks for the info. geez, talk about unobservant--i must have walked by there a thousand times and never realized.

[serpentine]

FYI -- While walking over to Acme yesterday I noticed that Fat Daddies (which I will now always read as "Fat Dappies" and chuckle -- thanks, Holly) is closed until Sept. 7 due to "an emergency."

[phungi]

FYI -- While walking over to Acme yesterday I noticed that Fat Daddies (which I will now always read as "Fat Dappies" and chuckle -- thanks, Holly) is closed until Sept. 7 due to "an emergency."

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last time I read a sign like that, it spelled doom for the locale...

[Holly Moore]

My guess is that they learned the hard way that mid July is not the time to open a new restaurant in Philadelphia - especially not the time if cash is tight as I suspect may be the case with Fat Daddies.

Therefore they decided to take the rest of August off, perhaps to get their act more in shape, and are reopening just after Labor Day.

At which time they will learn the hard way that September usually sucks as much as August and that the restaurant business in Philadelphia traditionally does not pick up until after the Jewish Holidays come late September or early October.

[maui420]

did that 7.25 also come with a drink?

do you think 6$'s would be a decent price for 1 decently sized bbq chicken leg quarter, 1 heaping scoop of a good potato or mac salad, small side of coleslaw or salad, a nice big slice of cornbread, and a large coke?

Fat Daddie's opened last Wednesday.  They are where Nifty Fiftie's used to be - where 9th, Reed and Passyunk converge in South Philly.  Good potential but a number of wrinkles that need some ironing.

The menu is mostly down home - southern fried chicken, BBQ chicken, meat loaf, BBQ brisket, grilled salmon, fried shrimp, oysters and flounder.  Sandwiches too including pulled pork, a black angus burger and a foot long hot dog.

There were three of us for dinner.  One opted just for sides - mac and cheese, greens and corn on the cob.  Other sides include mashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato salad and hush puppies.  Betwen us we had mac and cheese, collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes and corn on the cob.  All were good except for the corn.  Despite the fact that it's the middle of corn season and they're a couple of blocks from the Italian Market, Fat Daddies uses frozen "cobettes."  No flavor, no texture, but very yellow.  With all the care they put into the other sides, it's disappointing that they serve the frozen corn cobs.

Both the fried and chicken come as 1/4 chicken, 1/3 chicken and 1/2 chicken.  Never seen 1/3 chicken on the menu.  I ordered 1/3 of a fried chicken.  I was supposed to get a thigh, a drumstick and a wing.  Got a drumstick and three wings.  Strange looking chickens they raise in South Philly.  Both kinds of chicken are cooked to order.  Both very good.

Prices are amazing for this far north of the Mason-Dixon line.  My 1/3 of a fried chicken dinner with corn bread and two sides went for $7.25.  The same in barbecue chicken is $6.25 - that flour and batter must be expensive.    Meat Loaf is $7. 

A lot of people will be calling Fat Daddies, Fat Dappies.

The middle "D's" have heads and legs added to make a pair of fat guys.  Not good when you have to explain your logo to just about everyone who comes in the door.

Service was fine - our waiter somewhat of a character and fun.  The whole place has a thrown together feel.  Half the old Nifty Fifty's and half something else.  Which makes it authentic small south where ambience isn't all that importance.  Not much "life" either, but that should come with time.

Fat Daddie's has great potential.  The good cookin' is already there.  Just got some work to do elsewhere.

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[taoseno]

I was walking to the Acme last night and saw a sign that says this space is For Rent. Looks like another place in my neighborhood is getting the "can any restaurant make this space work?" label.

[MarketStEl]

The landlord probably needs some edumacatin'.

I had it on good authority that Nifty Fifty's did quite well in that space--well enough that the landlord saw dollar signs and jacked up the rent. Sayonara, Nifty Fifty's. (Never having experienced it, I may have to take the 113 home one evening and stop off at their MacDade Boulevard location.)

I don't know if the landlord brought the rent back down for Fat Daddies, but I doubt it.