Fatty Crab

Critics' Pick

643 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014 40.739079 -74.005469
nr. Horatio St. See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
work212-352-3590 Send to Phone

Cuisine: Asian: Southeast
Price Range:
$$$
Key to Prices and ratings
Upscale

Almost Perfect

Exceptional

Generally Excellent

Very Good

Good

Cheap Eats

Best in Category

Excellent

Delicious

Very Good

Noteworthy
Very Expensive

Expensive

Moderate

Cheap
Reader Rating:
5.9 out of 10
|
18 Reviews | Write a Review

Photo by Shanna Ravindra

Map Rate & Review

Official Website

fattycrab.com

Hours

Mon-Wed, noon-midnight; Thu-Fri, noon-2am; Sat, 11am-2am; Sun, 11am-midnight

Nearby Subway Stops

A, C, E at 14th St.; L at Eighth Ave.

Prices

$12-$36

Payment Methods

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

Delivery
Hot Spot
Late-Night Dining
Lunch
Notable Chef
Outdoor Dining
Romantic
Take-Out
Reservations Not Required

Alcohol

Full Bar

Reservations

Not Accepted

Delivery Area

Leroy St. to 18th St., Sixth Ave. to West Side Hwy.

Profile

Everything from this Malaysian restaurant's laid-back and droopy-trousered but deceptively efficient crew to its open kitchen and congenially cramped environs is reminiscent of Chef Zak Pelaccio (5 Ninth)'s late, beloved Williamsburg venture the Chickenbone Cafe. In typical small-plate fashion, diners are encouraged to share, and plates emerge from the open kitchen as they’re ready. Malaysian food, apparently, makes excellent bar snacks: A few items seem designed to accompany an ice-cold beer or two (there are several offbeat choices on the mostly Asian list, including Hitachino’s new Ginger). Meat dishes are unapologetically messy, from the richly lacquered Jalan Alor chicken wings (sweet, sticky, and not too meaty), to the “fatty duck” (three or four brined, steamed, and fried hunks that defy knife, fork, and chopstick), to the pair of sweetly sauced, gratifyingly meaty Heritage Foods pork ribs. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Food:	10

Service:	10

Décor:	9

Value:	7

The crispy pork belly with watermelon is a perfect blend of melt-in-your-mouth meat and herbs with the sweetness of the watermelon. The duck also just melts in your mouth with a perfect balance of spices and herbs, and the meat is cooked perfectly with a crispy exterior and a soft, tasty inside. Oh and yes, the meats are greasy. It's called "Fatty" Crab. The Chili Crab is also cooked in an out-of-this-world sweet and spicy sauce, the contents of which my taste buds could not figure out. Only down-side, we were surprised by the total: almost 100$ for two without alcohol. Make sure you ask how much the crab is, as the price changes with the season.

Fatty Crab

Are You Done Yet? or Make Room For the Bar Crowd, Bye!

MarcoPalermo from 12054 | Posted on 10/13/09

Overall Rating: 103 (Not Recommended)


Food:	3
Service:	3

Décor:	5

Value:	3

We met another couple here to enjoy a meal and talk. Forget both. This branch of Fatty Crab's kitchen is not the same as the UWS. The food was pathetic and the service was unabashedly brazen about getting us the hell out. The decibel level of the redundant music was the hint to go elsewhere. Against my better judgement we stayed and endured a series of plates that were at best uninspired and meagre. The slidders were dry, under spiced and had gristle to boot. The fish fry was lame as were the steamed pork buns. The duck breast was mostly fat and bone. A horrible rip off. Zak Pelaccio best take a look here. The before-tip tab was $155 with four glasses of wine. Would not return even if comped.

Read All 18 Reviews >>