New York restaurant profile: Fatty Fish

In the annals of unfortunate restaurant names there are some real doozies. Perhaps none is more memorable than a place that held court in Brooklyn some years ago that chose to style itself Cafe Between the Toes. Once you are dealing with names in that league, a self-inflicted moniker like Fatty Fish doesn’t even rate an honorable mention.

A newcomer to the local restaurant scene, Fatty Fish serves the dual purpose of bringing reasonably priced food to the mostly unreasonably priced Upper East Side and providing a fusion-crazed populace with yet another pan-Asian bistro.

In some cases, the menu’s reach extends beyond the Far East’s grasp: Witness rack of lamb with a curried potato and pea hash and cilantro mint sauce, or chocolate molten lava cake with green tea ice cream. Shrimp scampi is given an Indonesian makeover; for good measure, it is partnered with rice noodles.

The fatty fish of the name achieves material expression in several of the sushi offerings that emanate from a small sushi bar. The restaurant’s Japanese side is also realized in a handful of rice and bento boxes and in the very good pork gyoza numbered among the fusion dim sum.

The restaurant has filed an application for a liquor license. In the meantime, customers are welcome to bring their own wine and beer.

Price range: Appetizers, $3.50 to $15; main courses, $12 to $27; desserts, $4 to $9.

Recommended dishes: Pork gyoza, pan-seared scallops with Thai basil pesto pasta, carrot ginger poached shitake layered salmon, Kobe beef burger, banana tempura, baked brie with mango chutney

Fatty Fish, 406 E. 64th St., bet First and York Avenues, 212-813-9338. Open Monday through Saturday for lunch, Sunday for brunch, and 7 days for dinner.

NY Restaurant Examiner: Howard Portnoy

examiner.com

Fatty Fish’s menu is all over the Asian map, from sushi to Cantonese chow fun to Korean-style bulgogi with kimchi pancakes. It even ranges as far afield as paella flecked with shellfish, chicken, Chinese sausage and edamame. The chef pulling it all together is Roy Lamberty, a veteran of NYC hotel restaurants. The space is soothing and contemporary, with a year-round garden in the back. There is no relation to Fatty Crab, despite its similar name.

NYCgo

Long Island–raised chef Roy Lamberty (Cosmopoliton Club) developed a passion for Asian food working for Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the beginning of his career 20 years ago after graduating from culinary school. After trying a number of different styles, he says he’s now brought his own Asian style to this French-Asian fusion spot. The space is divided into three sections: a 20-seat sushi bar just past the door, followed by 40-seat dining room and a 30-seat heated garden in the back during the warmer months. The seafood-focused menu boasts Eastern spices of herbs such as kaffir lime leaves and ginger with Western cooking techniques. Asian paella is cooked traditionally with Chinese sausage and finished with coconut milk, while the butter in a shrimp scampi is infused with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and ginger. For the non-fish eater, he’s crafted Szechuan boneless baby-back ribs braised in a broth of Szechuan peppercorns, batter and finished in a light bath of salt and pepper for what Lamberty calls “layers and layers of flavors.”

metromix.com