THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED AS OF APRIL 2018; THE ORIGINAL BRANCH ON TAMAULIPAS IS STILL GOING STRONG

I’m happy to announce the  opening of Fat Boy’s new restaurant/bar/dessert bar, Fat Boy Moves / Sweet Girl Moves. The previous date had been set for September 19th, 2 hours after the unfortunate earthquake occurred and so was delayed by a month. The airy, windowed space, highlighted by a mural by Juan de Dios of imperious crowned rapper Biggie, looks to Avenida Yucatan near Alvaro Obregón on the Roma/Condesa border. See previous post "Fat Boy Moves: Korean Comfort at Home."

Former New York bartender Chris Scansaroli prepares such post-modern homages to local onda as the Roma Norte Negroni (Aperol, Ancho Reyes, mezcal, mole bitters) or Tomatillo Soju (soju, mezcal, tomatillo, habanero bitters) – these cocktails successfully evoke the area’s bohemian beat past.

The astutely short Korean-ish dinner menu is similar to but not the same as that of the original location. Here, the beloved fried chicken has morphed into “Duo de pollo frito”, a combination of juicy boneless chunks of breast and leg, fried in crispy panko and dressed with two sweet/piquant sauces. Noodles, wok-fried with either beef or vegetables, are lightly perfumed by Chinese five-spice. They are conceptually pan-Asian and immensely comforting.

Winter-perfect kimchi stew is a hearty soup based in a rich stock and full of fermented cabbage, chile and yellow corn kernels that provide a sweet pop of relief from the heady proceedings. It is a strong-willed dish, not for those who prefer their broth light.

The adjunct Sweet Girl Moves is as it sounds, a dessert bar, where plated postres are meant to be taken with coffee or a cocktail. As at the other locale they are whimsical visual puns. But here the flavors are more complex. The “Desayuno” is a “fried egg” made of buttermilk pannacotta and sweet potato, topped by a slice of crisp real bacon and a scoop of maple ice cream. It’s a divine awakening. “Palomitas” appears as an unfortunate accident in which a box of movie-theatre popcorn has been unceremoniously spilled – but the caramelised corn is enveloped in corn cream, blueberry sorbet and sweet polenta. Who needs a movie?

Prices are moderate; dishes are large and meant for sharing and dinner for 2 will be around $500 - 600. I venture to say that the Fat Boy has moved up to a higher, more sophisticated level and will certainly be a local as well as destination hot spot.

Av. Yucatan 3, Condesa; View map 
Open Tuesday - Thursday 1 - 10 p.m., Friday, Saturday 1 - 11 p.m., Sunday 1 - 6 p.m., closed Monday
Average per person $300