February 16, 2009 |
Short Order
Fat Hippo Gets Some Things Right
by Talia Berman
Every night in my prayers I thank the New York State liquor board gods for withholding licenses for new restaurants, allowing temporary BYO policies and a chance to try a new restaurant without the financial commitment. The Lower East Side’s Fat Hippo (71 Clinton Street at Rivington) is my latest find. This past Saturday night, sitting down at the bar in the storefront where Wylie Dufresne once reigned, my boyfriend and I shop the menu in a hungry hurry for something original and delicious.
Delicious, maybe. Look elsewhere for novelty. Instead, you get lime and jalapeno-spiked shrimp ceviche ($9), beet and goat cheese tart ($7), a crab cake (“almost no breading,” $14) and mac ‘n’ cheese (comes with the crab cake or as a side for $4). And let me not overlook the ubiquitous sliders. These come in sets of seven, dippers for cheese fondue, a ridiculous gimmick that excites bloggers and that every table loves to order – except mine ($12).
Once you abandon hope of a freshly-minted menu epiphany, the food can be fabulous. The trailer park chicken sampler in its crunchy, almost chewy coat is a hit ($15). Faintly smoked thigh doesn’t overwhelm the al dente julienned collard greens it sits on, and a beer-can roasted breast is even better, oozing juice, the best thing all night.
Though we asked for medium-rare, the pork chop ($13) arrives well done but I, who cooks her chicken medium, don’t mind as much as I should. The pulled pork stuffing is overkill, but Brussels sprouts emerge sweet and greasy, just bitter enough to still taste like the sturdy veggie they are. Gently slow-roasted tomatoes can't save the hideous unseasoned pan-fried mozzarella balls ($6). I suspect they sat around too long after being cooked.
Fat Hippo tries for hipness – or is it just inept? The guy at the front was on the phone when we walked in and made no attempt to shorten his call or greet us. But our Amazonian waitress was so down-home and caring I didn’t go ballistic when it took forty-five minutes to deliver our food. It was annoying that we had to ask three times for our check, though when it finally arrived, my gloom lifted. The toll, including our $15 wine, with tax and tip, was a sane $65.
Click here for short order archive.