Watering meat cuts at Fat Belly Social

Fat Belly is a modern steakhouse specializing in unusual beef cuts with speciality dishes, sharing plates and quality wines for you to try. We are asked to come and check out the newly revamped menu and enjoy some comfort food to make us full and happy. Opening in 2021, every day is a special occasion at Fat Belly. With a healthy respect for meat, they cook it simply to showcase all the flavours that they have. The meat cuts themselves are sourced from a community of producers ranging from Australia, Japan and the United States.

The name Fat Belly, as it suggests, is a cheeky play on words that references the act of them feeding all customers until they are happy and full. They are actually a mini speakeasy, located in a shophouse in Singapore. The first feeling you get walking in is an industrial design vibe and a little oasis from all the hustle and bustle out in the streets. This makes it a great hang out and a place to visit either as a lunch spot, business meeting or small social gathering, not too many people though.

We start off with a few starters and are instantly drawn to the Spicy Crispy Pig’s Ear (S$16) Trust us, they are not like you would imagine them at all. They are cleaned, braised in vegetable stock and sliced into thin pieces then deep-fried. With all the gochugaru spices and salt, served with aioli, they are unreal and super tasty. Did we mention they are served with Japanese Cucumber? It is pickled in maple syrup, toasted coriander seeds, white vinegar and juniper seeds (for subtle aniseed flavour). The Grilled Octopus (S$24) is up next and gives us a chance to enjoy different textures in the meal. It is an Australian octopus steamed with fresh whole thyme, lightly crushed garlic and olive oil. It is then steamed for approximately 4 hours to achieve tenderness. 

One dish that I certainly, didn’t see myself having today is the Tripe stew, however, am pleasantly surprised. In the style of a Portuguese dobrada (a traditional Portuguese and Brazilian tripe dish) and is finished with sharp pecorino cheese and mint. The dish is finished off with locally grown celery cress and shaved fennel which brings out an anise flavour and is seasoned with mustard vinegar. Thuymi ate most of this and she absolutely loved it, but certainly is an acquired taste.

Our main comes out and it is a Full Blood Wagyu Rib Cap & Black Opal F1 Wagyu Zabuton whose inspiration stems from the historic NYC steak restaurant and nightclub, The Beatrice Inn. The premise behind this place is that it serves steaks with sides that are largely no longer served today – Clam mayo, smoked oysters, blistered blueberries, lobster butter. The steak comes up medium and is super tender. The wagyu literally melts in our mouth and has just a few fat cuts to make us happy. The scampi butter is made from Argentinian red shrimps that are roasted in butter to bring out its sweet and savoury flavours. This melts into the steak and really makes it a pleasure to eat.

Another personal favourite is the Crusted Mac & Cheese (S$18) It includes a rotation of at least 3 different cheeses — bleu, grana padano, mozzarella, rinds (Comte, Tête de Moine) and is a balance of sharp, strong and creamy cheese flavours. For the sauce, they have added leeks and Sauvignon Blanc (Victoria Park) for acid and freshness. The pasta is different from the usual macaroni or penne used in mac and cheese with the ridges on the casarecce pasta being perfect for “catching” the creamy cheese sauce.

The grand finale of the night is the famous Eton Mess (S$16) an inspiration from a traditional English dessert dating back to the late 1800s. It is said to have originated from the prestigious Eton College in the UK where this dessert was served at cricket games. A mixture of strawberries, meringue, and whipped cream, this is exactly up my alley. And they even change the Mess seasonally, accordingly to what is available.

To pair perfectly with you food, their drink list includes classics from all over the world such as organic wines from Australia, classics from France and unconventional choices from Hungary.

Fat Belly Social is a place that deserves to get known so if you are looking for a place to have a great feed, perhaps a fat belly, make sure you try Fat Belly for some unique and tasty meat cuts.