Fat Spoon

329 East First Street
Los Angeles, California
(213) 621-7890
http://fatspoonfood.com/
$$($10-$15)

Fat Spoon was an interesting fifth choice on my adventure in Little Tokyo. Too be fair, I would like to disclose that, at the time we arrived, they were out of certain menu items -- which really limited my options. To the food.

Kobe Beef Hot Dogs [$5.00]

When I read Kobe Beef Hot Dogs on the menu I immediately said: "Yes please." Once the dish came before me, my mind went directly to the freezer aisle and thought -- Foster Farms. The hot dogs are scored, deep-fried, supposedly (American) Kobe Beef, and served with a Japanese spicy mustard. The dish is nothing spectacular, it's actually quite mediocre, I really felt like I was eating packaged hot dogs that were deep fried for a crispy exterior.  

Kobe Beef Mini-Corn-Dogs w/ Curry Ketchup [$5.00]

Again, the idea of Kobe beef resurrected in tube form interests me a great deal. Now, if you told me that same tube is to be dipped in corn batter and deep fried... of course I am going to order it. To my dismay, I was returned to the freezer aisle. The Ketchup is advertised as "Curry Ketchup." When I hear "curry"immediately the flavors of cumin, turmeric, coriander, and red chili comes to mind. This really didn't taste like anything more than spicy banana ketchup, maybe a bit more diluted in heat.

Uni Croquette [$5.00]

Uni Croquette. Basically crab cakes but instead of crab, uni. Texturally, these croquettes are crispy, creamy and light. Unfortunately, as far as flavor, they don't provide me with the fresh ocean taste I normally get when I eat uni. 

Albacore Tuna Sashimi [$12.00]

Albacore tuna sashimi on a bed of pickled red onions which sits in a puddle of soy sauce, drizzled with Japanese mustard, and garnished with a mound of french fried onions. I remember a time when I enjoyed sushi that deterred me from the freshness and taste of the fish with a multitude of masking components. Now, not so much. In the end, the tuna it's self wasn't very impressive.

Clam and Squid Ink Pasta [$12.00]

The Clam and Squid Ink Pasta was, by far, my favorite dish. A large bowl of pasta very liberally covered in squid ink and tossed together with diced tomatoes, clams, and squid. The pasta combined with the sweetness of the tomatoes and the freshness of the meaty pieces of clam and the tender salty rings of squid giving it exceptional flavor.

Overall I don't believe this was a fair assessment of Fat Spoon. From what I had, it wasn't very remarkable, with exception to the clam and squid ink pasta.