Not all steakhouses are created equal. Some come with the added luxuries of Japanese pure-bred wagyu and the accompanying bill that one would describe to be a 'highway robbery', and then some like Fat Belly, offer up standard, comforting steaks (usually secondary cuts) at affordable prices. Located in Serene Center, the 'speakeasy' steakhouse takes shape only at dusk when the spotlight is shifted from the gleaming ice cream case that houses the goodies for Sugarhaus, to the glowing embers of the binchotan.
Grab a seat right at the bar where you'll be up close and personal with the chefs about to do magic on the glorious cuts of steaks. Similar to the intimate and unassuming nature of the place, the service is personable and the steak works its way across the counter with a friendly smile in tact.
The menu is awfully lean and you first get about it by choosing your cut of meat based on the brief descriptions put up by the lovely hosts. If you a fan of leaner cuts, the USDA 150-days grain-fed Angus Flat Iron Steak ($22) should be your port of call. Also known as the top blade steak, it is very flavorful albeit warrants for a bit of a chew. I much prefer the USDA Grain-fed Angus Short Rib ($25)which possess a tad more marbling in its cross section resulting in a steak that's more tender, yielding to the bite with a oleaginous finish. Lastly, the Wagyu Marble Score 4.5 Onglet steak ($38) or Hangar Steak, taken from the lower belly of the cow, hits the spot. Prized for its full, beefy flavour and richness without the hefty price tag of more expensive cuts like the ribeye or strip, Fat Belly's rendition surrenders to the knife like butter. All steaks come accompanied with sea salt and house made chimichurri on the side as well as a green salad, really nothing short of a bargain, if you ask me.
Similar to the meat situation, the sides are all in the value range. Mushrooms and steak? That's a no-brainer. Fat Belly does a Sautéed Button Mushrooms dusted with thyme and my absolute favourite Creamed Kale (both dishes are priced at $5) - that involves tender kale luxuriating in a bath of cream and cheese. It's crack level stuff and a MUST-ORDER while working through your steaks.
Also impressive is the dessert of Sticky Date Pudding ($10) drenched in caramel sauce and flanked by a quenelle of toffee ice cream. My heart flutters. It is intense and serious, like its taken all the childlike pleasantries of dessert and replaced it with dark and sinister that will induce equally perverse 'no-sharing' behaviour. I try a spoonful of the creamy toffee ice cream with the date sponge, and all of a sudden, the plate was empty.
Designed for the wild child, the Foie Gras Chocolate Bar ($12) is wildly innovative. Foie gras is infused into ice cream, it's rich creamy texture adding luscious qualities with hints of liver. This is tampered by the chocolate casing and sticky caramel sauce. All in all, interesting sounding but very underwhelming.
Save to say, Fat Belly gets my votes for the value for money steakhouse in Singapore. Sure, there are a couple of joints around the island like iSteaks and Braserio; but where date night vibes are concerned, Fat Belly ticks all the boxes.
Fat Belly
#01-04
10 Jln Serene
S(258748)
t: 6314 2247
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatbellysg/
Operating Hours:
Daily: 6 - 10pm
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