Mang Kiko's Lechon - Singapore

Fatty Pork to the Rescue
We were on a quest for Filipino burgers in Lau Pa Sat, a Victorian hawker built in the late 1890's. We searched and searched but the burgers didn't show themselves. Luckily, Dodo caught a whiff of the other Filipino meat: pork. This barbecued pork belly plate was sinfully good, wiping all thoughts of burgers from my mind.

New Lane Street Vendors - Penang, Malaysia

Two for Two Heaven
Rarely does it go so perfectly. Pick out two things you love, get two perfectly lovely things delivered. So it was at the New Lane market, where we feasted on this plate of char siew pork and roasted duck. Every single bite was a fatty, smoky step towards the grave. But hey, you can't live forever.

Beng Chin Garden - Penang, Malaysia

A Surprisingly Near-Perfect Coffee Shop
After touring the nearby Kek Lok Si temple we were ready to chow. We picked this coffee shop at the bottom of the hill almost at random. In these parts a "coffee shop" is a collection of street vendors selling various foodstuffs as well as coffee. We weren't expecting too much but were pleasantly surprised, especially with the Char Kway Teow, literally "wok-fried rice-cake strips." It's so-called for the flat rice noodles that are fried at a high heat with lard, soy sauce, chili, shrimp paste, tamarind juice, prawns, cockles, bean sprouts and chives. It was smoky and slightly spicy and absolutely delicious. Best meal of the day, hands down.

Chung Moo Ro - Manhattan

Korean Barbecue Perks up Monday
Hatebean and I met up for lunch in Koreatown. There are a slew of spots to choose from on 32nd St. between 5th and Broadway. I picked one at random and either got really lucky or Buddha is looking down on me. The place was absolutely packed, we had to wait for a few minutes to get a seat.

Fette Sau

Who You Calling a Fat Pig?
Who woulda thought that in these politically correct times you could open up a barbecue spot called "Fat Pig"? Ok, ok, nobody knows that Fette Sau means exactly that in German. Anyway, I took my boy Hatebean out to there for some barbecue. Located about half-way between the completely gentrified part of Williamsburg and the BQE on Metropolitan Ave, it looks like it could have been a steampipe wholesaler in the olden days (say, in the 90's.) Turns out, it used to be an auto repair shop.

It is set back from the street about 30 feet. There are picnic tables scattered in the alley leading to the entrance and a bright sign hanging from the adjacent building. Upon entering I immediately noticed the knife and cleaver beer taps. I shoulda invited Triple-X, he woulda loved the way they sell the beer: by the gallon.

But this night, the focus was clearly on the meat. Here is how it works. They sell all manner of it by the quarter pound. You just point at each of the meats, ask for the quantities you desire and add sides. The bearded, trucker hat wearing dude then piles it onto your tray (hey, we're in Williamsburg, you didn't think the dude was gonna be clean-shaven with an Izod golf shirt, did you?)

I chose ribs, brisket and a spicy pork sausage. I added some potato salad as my "veggie." A few rolls were thrown in for good measure.

Ok, so remember your first kiss? Remember the dizzying, vertiginous happiness? Do you also remember the painful breakup the very next day? The first bite was fatty and delicious. A perfect blend of flesh and fat and char and sauce. The sausage burst with smokey flavor in my mouth. Yes, it doesn't get better than this!! Oh, wait, uh-oh, I ordered too much, it is so rich! I think I can finish it, I HAVE to finish it, it is so damned good. I am feeling a bit full. I am feeling off......

At 3am, I turned over while in deep sleep and was awakened by a greasy, smokey, acidy meat-burp.

Lesson learned - quarter pound of this good stuff is more than enough....

354 Metropolitan Ave

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Map it!!!