What to Eat

What To Eat at Fat Rice, Open Now (Shhh…)

In New York a young chef opens a place making artisanal Asian food with craft and care that isn’t your usual delivery Chinese, word gets around… and in no time, David Chang has an empire. Could the same happen in Chicago? Who knows, but if we were going to pick a place that just might, we’d look at Fat Rice, which has been in soft opening mode (dinner only) for a week or so in Logan Square, but whose website went live yesterday. We spoke with owners Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo some months back, when it was still going to be called Flour and Bones, and if you missed that piece then, it’s still worth reading for a sense of the tradition and intellectual curiosity they’re bringing to the job of making a “satisfying, creative, square meal” inspired by, but not limited to, the food of China and Macau (with some African and Caribbean influences sneaking in around the edges). Oh, and if you’re curious, the name comes from a Macanese dish, Arroz Gordo. Check out the menu below.

Dinner

Smoked Tofu
Royal Trumpet Mushroom - Pickled Onion - Watercress - Black Vinegar

Calabaza Soup
Lemongrass - Bok Choy - Mushroom - Chicken Fried Bread

Ensalada
Iberian Ham - Tea Egg - Padron Pepper - Parrano

Potsticker
Pork - Shrimp - Chinese Chive - Black Vinegar

Sardine
Watercress - Radish - Green Tomato - Grilled Bread

Linguiça
Cilantro - Ginger - Chili Cabbage

Chili Clam
Black Bean - Soffrito - Cilantro - Cyphoon Noodle

Cauliflower Claypot
Pumpkin - Long Bean - Okra - Coconut

“African” Chicken
Wood Smoke - Coconut - Tomato - Peanut - Lemon - Potato

Arroz Gordo (Fat Rice)
Tumeric Chicken - Roast Pork - Salted Duck - Linguiça - Tea Egg - Sultanas - Olives

Green Vegetable
Garlic - Pork Stock - Sesame

Mixed Vegetable
Lotus - Woodear - An Choy

Coconut Rice

Dessert

Verbena Poached Peach

Tapioca Custard - Goji Berry - Thai Basil

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Xerez Vinegar Caramel - Cream

Rice Crisp

Seaweed - Sesame - Pork - Peanut

Booze

Sparkling
2008 Jané Ventura Cava Brut Nature “Reserva de la Música,” Spain - $7 glass / $32 bottle
N.V. André & Mireille Tissot Crémant du Jura “Indigène,” France - $45 bottle
N.V. Jean Lallement Champagne Brut, France - $75 bottle

White wine
2010 Koehler-Ruprecht Riesling Halbtrocken “Kallstadter Steinacker” Kabinett, Germany - $7 glass / $21 Carafe / $32 bottle
2010 Amizade Godello, Monterrei, Spain - $7 glass / $21 Carafe / $32 bottle
2011 Brandl Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria - $42 bottle
2008 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, France - $68

Rose
2011 Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Rosé, France - $7 glass / $21 Carafe / $32 bottle
2011 Mas Cal Demoura Coteaux du Languedoc Rosé “Qu’ es Aquo,” France - $45 bottle

Red Wine
2008 Luberri Rioja “Biga,” Spain - $9 / $27 Carafe / $41 bottle
2011 Olivier Lemasson “R11” Vin de France, France - $8 glass / $24 Carafe / $36 bottle
2007 Uwe Schiefer Blaufränkisch “Kongisberg,” Südburgenland, Austria $48
2009 Léon Barral Faugères “Jadis,” France - $70

Aperitif
Quinta do Infantado White Port / $5 glass
Gutierrez Colosia Fino “El Cano” $6 glass
Pasquet Pineau des Charentes - $7 glass
Rare Wine Co. “Charleston” Sercial - $12 glass
Campari $7 pour

Dessert Wine & Digestif
Fonseca 20-Year Tawny Port - $12 glass
2004 Jose Maria da Fonseca Moscatel de Setúbal $6 glass
1995 Barbeito Single Cask Madeira “Colheita - Cask 23” - $16 glass
El Maestro Sierra “Amoroso” Sherry - $7 glass
Adega Velha da Casa d’Avelleda Old Brandy - $9
Guillon-Painturaud Cognac V.S.O.P. - $14 glass
Very Old Barton Bourbon - $4 pour
Journeyman “Featherbone” Bourbon - $10 pour
Dos Maderas P.X. Ron Añejo - $9 pour
Matusalem Rum Gran Reserva 23 - $9 pour
St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte - $13

Beer
Pabst Brewing Company, “Old Style,” Illinois, 4.72% ABV - $3 - can (12 oz)
Brasserie Lefèbvre “Blanche de Bruxelles,” Belgium, 4.5% ABV - $5 - can (16.9 oz)
Vanberg & DeWulf “Lambrucha,” Belgium, 3.5% ABV - $22 - bottle (25.4 oz)
Oskar Blues Brewery “Mama’s Little Yella” Pils, Colorado, 5.3% ABV - $5 - can (12 oz)
Green Flash Brewing Co. “West Coast” IPA, California, 7.3% ABV - $6 - bottle (12 oz)
Victory Brewing Co. “Prima” Pils, Pennsylvania, 5.3% ABV - $5 - bottle (12 oz)
Witkap Pater Stimulo Abbey Singel, Belgium, 6% ABV - $25 - bottle (25.4 oz)
Lion Brewing Limited Stout, Sri Lanka, 8.8% ABV - $6 - can (12 oz)

Adult Soft Drinks
White Port - Saffron, Ginger, Salted Lemon - $9
Gin & Tonic - Fever Tree Tonic, Thai Basil, Lemon - $9
Rhum - Tamarind Vanilla Jaggery - $9

Coffee by Bang Bang Coffee
Tea by Rare Tea Cellars

Fat Rice, 2957 W. Diversey Ave., (773) 661-9170.

What To Eat at Fat Rice, Open Now (Shhh…)