I had another great meal at Fette Sau last week... these guys may have created the perfect vibe for barbecue in brooklyn: low-key, friendly, bustling atmosphere, plenty of anticipation, all alongside great food and drinks. I think over the years I've been here 5 or 6 times, and its always satisfying. This visit was courtesy of a visit from my good friend Tim (Tim of Seattle, Brooklyn, Chicago, Thailand, Vietnam, LA and currently SF). When I heard he was coming to town, I thought a picnic-table meal of 'cue, bourbon, and beer would be an outstanding venue to catch up and fill up. Here's my take on this visit (of Fette Sau, not Tim).

As always the lines at Fette Sau are intimidating, though sipping a few beers in line certainly helps to get through it. You'd think those mason jars would get tiresome by now, but here it seems right at home. We didn't realize it was "Whole Hog Thursday" and much of that hog was finished by the time we got to the counter. Our guests (we were a group of four) declared "no face meat!" so it was on to the other offerings of the night. Surprisingly we were treated to a fresh pile of spare ribs that weren't on the chalkboard menu, and then a whole slew of other tempting meats that were listed.

I'm partial to counter-service barbecue because I enjoy seeing what they have right in front of you, and then handpicking what looks best. And at Fette Sau they really don't hide a thing from you. Dishes are being washed right there, cooling racks are everywhere, the pit is tucked in a corner (Southern Pride), and the staff is constantly organizing, shuffling, and serving with a smile. In the warming bin we could see boneless beef ribs, brisket, pork sausage links, pulled pork shoulder, pork belly, spare ribs, and baked beans. 

We didn't get all of that, but I thought just about everything we chose was outstanding. Sorted from first to last, here are my rankings:

1. Pork sausage links: I never would have ordered these on my own, but they were incredible. Juicy, smokey, a snappy/cruchy skin that pops when you bite into it. A really nice kick of spicy heat, and a (not-at-all) healthy fat-to-meat ratio that kept me coming back to the link throughout my meal. That's one killer link! A surprise 1st place for me. 

2. Boneless Beef Ribs: these puppies were cooked perfectly. Crisp and flavorful bark, with a juicy interior. I'd say the smoke flavor was moderate, and thankfully didn't mask the flavor of the beef. A very nice balance. Truly outstanding.

3. Pork Belly: I would have skipped the belly entirely, but one of my dining companions is a big fan. And man I am glad she insisted on it... perhaps the leanest pork belly I've had, and it was a great balance of "bacony" flavor with "porky" flavor. The smoke was considerably sweeter to my taste, and makes me wonder if they switch woods around in that Southern Pride. The way its sliced you don't get much of the bark, but the real hero here is the meat itself. Very tender. Very tasty.

4. Spare Ribs: the pile of slabs of spares was too tempting to pass up. They were cooked very well... you could take a bite right out of the rib and see your chomp marks. They are definitely some solid ribs, but there is a spice combination in the rub that doesn't cut through the richness of rib meat. I can't place it exactly, but I'm guessing coffee? Its super rich. Though a few dabs of the vinegar sauce did a pretty good job of correcting that richness for my taste buds. 

5. Pork Shoulder: the pulled pork sadly falls to the bottom of the list. I was really optimistic about the shoulder (I must have had it before but can't be sure), but it really fell short. Perhaps it had been reheated ineffectively, or it was just sitting exposed for too long, but it was dry and had the similar taste that cooked chicken gets when its sat in the fridge for a day. It wasn't an issue because we had $90 worth of other meats on our tray, but I was really bummed it didn't compare. Pulled pork is my absolute favorite barbecue! 

Overall it was a truly great meal. It still reigns as my favorite nyc barbecue... though there are some newcomers that I need to try this summer to compare. As I write this post its just a few days away from memorial day weekend... if you don't have plans yet, I'd suggest getting some 'cue at Fette Sau!