Fatty Patty (The Bedok Marketplace)

The Bedok Marketplace had recently seen two new stalls that had just moved into their premises located side-by-side from one another. Fatty Patty may be a new name within the F&B industry, but the folks behind Fatty Patty are not entirely new to the F&B industry. Opened by the folks behind the now-defunct Homeground Grill & Bar previously at Serangoon Road, Homeground Grill & Bar was actually one of our favourite haunts for charcoal-grilled meats right up until its closure on Christmas Day in 2022. Knowing the relation that Homeground Grill & Bar has with Fatty Patty, we were pretty stoked about making a trip down to Fatty Patty to try the dishes that they have to offer. Located just across from The Burning Oak and just two units away from Just Eat (a stall serving up Malaysian fare), Fatty Patty’s stall resembles that of a shack with a small window opening which serves as a counter where orders can be made and collected from. The menu at Fatty Patty is more of simplified version of what Homeground Grill & Bar has to offer — there seems to be a focus over burger items as compared to charcoal-grilled meats, though there is a section dedicated to Mains where one can still find items familiar to the Homeground Grill & Bar menu such as that of the Charcoal Grilled Whisky Ribeye with Mash. Fatty Patty also serves a variety of Small Bites such as the Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly and Deep Fried Thai Wings, while Sides such as Truffle Fries, Coleslaw and Sautéed Mushrooms are also offered as well.

One thing worth noting about the burger offerings of Fatty Patty is that they seem to be focused on serving up burgers with the same base, but featuring different sauces. A theme that is similar between Fatty Patty and Homeground Grill & Bar would be their use of alcohol in their dishes — case in point, the Bourbon BBQ Bacon Beef Burger is a burger that features a Bourbon BBQ sauce and features elements such as bacon, a handmade beef patty, caramelised onions, melted cheese, tomato slices and lettuces in between buttered brioche buns. All burgers also come with a standard side of fries accompanying the burger.

On first look, it is interesting how the burger is somewhat stacked on reverse as compared to other similar burgers out there; the way that elements like the beef patty being stacked above the tomatoes and lettuce, while the top brioche bun also came stamped with their logo for that bit of attention to detail right there. Digging into the entire burger, the brioche buns were light, airy and fluffy — refrained from making the entire burger feel particularly heavy considering how the other elements do seem chunky and heavy in this particular burger. Since the beef patty resides in the first few layers of the burger on the top, this was one burger that felt especially meaty; the beef patty being especially juicy and flavourful with a light hint of smokiness from the grilling process — free from any undesirable gamey flavours, yet requires no effort to chew through with the melted cheese above being a crowd pleaser. Couple that with the caramelised onions and the Bourbon BBQ sauce, there is just this distinct savoury-sweetness that runs throughout the burger; something which absolutely complimented one another. The slices of tomato and the greens beneath helps to create a more wholesome for the entire burger; the slices of tomato being fresh and carries a light and refreshing tang to take away all of that meatiness and carb-y feel of the burger, while the leafy greens added a light crunch to do the same. We also liked how the bottom bun remained relatively dry here; probably something that was achieved with having the sauce-y elements and the meat being placed on the top layers, therefore keeping the bottom bun away from being soggy after soaking up all the sauces and juices from the beef. The only qualm we have had with the entire dish would be the shoestring fries; we would prefer if they could have been crispier and seasoned with more salt — something which could boil down as a matter of personal preferences.

We were pretty saddened when we initially heard about the news of Homeground Grill & Bar previously; it was that spot which served out food that we actually loved — our favourite dish from them back then would probably be their Deep Fried Pork Chop especially; one of the most tender fried pork chops that we have had done in the old-school way where the batter contains buttermilk and biscuits, almost akin to that which establishments serving up Hainanese-Western dishes do. While the item is one that is not being offered in Fatty Patty, we are still glad that these folks have made their comeback to the F&B scene; they certainly do know their craft well and take pride in it, maintaining that character of Homeground Grill & Bar in those items which they had served up in their previous concepts. The Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly is pretty on-point; an item which was previously offered on the menu at Homeground Grill & Bar, the quality and consistency of the Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly was pretty much what we remembered it to be — chunky morsels of cut-up pork belly that is done juicy and with a meaty bite, all with a distinctive hint of smokiness that made it taste so good. There is no doubt that there is a bit of Homeground Grill & Bar’s soul lying within Fatty Patty even though there is a difference in the set-up and its offerings — and this was something that could be felt strongly with the food that they have served up. Needless to say, we would probably be back again if we find ourselves in the area — the Beer Battered Fish & Chips and Crispy Chicken Burger being items which are keen on trying. With this, we would like to congratulate the folks behind Fatty Patty on their opening, and wish them all the best in what is to come!