Taste

Sheridan Su brings the flavor at Fat Choy

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Sheridan Su is dishing up much more than his beloved bao buns at the new Fat Choy.
Photo: Adam Shane

Just a few months ago, there was no real reason to wander through the nondescript Eureka Casino on East Sahara. As a 10-year Valley veteran, I’d used it only as a landmark, to help out-of-towners find the nearby Commercial Center. That changed with the recent opening of Fat Choy.

Executive chef Sheridan Su brings a long pedigree of fine-dining experience—Joël Robuchon to Comme Ça and many points between—to the restaurant, but he might be best known locally as the proprietor of the Great Bao, which, until recently, was nestled inside Touch Hair Salon. Anyone who watched Su man his two-burner hot plate from a closet masquerading as a kitchen immediately grasped his capabilities. When that lease ran out, I wondered what he’d try next, and Fat Choy has not disappointed.

Su proudly claims to serve Asian American cuisine, so his menu features decidedly Asian dishes alongside American favorites. The latter are fine—Su makes a pretty damn good burger, actually—but the Asian stuff is where he really shines. Don’t visit Fat Choy without trying an order of Grandma’s potsickers ($6), maybe the best in the Valley. The wrappers are made fresh daily, and Su manages to pan sear them to a perfect crisp, the crunchy outer shell giving way to a moist pork and chive center. Accompanied by an addictive chile and shallot soy dipping sauce, it’s a great way to start your meal.

The Details

Fat Choy
Eureka Casino, 595 E. Sahara Ave., 794-3464.
Daily, 8 a.m.–10 p.m.
Fat Choy's pork belly bao.

Fat Choy's pork belly bao.

Another unforgettable starter is the shrimp toast ($8), relatively uncommon on local menus. Su’s version combines lap cheong (Chinese sausage), minced shrimp, a drizzle of Sriracha mayo and a fried egg, all atop a slice of white toast. It’s as good as it sounds.

Su’s short rib rice ($14) is another epiphany. The six-hour braised short ribs are melt-in-your-mouth immaculate, served with diced pickled mustard greens on a heaping bowl of white rice. I can’t get the dish—especially the way the bitter greens balance the meat’s richness—out of my mind.

The fried pork sauce noodles ($9) are more of an acquired taste, though I’d say it’s an easy acquisition. The sauce has a bean curd base, so be forewarned that there’s funkiness afoot, but the noodles are made daily from Su’s wonton source and are worth a try when you’re looking to challenge yourself—even if you don’t have to venture into a hair salon to try them.

Tags: Dining
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