In this month’s edition of First Friday Feast, we made our way over to Los Angeles to try out Little Fatty, a tasty Resy restaurant.

First Friday Feast is a monthly series debuting on the first Friday of each month and elaborates on a recent dining experience. For avoidance of doubt, this post was in no way sponsored by the restaurant.

We’ve been trying to have a date night each month this year (and post about it on the first Friday of every month). Sometimes we bring the kids along for date night and sometimes they stay at home. But that’s fine by us–the kids are more than welcome to tag along if they want. This time we wanted to check out a modern Taiwanese restaurant on our list.

Arrival to Little Fatty (Mar Vista, Los Angeles, CA)

Official link to Little Fatty: https://www.littlefattyla.com/

Our kids love Asian food. One of their favorite restaurants is Din Tai Fung, so we’ve been interested in trying alternatives. During a previous installment of this series, we checked out Bao Master across town in Alhambra, CA. This time, we tried a modern twist on what they like to call Taiwanese Soul Food.

I made a reservation on Resy right when the restaurant opened at 5PM. That wasn’t necessary if coming right at the start of service, but it did get crowded only half an hour later at 5:30PM. Thus, we would still recommend grabbing a reservation if you can.

After checking in, we were escorted to our table in the back corner.

While walking in, we saw the fantastic bar they have across the way from our table. If Jenn and I didn’t have the kids with us, it would have been nice sitting here for the evening. I don’t know if it’s the lighting or what, but something about this bar just struck us the right way.

The kids got settled in at our table pretty quickly. We always bring some books for them to read (and keep them off screens) while waiting for food.

The menu

The Little Fatty menu lists quite a few classic Taiwanese dishes. If you’ve been around to other Taiwanese restaurants before, the options will look familiar to you. And if you’re looking for xiao long bao–those dumplings with hot soup inside–the only version they serve here is with squid ink wrappers.

The rear of the menu lists beer and wine.

In our opinion, the more creative choice for drinking here is in The accomplice Guide, which a cocktail menu disguised as a map book.

The front of the book shows the cocktail list with the price of each drink in yellow boxes. Each cocktail is inspired by a different neighborhood in Los Angeles.

They could have stopped there, but you could turn to each page and learn a little more about each neighborhood. There are some historical facts that talk about when each was founded and how they evolved over time. If you want some light reading material while waiting for the food to come, this will provide some entertainment.

While I took pictures of all pages, I’ll limit it to just two to prevent this post from being a history lesson.

Drinks

Us adults ordered some drinks for the evening. Jenn ordered the Malibu, which had what we believed to be a foam made from egg whites. Naturally, our daughter Char thought it was soap. I can confidently say that’s not the case but I can see how a child might think it looks like a bubble bath. The Malibu is a strong drink–perhaps a bit too strong for Jenn’s tastes–but the flavors work well once you get past the strength.

I ordered the Miracle Mile, which comes with some puffed rice on top. The kids found it funny that I get what they view to be a granola bar on top of my drink. Personally, I don’t think the puffed rice was necessary, but it kind of works as a very light appetizer. The puffed rice also cuts through the flavors of the drink in absence of the food showing up. If you think the Malibu is a strong drink, this one is somehow even stronger.

Perhaps the main takeaway is that they don’t hold back on their drinks here. I approve!

The food at Little Fatty

Duck baos

We started the evening with some duck bao, which was absolutely delicious. The combination of flavors and textures is on point. The crispy, fresh vegetables on top with the warm duck inside, surrounded by a warm, soft bun. This is really all I need and I could probably eat this all night long if given the opportunity.

Orange chicken

OK–stop laughing that we ordered orange chicken. Char wanted chicken and rice, and that’s how we ended up here ordering this.

Panda Express might have the leg up over your average orange chicken, but we finally found a version of orange chicken that tastes superior to the Panda version. The chicken is crispy, which is the first requirement, and it passes that initial test. The sauce has a strong orange zest flavor to it, and it tastes very fresh as a result. Combine it with the rice and it’s a great meal. Dare we say we would even order it again without Char requesting it? Yes, because we found it that good.

Squid ink xiao long bao

Who doesn’t like some xiao long bao in their lives? Perhaps the most noticeable thing about this version is its color. Yes, squid ink will turn almost anything black. And at first glance, it gave our kids some pause because they’re not used to colored XLB. But once they tried it, they realized it’s very close to what they’re used to.

In fact, Alex admits the XLB here is just a hair under what they serve at Din Tai Fung. We would say the firmness of these squid ink dumplings is a little softer than Din Tai Fung. Of course, it’s not so soft that they fall apart before entering your mouth. We think those who aren’t used to the nuances of XLB might not notice much of a difference. Finding that right balance between thickness and firmness is tough to replicate, but they do a great job here.

Beef noodle soup

Another classic dish we just had to try: beef noodle soup. The tendon beef in this soup is quite tender and the broth is rich in flavor. Noodle firmness is also perfect and has plenty of bite to it. The green vegetables on top add some good contrast to how heavy the dish can otherwise be.

If this is the only thing you’re eating, it might feel a little imbalanced with how rich it is. But if you’re sharing dishes with others and trying a little of everything, the combination of flavors works out pretty well.

We like trying different Resy restaurants

Yeah, we like trying out different Resy restaurants every now and then. American Express would love for us to do it every month (based on their credits on the Delta American Express credit cards). However, it’s a little tough with schedules and the price can add up quickly. Resy restaurants tend not to be cheap. But it’s a good thing I have so many gift cards to Little Fatty to help reduce the price! #IYKYK

Recommendation: Yes

We like to compare Taiwanese restaurants to Din Tai Fung. It’s a bad habit of ours, sure, but one that feels pretty natural. The flavors are different here at Little Fatty. It wouldn’t be fair to say they geared them more towards the local crowd, but the flavors are quite bold. We’d say they’re a bit bolder here than you would find with your typical Taiwanese restaurant. Each dish on its own is probably a bit imbalanced in that sense. To combat this, you’re going to need to get rice (extra charge) and a variety of dishes to let the flavors meld together.

I think that’s the key to unlocking the real secret of this Taiwanese Soul Food. If you’re in the Mar Vista / Marina Del Rey area and are looking for some modern Asian food, give it a try.

Have you tried out Little Fatty yet?

Suggested reading:

• Other Destinations and Restaurants We’ve Visited
• Quick Hit: Earning Amex Resy Credits
• Bottega Louie WEHO: Great Italian Food for the Whole Family