We've been huge Chef Zakary Pelaccio fans for a while now, ever since his first-rate Fatty Crab brought the full Malaysian funk to the West Village/Meatpacking District in 2006. Last year the excellent Fatty Crab UWS proved that Pelaccio could transport his intense flavors and energy to the usually-play-it-safe, family-friendly West 70s, with no loss of daring and deliciousness. (We're not the only ones who agree; the place is packed every night.) And now there's Fatty 'Cue, an extraordinary mash-up of traditional barbecue-type dishes with Pelaccio's beloved Southeast-Asian sensibilities. The setting is Williamsburg, a few blocks from the L; the atmosphere is a food-and-booze party; the overall result was perhaps the single best meal we've had so far this year. 

We stopped by early on a recent Saturday night, and got a table right away, though even at 6:00 we were the last to do so; Fatty 'Cue in Williamsburg accepts no reservations, and the wait by the time we left an hour or so later was considerable. We started our meal with the 'Cue Coriander Bacon, and suggest you do the same. This was an amazing dish, the smoky, fatty chunks of meat perfectly seasoned and incredibly well-synced with a crock of firm, fiery yellow curry custard and slices of greasy toast. Outstanding.    

More pig arrived at our table in a hurry (dishes are brought as they're ready, rather than in any sort of appetizer-entree progression), in the form of three insanely great Heritage Pork Ribs, sticky with smoked fish sauce, meaty enough to dig in with big, satisfying bites. We also loved Fatty 'Cue's Celery Salad with Tianjin preserved cabbage, a crunchy and refreshing break from all the sweetmeats and smoke, thanks in no small part to the lively, lemony yuzu that seemed to infuse the entire dish.  

For dessert we inhaled a creamy, sugary, ridiculously perfect slice of 'Smores Pie, which was one of the night's three special baked goodies on the menu, courtesy of the aptly-named First Prize Pies, whose connection with the legendary Roni Sue's Chocolates should tell you all you need to know about how great it was. Bonus: a small pitcher of local heavy cream to dump all over the top. So is Fatty 'Cue worth the trip, and the (most likely) wait? Absolutely. And again and again.         

Fatty 'Cue is located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on South 6th Street between Berry Street and Bedford Avenue, and is open for dinner every day from 5:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight, for late night snacking until 2:00 a.m., and for brunch on the weekend from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. For more information and complete menus, please see the Fatty 'Cue website, here.