One of the neat things about the foodification of America is, well, the foodification of America, including its small towns. Sure, small towns have (generally) always had that one place to impress a first date or hold a rehearsal dinner, but lately we’ve seen actual chef’s opening up notable restaurants in less-notable locations (at least to the New York eaterati [outside of Marfa]). Fat Grass in Bay City is one of those places, adeptly helmed by chef Shawn Watkins of Austin.
Located on the town square across from an oddly (for Texas) International Style/Brutalist county courthouse, Fat Grass is architecturally oldskool coastal with taller-than-timber ceilings and a Nawlins long-haul vibe of indoor and outdoor seating. We were passing through town on the way to the beach for Thanksgiving and stopped in for a lunch of red fish, reuben, and pork-n-grits foreplayed with calamari (the chips and salsa of the sea). Everything was prepared to perfection, the red fish elucidating groans of pleasure from the bride, the Reuben-loving brother-in-law loving his Reuben on bread that looked like a Class 2 hurricane, and me savoring my savory pork-n-grits. We resolved to hit the place one more time while we were in the area, but it was unfortunately not in the cards. We will definitely hit it up next time we pass through town.
web&where: interwebs; 1717 7th street, bay city, texas
what’s the deal? elevated southern/coastal; sit down
overall: *** (food***; drink***; atmosphere***; service***; instagrammability***)
cost: $$$
our scale:
– meh [think twice]
* OK [it’ll get the job done]
** good [solid neighborhood joint]
*** damn good [we’ll definitely be back]
**** yippity-yikes that was amazeballs [fantastic; one of the best]
***** holy sh!t [transcendental; best of the best]
austin wanderlist 