Mingle: Fat Bastards, Fat Bitches
By Christopher St Cavish, Jul 26th, 2010 | In Nightlife
Mr. Chen is a retired gov't commodities trader. He had a heart attack last month. His wife described a pair of sandwiches they serve at their new restaurant this afternoon as "very fat" and "too fat for the people." The Chens own Mingle, which they've designated "King of the Fat Sandwiches."
Their American-facsimile joint serves two rude sandwiches. The Fat Bastard is a baguette filled with popcorn chicken, French fries, and cheese sauce. The Fat Bitch is fried mozzarella sticks, crisp bacon, fries, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
Mr Chen is a disarmingly honest guy in his 50s. Thirty years ago, he was among the very first class to be accepted when the universities re-opened, and he spent the next three decades in Beijing, trading commodities for the government. One of his first assignments was to southern China, buying oil. "Back then," he told me, "everybody only got 1 kilo a month, with the ration tickets." Now, he serves sandwiches that have nearly as much.
His heart attack wasn't sandwich-related, but it did come from the restaurant. He opened Mingle because he was bored by retirement, feeling useless and "just waiting to die." The place has been struggling -- except for the provocative sandwiches, it's an anonymous storefront with a menu straight from nowhere America. There are quesadillas, and burgers, an Awesome Blossom and lamb chops. The stress stopped his heart.
Are his sandwiches any good? I'm too shy to try. Mingle claims to have repeat Bastard and Bitch customers, though Mrs Chen warns that "fat people shoudn't eat them every day." Slim people can, she says.
Judge for yourself. Mingle's listing is right here.
Their American-facsimile joint serves two rude sandwiches. The Fat Bastard is a baguette filled with popcorn chicken, French fries, and cheese sauce. The Fat Bitch is fried mozzarella sticks, crisp bacon, fries, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
Mr Chen is a disarmingly honest guy in his 50s. Thirty years ago, he was among the very first class to be accepted when the universities re-opened, and he spent the next three decades in Beijing, trading commodities for the government. One of his first assignments was to southern China, buying oil. "Back then," he told me, "everybody only got 1 kilo a month, with the ration tickets." Now, he serves sandwiches that have nearly as much.
His heart attack wasn't sandwich-related, but it did come from the restaurant. He opened Mingle because he was bored by retirement, feeling useless and "just waiting to die." The place has been struggling -- except for the provocative sandwiches, it's an anonymous storefront with a menu straight from nowhere America. There are quesadillas, and burgers, an Awesome Blossom and lamb chops. The stress stopped his heart.
Are his sandwiches any good? I'm too shy to try. Mingle claims to have repeat Bastard and Bitch customers, though Mrs Chen warns that "fat people shoudn't eat them every day." Slim people can, she says.
Judge for yourself. Mingle's listing is right here.
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