Restaurant review: Make Fat Boy's Roadside Eats your next guilty pleasure

We're gonna walk inside, and guess what's up:

Put some food in my plate, and some Coke in my cup

Give me some chicken, franks and fries

And you can pass me a lettuce. I'm 'a pass it by.

- The Fat Boys

I'll admit it. I'm a child of the 1980s, so I listened (perhaps with a bit of guilt) to the rap group the Fat Boys. I know I'm not alone here, so don't even try to pretend different.

On a related note - stick with me on this one - I'm also a fan of good roadside comfort food (also perhaps with a bit of guilt), and there's a place out in East Brainerd that allows me to indulge both of these guilty pleasures.

Fat Boy's Roadside Eats may not be named for the musical group, but the folks there are bringing it every day when it comes to good food.

Fat Boy's Roadside Eats serves its specialties from an eclectically decorated trailer on the side of Standifer Gap Road.

The glorified food truck is turning out some great food - sometimes with a twist - and it's worth the trip out to Standifer Gap Road to see what these guys are serving.

THE SPACE

It's a trailer on the side of Standifer Gap Road. There are a few picnic tables in front of the window, but that's it. Nothing fancy.

The restaurant's Facebook page shows that the outside eating area is a bit more fancied up in warmer months for some outside dining, but even on a chilly day in late December, there were lots of folks placing their order and waiting in their cars for a tasty treat to build an extra layer of winter fat.

THE MENU

The menu is where things get interesting at Fat Boy's Roadside Eats.

These guys are turning out a lot of different things from a small kitchen. There are your general burgers, sandwiches, burritos and barbecue. But that's just the start.

Follow the restaurant Facebook page and see what the specials are. There are burger variations and other unique sandwiches that are positively sinful (in a good way).

The menu also includes something called "Cheese Stuffed Doritos," and there can't be anything wrong with that. I also want to go back and try the BBQ egg rolls.

Fat Boy's Roadside Eats is serving all the food to make a fat boy smile.

THE FOOD

The special burgers on the board for my trip were a pizza burger and a pork belly burger. I know, it was a tough call.

But keeping with the fat-boy theme, I decided that the pork belly burger was the way to go. While there was really no wrong answer to this dilemma, I'm happy with my decision.

This was an ample burger patty topped with a big slab of pork belly. And if that wasn't enough, add some cheese sauce and grilled onions plus a side of fries.

The burger and toppings were cooked well. If anything, there was more food than could be eaten in one sitting. But with a name like Fat Boy's, this really should be expected. A great unique take on a hamburger.

THE SERVICE

You place your order and pay at the window and get your food. It's standard food-truck service.

But on a winter day, the staff go out of their way to give good service. They took my name and told me to go back to my car to stay warm. After a few minutes, someone brought the food to me, and I was on the road.

Food counter service certainly isn't fine dining, but the staff at Fat Boy's Roadside Eats sure make you feel welcome and that your visit is a pleasant one.

THE VERDICT

The first thing you should do is like the Facebook page for Fat Boy's Roadside Eats. That's the best way to see the latest new sandwich or other treat.

These guys aren't serving health food, so don't come looking for tofu. It's high-calorie food your waistline may regret later. But your tastebuds certainly won't regret it.

So break out the one Human Beat Box cassette from the 1980s and head out to Standifer Gap Road. Get some good food and worry about hitting the gym some other day. Even us fat boys need some love.

Contact Jim Tanner at JFTanner@bellsouth.net. Follow him at twitter.com/JFTanner.