{"id":867,"date":"2019-10-18T17:55:45","date_gmt":"2019-10-18T17:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/10\/18\/20191016eat-fat-or-go-home\/"},"modified":"2020-09-05T19:26:42","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T19:26:42","slug":"20191016eat-fat-or-go-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/10\/18\/20191016eat-fat-or-go-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Eat fat or go home"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:59.59933090209961%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3779.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers enjoying wings and a fat sandwich.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3779.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3779.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1667\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Two customers enjoying wings and a fat sandwich.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5daa19003ebcba1ecb445127\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\">Two customers enjoying wings and a fat sandwich.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">It was a typical Saturday night at Rutgers University when one college kid stumbled home in need of a late night snack. After randomly combining unique ingredients into a sandwich, he realized how delicious this \u201cfat sandwich\u201d was and decided to share it with other college students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">This started a fat sandwich wave that hit Hamden in November of 2018 when Mario Nicolaides opened Fat Wedge U on Whitney Avenue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The concept for Fat Wedge U began when Nicolaides took a trip to New Jersey with his friends for a fat sandwich. After a few years and various jobs, Nicolaides opened a fat sandwich shop in Connecticut.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cMy partner and I grew up in the restaurant business and we saw this concept and we added our own flare to it and took it a step further,\u201d Nicolaides said.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:66.68000030517578%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3783.jpg\" alt=\"The handwritten specials at the entrance of Fat Wedge.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3783.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3783.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1667\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"The handwritten specials at the entrance of Fat Wedge.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5da7a436f12aec4e40211ab6\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\">The handwritten specials at the entrance of Fat Wedge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Wedged in between a liquor store and a nail salon, the restaurant has a seemingly ordinary external appearance. <\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">However, when customers pull open the door, they are met with a vibrant red interior with aesthetically hand-written specials written by Nicolaides\u2019 wife. <\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Nicolaides can be found behind the counter helping customers and making food. With each new customer to pull open the door, he greets them with a smile and a friendly conversation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The menu, while containing some seemingly normal plates like burgers and fries, primarily consists of sandwiches, wraps and burgers that are loaded with ingredients like mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, onion rings and mac &amp; cheese bites.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cAs far as the ingredients, we sample around and see what goes good with each other even if something sounds crazy, it might end up being really good,\u201d Nicolaides said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Besides the widespread toppings, each sandwich also has a distinctive name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cMost of the names are from people that went to school, the different locations we went to,\u201d Nicolaides said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">There are some interesting names for these subs like the Fat Crispy Cozz, which was named after a girl at Southern Connecticut University, while others like the Fat Blunt and the Fat Bitch are simpler yet outrageous names for a sandwich.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">While most locals don\u2019t seem to mind the quirky sandwich names, it has proved to be a possible roadblock for Nicolaides and Quinnipiac University. <\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Q-cash, which is a way for students to pay for laundry and supplies at the bookstore, started expanding to local restaurants and stores in Hamden popular with students. However, the university isn\u2019t interested in doing business with Nicolaides.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cThey didn\u2019t really give us a reason,\u201d he commented. \u201cWe assume it\u2019s because of the names of the sandwiches and we told them we would change them but they don\u2019t want to do business with us.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:66.68000030517578%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3775.jpg\" alt=\"Nicolaides working the register at Fat Wedge U.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3775.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_3775.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1667\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Nicolaides working the register at Fat Wedge U.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5da8c495dbc471065c016987\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\">Nicolaides working the register at Fat Wedge U.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">When the university was asked about why it was reluctant to do business with Nicolaides, the university said it had no comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Despite this slight setback, students and locals seem to enjoy the sandwiches, according to Nicolaides.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cOne sandwich could easily fit two meals, and for what you get it&#8217;s a decent price,\u201d Andrew Dixon, junior international business major, said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Around lunchtime, first-time customers casually stride through the door and Nicolaides smiles and hands them a menu. \u201cFirst time here?\u201d He asks a daughter and her dad excitedly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">They both nod and he smiles. Here comes his favorite part of owning a fat sandwich shop: customer\u2019s reactions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cSeeing people\u2019s reaction is probably the most rewarding part of it all,\u201d he said. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Fat Wedge U owner Mario Nicolaides shares his inspirations for opening a Hamden sandwich shop<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108,"featured_media":868,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,142,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hamden","category-homepage","category-quinnipiac"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=867"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1738,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867\/revisions\/1738"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}