In September, De La Cuesta plans to offer kakigori. This delightful Japanese shaved ice dessert will be the only one of its kind served at the marketplace and likely throughout the Valley, as it will be made with ice flown in directly from Japan. It's the perfect sweet escape from metro Phoenix's record-high temperatures.
Kakigori, which combines "kaki" the Japanese word for shave, and "gori" which means ice, is a vibrant, multi-sensory slushie experience that is beautifully crafted.
"The ingredients from the bottom up are Japanese strawberry ice cream, Kuramoto shaved ice, housemade strawberry syrup, condensed milk and fresh cream and candied strawberry to top it off," De La Cuesta says. "Regarding the Kuramoto Ice, we are bringing it all the way from Japan. It’s block ice made of super pure water, and it’s incredibly clear."
Kuramoto Ice, a century-old family business, is the oldest ice manufacturer in Kanazawa, Japan, and their coveted ice is favored by top bartenders worldwide. Other fruity and creamy kakigori flavors will be revealed soon, so be sure to check Fatboy Sandos' Instagram for updates.
Kakigori is a vibrant, multi-sensory slushie experience that is refreshing and beautifully crafted.
Fatboy Sandos
A unique taste of Japan in Mesa
This isn’t De La Cuesta’s first time bringing something new to Arizona. "In 2022, we started off as a food truck in Tucson, and it was really easy for us to gain support there," he says. De La Cuesta was one of the first to introduce Japanese-style sandos to the Southwest on a larger scale.
"A sando is a Japanese sandwich," De La Cuesta explains. "It’s made with Japanese milk bread, which is thicker, a little sweet and super soft, sort of like brioche. We’ve changed our bread supplier three times, and now we import our loaves directly from Japan."
After starting out on the road in Southern Arizona, De La Cuesta opened a permanent spot inside Tucson food court American Eat Co. and another in Mesa. The shop’s most popular item is the $14 Japanese Egg Salad Sando.
"The Japanese Egg Salad Sando is what started it all for me," De La Cuesta recalls. "The difference between standard egg salad and ours is the little Dijon mustard in there, sort of like wasabi. We use amber eggs, which are creamier, and Japanese mayo made with egg yolk instead of the whole egg. We also swap distilled vinegar for apple cider vinegar, making the whole concoction creamier than what you’re used to."
Beyond its unique flavor, the egg salad sando’s aesthetic appeal has made it a social media sensation. When the two halves are stacked, the bright yolks of whole eggs are visible in even, symmetrical placement. It's almost too perfect to eat — but one bite will have you hooked on its rich texture and flavor.
Fatboy Sandos also serves sandos stuffed with pork katsu, shrimp ebi katsu or eggplant katsu, all topped with katsu sauce, purple cabbage, a hint of Dijon and imported Japanese mayo. They also have vegetarian mayo available.
"Our other best seller is the Pork Katsu Sando," De La Cuesta says, noting that there's also a secret menu of combos.
For dessert, there's the $6 Fruit & Cream Sando, stuffed with mandarin slices, strawberries or kiwi.
Gabby Madriaga
Soon, customers will be able to enjoy the unique experience of Fatboy's creative and artistic sandwiches paired with another treat straight from Japan. Fill up and cool down with kakigori and sandos in Mesa.
