Phatt city

The name of the place was what grabbed me first. Then I opened the menu and saw offerings like ''my big phatt Greek salad," ''naked burger," ''phrench dip." I needed a drink to calm myself, so I turned to the sizeable cocktail list and spotted the ''Tini wini bikini martini."

Is this really Harvard Square? And could it really be home to an eatery called Phatt Boys?

It is. Co-owners Fred Rash and Scott Hartford have designed a whimsical restaurant in the space that used to be the Rock Bottom Brewery and, before that, Brew Moon. Everything is big: The booths, the splashes of color, the 275-seat lounge and dining room, the portions, and the spicy flavors.

Phatt Boys, which opened in early June and whose slogan is ''full flavored food and spirits," entices sports fans with the big televisions, the after-work crowd with the drink menu, and families with the large and cozy booths. At times, it can feel like a suburban chain restaurant -- in fact, the first Phatt Boys location is in Stoughton. But the food makes up for it, with juicy cuts of meat, freshly made rubs and sauces, and dashes of creativity to enliven standard dishes. Only a few of the menu items exceed the Cheap Eats ceiling of $15.

We began with a cup of ''Bourbon Street gumbo" ($3.50), a spicy red broth with inch-thick hunks of chicken and andouille sausage. Cilantro, red and green peppers, and cayenne swam around in the soup along with the flavorful meat. A plate of steak quesadilla ($8.50) came with four triangles containing slices of tender, bite-sized steak chunks. Melted cheese, scallions, and grilled onions made the perfect toppers to the succulent steak, which was rubbed with black and red peppers.

Sandwiches eat like a meal. They arrive nestled on top of a bed of French fries and with a cup of cole slaw. The portabella mushroom sandwich ($7.95) featured a nice, soft mushroom slice cooked in a balsamic-lime vinaigrette. The ancho chile chicken sandwich ($8.95) was a circus of flavors, from the earthy ancho-rubbed chicken to the cayenne-laced, pinkish aioli. But the rock-hard sourdough bun withstood most attempts to bite it, and I gave up. I tapped the bun with my fork, and it barely made a dent.

The meat on the half-rack of fire-roasted ribs ($10.95) was a shade tougher than necessary. But it boasted tastes galore, from sweet molasses to tangy soy sauce to spicy mustard. A plate of seafood cakes ($9.95) promised plump morsels with shrimp, salmon, crab, and haddock, but my companion tasted more bread than fish.

The giant portions at Phatt Boys ensure that you won't go hungry. But if you do, check out the ''ooey gooey s'more cake" ($6.25) and prepare for your forthcoming diet. The dessert's first layer is a thin paste of roasted marshmallows, followed by a rich, thick chocolate sauce. The payoff is a light, crumbly graham-cracker crust studded with thin coconut shavings.

Phatt Boys has begun to offer live music on weekends, which promises to further expand its already eclectic clientele. Diners can expect service that's enthusiastic and friendly, but a little green, with some nervous chitchat and minor drink mix-ups. A note about the restrooms: Disregard the brass handles and push the doors to open. Then look in the mirror and gaze upon your phatt figure, pleasantly full after a decent meal.