Fatt Pundit first opened in 2019 on Berwick Street, by the team behind Imperial Lounge, Bombay Chow and Station 31, and is catered by chef and a restaurateur Huzefa Sajawal. A second site will follow this August in Covent Garden.
The playful name is composed of “Fatt”, which is a Chinese popular surname, and “Pundit”, an Indian word meanings “scholar”.
This unique Indo-Chinese cuisine comes from Kolkata and originates from the time the Hakka people from the Chinese province of Canton migrated to India and brought in new culinary influences.
Fatt Pundit mixes Chinese cooking techniques with vibrant spices of India and turnes this culinary amalgam, with influences from, Tangra into a remarkable tasting experience. This is more than a fusion, it is a marriage of the two cuisines, "Chinese on the streets and Indian under the sheets”.
The restaurant is small and resembles an urban Indian chic café/canteen, the space is semi-dark, long and narrow with a cosy atmosphere. It is laid out over two floors and it can accommodate 35 guests on ground floor, and 15 guests downstairs.
The décor is minimalist with small tables with metal tabletops, dark wood floors, plastered walls with exposed concrete, and a long bar near the entrance.
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Many (read “ALL”) dishes are memorable:
Momos - their signature Tibetan dumplings.
A flavourful trio of steamed and stuffed dumplings, that are juicy, rich, complex, and look similar to dim sums. They come with two sauces: red pepper and sesame chutney.
Beef Momo – Tender beef, leeks, red chilli, coriander - meaty pepped up with flashes of ginger
Chicken Momo – Chicken, soy, garlic, spring onion
Crackling Spinach – Crunchy crispy fried spinach smothered in sweet natural yoghurt, date & plums sauce, with bursts of pomegranate, with a touch of chilli running through the background. Oh Lord!
This bowl of delicacy is an absolute triumph both for flavour as well as texture, for a truly “mmmm” moment.
Sticky Sesame Vegetables - crispy veg fritters, manuka honey, Birdseye chilli
An outstanding dish of delicious crispy vegetables coated in a smoky rich sticky glaze, with a touch of heat.
Lollipop Chicken - tender spicy and crispy chicken wings served with onion-based Szechuan chutney.
The mild heat of the light crispy batter of the chicken was elevated and tempered by the sweet-and-sour tanginess of the chutney making the flavours dance.
Bombay Chilli Prawns - gorgeously plump and meaty prawns, celery, Szechuan chilli, mixed peppers – the chubby prawns have a sweet sticky glaze lightly crunchy coating with a subtle hint of chilli.
Malabar Monkfish Curry - A flaky grilled monkfish in ultra-crispy skin, safron butter, fresh coconut - superbly executed. definitely order a side of soft rice. The semi-thick curry is singing with notes of coconut and has a buttery sweetness with subtle flavours of turmeric and curry leaves.
Crunchy Peppercorn Crab - soft shell pepper crab, wok blistered sweetcorn, charred scallion and Szechuan peppercorn.
Wow! What an innovative dish! the crab is covered in a crispy masala batter on a bed of dried and crunchy sweetcorn with a subtle masala sprinkle on top.
Tangra Special – a traditional sweet desert to complement any meal
Masala Chai - more like an after-dinner treat to close the experience with a sweet and luxurious heart-warming drink.
Guava Chili Sour - Himalayan salt, red chilli bream, ginger beer.
More like a salted fruity cooler, it is bright, fruity and refreshing, the sweetness of the guava is wonderfully toned down by the heart of the salty Chili rim, which softly burns the lips and then pleasantly lingers thereafter.
However, all their cocktails are just as exciting.
Culinary history is being made here! Brilliant dishes, full of depth, colour and fire, real works of art! Enjoy the interplay of the flavours as they make you feel as if your whole body responds to it because the creativity and soul that you find in the dishes is amazing!
You can go ahead and kid yourself that you can live without trying this restaurant but really is nothing like you ever tasted (in the best way possible). These culinary memories will live in your head rent-free forever.
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