If you're all about the sharing plates like me, but fancy shaking up the cuisine, then this spot is THE ONE. I recently went along to try the menu at The Fatt Pundit and everything impressed. Everything.
The Fatt Pundit is an edgy, small indo-chinese spot in Soho.
The Fatt Pundit is playfully named, after the common Chinese surname 'Fatt' and the Indian word for scholar, 'Pundit'.
The interior is minimalist, with earthy colours and a raw finish. However the atmospheric lighting from the uplighters along the backs of the seats and hanging lights, as well as the bar, give it a sophisticated vibe. The service was top notch from the moment we walked in, and upon inspecting those around us, it seemed to be the same for those too! It was friendly, efficient and helpful - just what you want from a dinner experience on a Saturday evening.
The menu is based around a unique cuisine originally invented by the Hakka people when they migrated to India from the chinese province of Canton.
It incorporates traditional chinese cooking techniques with the spices of India. It comprises of sharing plates, including a large array of veggie, meat and seafood dishes, as well as their famous momo's. As usual with tapas, it is recommended to go for between five and six dishes between two people. However, I'd definitely suggest going hungry as you'll want to try as much as possible.
Our host informed us that with this style of cuisine, all meals start with Momo's.
They're hearty, flavoursome steamed dumplings served straight from steel steamers, alongside a spicy chutney. So we had to start things the right way. They're all served in a portion of three making them ideal for sharing a couple of portions. The Kid Goat Momo was our favourite.
It was flavoured with garam masala, cardamom and ginger, and was packed with rich aromatic flavours. They were soft, with succulent meat inside and absolutely delicious. The Chicken Momo was beautiful in flavour too. With soy, garlic and spring onions, it was just as soft, and the garlic and onion taste just shone through.
The dishes come as they're ready.
So we didn't quite have the momo's as a starter, but we did enjoy these first. We can agree that they are a fab way to start the meal...
The crackling spinach was a recommendation from our host (the manager). He really did have good things to say about almost everything, and we tried to go with recommendations as much as possible, whilst also trying a few of the dishes which caught our eye.
We loved the crispy spinach, it had a great texture. Served with sweet yogurt, date & plum sauce and pomegranate, it was a fab creamy, yet refreshing dish, with pops of juiciness from the pomegranate. A great side and break from the rich flavours of all the other dishes - not that we were moaning, of course, because wow.
Now I love a paneer dish. Like absolutely love. So can you believe that Chris had never had it?! The Hakka Chilly Paneer Lettuce Cups managed to show him just why it's always one of my choices. It consisted of that beautiful cottage cheese, shallots, soy sauce, white and black pepper, all on fresh and juicy lettuce cups. The paneer had a fab texture. Although it wasn't very spicy, it had a fantastic marinade and was one well-seasoned dish with plenty of flavour.
Our favourite dish of night however, had to be the Bombay Chilly Prawns.
Absolutely HUGE juicy prawns, they were served with celery, Szechuan chilly and mixed peppers. Again, it wasn't an overly spicy dish, but it had so much flavour to accompany the fantastic textures. Chris and I were literally fighting over the last one.
Another hit of the night and coming in close second were the Rabbit Wontons - although it was a close call, and brought on a huge debate as everything was THAT GOOD. With smoked garlic, black bean and chilli oil, they had a great depth of flavour. The wontons were soft with a succulent middle. The leftover sauce was perfect for dipping bread in. One seriously dreamy dish you HAVE to order.
Although the Shredded Chilly Venison didn't quite make the top three, it was still one fantastic dish. With smoked dark soya, the rich, slightly chewy, shredded venison was probably the most spicy of the dishes, yet it still didn't have too much heat to it. It came with a squidgy mantou bread which reminded us a little of bao-style buns. And you do have to love a bao bun!
In need of a little more carb, because when do you ever have too much carbs, we tried the bing bread, a traditional chinese option. It's a flaky, slightly herby flatbread which we pulled apart, to eat alongside the other dishes (including dipping it into that Rabbit Wonton sauce!). It was a fantastic choice.
The menu has just two dessert options, and we do recommend making space - even if you have to sit a little while.
The sizzling brownie with vanilla ice cream was rich and indulgent dessert. A steaming hot chocolate sauce is poured over as it arrives at your table, and it's served with a potent vanilla ice cream to balance out the rich, chocolatey-ness. It's absolutely heavenly.
A more refreshing dessert option, the Mango Shrikhand was a creamy, juicy, great way to end such a rich, delectable feast. A sweetened hung mango flavoured yogurt with saffron, it's topped with crunchy honeycomb, adding texture and an extra sweet touch.
As for the drinks...
The wine list features a reasonable selection of white and red wine, with an option for sparkling and one rose thrown in too. Prices start at £4.50 for a glass. We tried a beautiful sweet red, a glass of the Contero Brachetto D'Acqui, alongside dessert. It had a fab cranberry/pomegranate taste, and a slight tart edge.
The drinks list also has a handful of beer options, spirits and soft drinks. This includes four mocktails, inspired by the fruit vendors of India, where they serve fresh cut fruit with variety of spices and salts. There's also the option to turn these juicy creations into cocktails...
The Kala Kattah Mojito with black currant, black salt, was a tasty twist on the mexican classic. Recommended with Rum to make it a cocktail, it was a refreshing, light drink alongside the rich feast. The Mango Szechuan rush with alphonso mango and szechuan syrup, was seriously juicy and fruity, with a touch of pepper. Spiked with vodka, as recommended, it made for another fab cocktail. The juiciness sitting nicely alongside the spicy dishes.
We finished up believing... this spot should be on everyone's must visit list.
SUMMARY:
- Price: Small plates are priced between £6 and £15 which is pretty standard for tapas in London - but these are SO GOOD, and well worth it! Wine is priced from £4.50 and cocktails at £9 which is good for Soho.
- Food: One incredible meal. Every single dish impressed with its flavours and textures.
- Drinks: The drinks accompanied it all so well too - we loved both the cocktails and the sweet wine.
- Atmosphere: It's a cool, relaxed spot with fantastic service and we'd definitely recommend it for all manner of occasions.
- Wait: We booked a table, and I do recommend doing so as it got rather busy.