Almost every woman I know in Bengaluru is a
chef Manu Chandra fan girl!
chef Manu Chandra fan girl!
It seems that his Monkey Bar is very
popular amongst them. As is the newly opened Fatty Bao. I was invited to drop
in for a review at Fatty Bao when I went to Bengaluru a month back. I was quite interested given the buzz around it
and the fact that it’s an Asian place. So K and I decided to drop in there
during our recent weekend in Bengaluru.
popular amongst them. As is the newly opened Fatty Bao. I was invited to drop
in for a review at Fatty Bao when I went to Bengaluru a month back. I was quite interested given the buzz around it
and the fact that it’s an Asian place. So K and I decided to drop in there
during our recent weekend in Bengaluru.
They make it easy for you in Bengaluru
and arrange for transport for reviews and the folks at Fatty Bao did so for us
too. Makes it so much more convenient. Something for PR and restaurant folks in
Mumbai to consider while inviting folks for reviews.
and arrange for transport for reviews and the folks at Fatty Bao did so for us
too. Makes it so much more convenient. Something for PR and restaurant folks in
Mumbai to consider while inviting folks for reviews.
We went to Fatty Bao on a Saturday afternoon which
was warm by Bengaluru standards so we sat inside in the aircon. Apparently the open air terrace
is recommended at night.
was warm by Bengaluru standards so we sat inside in the aircon. Apparently the open air terrace
is recommended at night.
Coming from congested Mumbai we were quite
taken in by the ambience. The restaurant, which is on the third floor, has large
windows and we sat by one and enjoyed the greenery outside. Fatty Bao is at
Indranagar which, from what I understand, is where the restaurant action in
Bengaluru is largely taking place. Can’t imagine such greenery and openness in a
central Mumbai suburb.
taken in by the ambience. The restaurant, which is on the third floor, has large
windows and we sat by one and enjoyed the greenery outside. Fatty Bao is at
Indranagar which, from what I understand, is where the restaurant action in
Bengaluru is largely taking place. Can’t imagine such greenery and openness in a
central Mumbai suburb.
The design was young and peppy. Reminded me
of the ‘fun Asian’ Mamagoto at Hill Road, Bandra, but with a better view and better
food versus the over the top stuff I have eaten twice at Mamagoto. The chairs
were quite comfortable and were not sacrificed for the cheerful motif.
of the ‘fun Asian’ Mamagoto at Hill Road, Bandra, but with a better view and better
food versus the over the top stuff I have eaten twice at Mamagoto. The chairs
were quite comfortable and were not sacrificed for the cheerful motif.
We were there for a couple of hours so the
comfortable chairs helped. The manager, Rajesh, personally tended to our table
which means that I can’t really comment on the service. He thoughtfully got us
tasting portions which means that I can’t comment on the portion sizes. We were
not given a bill as this was an invite so I can’t comment on the prices. Also,
as this was personalized review, we got the food the way the chef envisaged it
to be so can’t comment on a ‘regular’ experience.
comfortable chairs helped. The manager, Rajesh, personally tended to our table
which means that I can’t really comment on the service. He thoughtfully got us
tasting portions which means that I can’t comment on the portion sizes. We were
not given a bill as this was an invite so I can’t comment on the prices. Also,
as this was personalized review, we got the food the way the chef envisaged it
to be so can’t comment on a ‘regular’ experience.
If you want to read on after all the
caveats then read on.
caveats then read on.
We started with a Thai papaya salad. The
first thing which struck me was that it lacked the sweetness of the Thai salads
I am used to in Mumbai. Had it only once in Bangkok and don’t remember much of
the salad there. There was a slight chaat masala taste to the salad at
Fatty Bao. In fact through my meal I saw this restrained when it comes to
sweetness flavour profile repeated in the food at Fatty Bao. Most places in
Mumbai tend to crank up the sweet quotient when it comes to Asian food. Not so
at Fatty Bao. They do love their palm sugar in places like Malayasia, Singapore
and Thailand from what I have seen. I liked the balance at Fatty Bao.
first thing which struck me was that it lacked the sweetness of the Thai salads
I am used to in Mumbai. Had it only once in Bangkok and don’t remember much of
the salad there. There was a slight chaat masala taste to the salad at
Fatty Bao. In fact through my meal I saw this restrained when it comes to
sweetness flavour profile repeated in the food at Fatty Bao. Most places in
Mumbai tend to crank up the sweet quotient when it comes to Asian food. Not so
at Fatty Bao. They do love their palm sugar in places like Malayasia, Singapore
and Thailand from what I have seen. I liked the balance at Fatty Bao.
We had a Japanese styled dumpling gyozo
with beef where the pan seared dumpling casing was quite thin allowing you to enjoy the
beef properly. The menu said jalapeno too and I guess that added a slight
tanginess to the meat.
with beef where the pan seared dumpling casing was quite thin allowing you to enjoy the
beef properly. The menu said jalapeno too and I guess that added a slight
tanginess to the meat.
We also had the Sheng Jiang Bao, a pan
seared dumpling. This one was with hosin and duck sauce. The casing again thin
and crisp allowing you to enjoy the restrained flavours of the tender duck.
Duck can be over cooked and people often err on the side of excess when it
comes to Hosin. No such problems in Fatty Bao.
seared dumpling. This one was with hosin and duck sauce. The casing again thin
and crisp allowing you to enjoy the restrained flavours of the tender duck.
Duck can be over cooked and people often err on the side of excess when it
comes to Hosin. No such problems in Fatty Bao.
There weren’t too many raw fish options in
the sushi so I chose the tuna tartare sushi. I just loved the moist texture and
the incredible flavours of the tartare. The rice was not too cold or clammy as it
often is in Mumbai. The rice at Fatty Bao had quite a bit of life and was served at body temperature.
The pricing, if I remember, was not too over the top. The sushi had a very pleasant and light mouth feel.
the sushi so I chose the tuna tartare sushi. I just loved the moist texture and
the incredible flavours of the tartare. The rice was not too cold or clammy as it
often is in Mumbai. The rice at Fatty Bao had quite a bit of life and was served at body temperature.
The pricing, if I remember, was not too over the top. The sushi had a very pleasant and light mouth feel.
There was a salmon carpaccio sashimi which
was served in a light soy dressing which had a strong taste of good salmon which combined very well with the dressing. If sharp flavours are your thing
then this will work for you as well as it did for me. The slices were fairly thin
making the texture pleasant.
was served in a light soy dressing which had a strong taste of good salmon which combined very well with the dressing. If sharp flavours are your thing
then this will work for you as well as it did for me. The slices were fairly thin
making the texture pleasant.
The kam heong kalamari was quite excellent.
The calamari fried just right and rendered juicy and bouncy and not chewy at
all. The coconut milk and curry leaf flavouring gave it a slight Malay taste. I
really enjoyed this dish. Took me back to Langkawi.
The calamari fried just right and rendered juicy and bouncy and not chewy at
all. The coconut milk and curry leaf flavouring gave it a slight Malay taste. I
really enjoyed this dish. Took me back to Langkawi.
We tried a char siu ban where the red
chilli powder threw me off a bit. Rajesh told me that it was Japanese chilli
powder. The pork belly was fairly tender but lacked fat and fat is, after all, the whole
point of pork belly. A (largely) fat free pork belly is like an Argentine team
without Messi. Didn’t give the sort of joy it should have. Again, while it had
hosin sauce the sweet notes were toned down. The red chilli powder bothered me visually.
chilli powder threw me off a bit. Rajesh told me that it was Japanese chilli
powder. The pork belly was fairly tender but lacked fat and fat is, after all, the whole
point of pork belly. A (largely) fat free pork belly is like an Argentine team
without Messi. Didn’t give the sort of joy it should have. Again, while it had
hosin sauce the sweet notes were toned down. The red chilli powder bothered me visually.
I tried the pork chashu ramen. The menu
says that the broth is slow cooked and frankly the pork flavours were very
pronounced in the meaty yet clear ramen broth making it a very flavourful dish
and reminded me of the excellent char siu pork ramen that I had at Big Daddy’s in London. No complain on the
fat quotient here as the pork was pleasantly chubby and fatty. It again had the darned red chilli powder.
says that the broth is slow cooked and frankly the pork flavours were very
pronounced in the meaty yet clear ramen broth making it a very flavourful dish
and reminded me of the excellent char siu pork ramen that I had at Big Daddy’s in London. No complain on the
fat quotient here as the pork was pleasantly chubby and fatty. It again had the darned red chilli powder.
The last dish that we tried was the seafood
Nonya curry. I was at Singapore recently and had 4 or 5 Nonya dishes there and
the one at Fatty Bao didn’t resemble any of the nonya dishes that I had there.
What the curry in Fatty Bao was like was a very good Thai green curry with the
balance of flavours just right as was the consistency perfect and not too thick
unlike what is served in Mumbai. The prawns and fish were cooked delightfully.
Not overcooked and the curry had taken the flvours of the seafood. A very comforting dish.
Nonya curry. I was at Singapore recently and had 4 or 5 Nonya dishes there and
the one at Fatty Bao didn’t resemble any of the nonya dishes that I had there.
What the curry in Fatty Bao was like was a very good Thai green curry with the
balance of flavours just right as was the consistency perfect and not too thick
unlike what is served in Mumbai. The prawns and fish were cooked delightfully.
Not overcooked and the curry had taken the flvours of the seafood. A very comforting dish.
We were too full for desserts.
Overall I would say that with the quality of
the produce used, the restraint shown in the flavours, Fatty Bao made me
jealous of the folks in Bengaluru.
the produce used, the restraint shown in the flavours, Fatty Bao made me
jealous of the folks in Bengaluru.
If it was in Mumbai I would definitely have
visited again.
visited again.
Disclaimer:
This was a review hosted by Fatty Bao
This was a review hosted by Fatty Bao
Hi !
My name is Phuong, currently working for foodpanda India with Food Delivery Service via website: http://www.foodpanda.in. I would like to take this possibility to introduce foodpanda to you and hope to cooperate with you. Please let me know if you find our website interesting and see the possibility of working with us. You can contact me at: p.le@foodpanda.com. Looking forward to hearing from you. Phuong
Come to Mumbai,Fatty Bao
Do try redfork and daddys deli on the same road as fatty bao the next time you're in Blore