On In London visits Fatt Pundit, Covent Garden

Is there a cuisine I love more than Indo-Chinese? Probably not. In fact, I’m a fan of all fusion food. There’s something almost romantic about the merging of cultures, flavours, tastes and colours, when combined with everyone’s favourite thing – food.

I had heard of Fatt Pundit. Who hasn’t, right? After a highly successful launch in Soho, the brand opened Covent Garden, all the way back in 2021. A restaurant that has stood the test of time, especially in two of the most established foodie destinations in London.

It’s practically criminal that it’s taken me this long to visit, but I sure as anything did not have any regrets. I also took my mum, who is always my favourite dinner companions. She simply can’t contain her happiness and joy when enjoying food. It’s all a little Harry Met Sally, but in a funny way.

Anyway, on entry to the vibrant Covent Garden destination of Fatt Pundit, I was immediately calmed by the warming scent of incense and the happy hello from our smiling waiter. Once seated, we were directed promptly to the cocktail menu – I like that. We were also told the concept of the restaurant aimed to bring the unique influence of India’s Chinese community and culture from Tangra, Kolkata.

For cocktails, I ordered a White Tiger, which combined London Dry Gin, Elderflower, Lychee Juice and Prosecco for the perfect pre-dinner pallet cleanser. Meanwhile mum got cracking on the red – an outstanding and robust wine (Aconcagua Costa Pinot Noir, from Chile).

Before taking recommendations for the main sharing dishes, we were directed to first order the restaurant’s famed Steamed Momos. When I asked what exactly they are, I was informed, Nepalese dumplings filled with aromatic fillings and served alongside  spicy sesame and red pepper chutneys. Not one to shy away from the more unique meats, we opted for the Kid Goat Momos which were rich, hearty and delicious, cut through with the subtle spices.

The menu was astonishing, innovative and exciting, meaning we absolutely wanted to order everything. We weren’t discouraged either. All dishes are designed to share, but honestly, we underestimated the size of the dishes, so maybe don’t order as much as we did unless you can handle it – or would love to take some for lunch the following day.

From the veg section of the menu, we were recommended the Crackling Spinach which was a real highlight – crispy, salty spinach drenched in a sweet yogurt, date and plum sauce and topped with refreshing pomegranate seeds. As well, we tried the Crispy Okra Salt ‘n’ Pepper which was topped with pink salt, chilli and burnt garlic – an incredibly moreish dish.

Moving onto the seafood, we ordered the Malabar Curry with Tiger Prawns which was rich and grilled in saffron butter with fresh coconut. The curry was ideally complemented with the delightfully fragrant Burnt Ginger Rice.

What really stuck out for me was the meat, game and poultry section, and we really struggled to decide between such appealing dishes. In the end, we opted for the Szechuan Honey Duck which was served with five spice, pancakes and cucumber – no need for any sauce here due to the rich honey. This was really bolstered by the spicy Egg Szechuan Fried Rice and Stir Fry Beef Szechuan Noodles – plenty of spice at this table. A quick tip is to mix the rice and noodles together – life-changing!

Finally, we also had the Lamb Chops served with black bean dust, which were also generous in size and cooked to perfection with a stone flower masala rub and tasty char on the exterior. What a feast!

Stuffed from the food and the fine wine, we almost missed dessert. If it wasn’t for our helpful servers who pretty much insisted, we would have missed a showstopper. We went for the viral Snowflake Gelato Sizzling Brownie which was served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate honeycomb on a sizzling steamy skillet. True theatre in dessert form.

Wow, what a meal. This is a showstopping menu and restaurant, and the service was impeccable from start to finish. If you’re looking for the perfect date spot to impress, this is it!

…Or just take mum like I did.

Find out more > www.fattpundit.co.uk