This month, Fatt Pundit will open its second restaurant to bring the unique influence of India’s Chinese community and culture from Tangra, Kolkata to London's Covent Garden.
The new restaurant on Maiden Lane will be an evolution of the original Soho site, continuing to tell the story of this special melting pot of cultures found within India’s Chinese immigrant community.
Borrowing cult classics from the Berwick Street site, the new Fatt Pundit will bring fresh dishes and a new beverage concept to the forefront, starring signature cocktails inspired by the flavours and spices of India and China, and an unusual wine list, celebrating small, organic producers from all corners of the world.
Indo-Chinese cuisine is steeped in history and was created by those who emigrated from Canton and Guangdong in China with their rich gastronomic culture and settled in Kolkata and Mumbai, where they began incorporating Indian spices into their Chinese dishes. Fatt Pundit’s new menu will celebrate this unique diaspora cuisine.
No meal in Tangra should begin without a plate of steamed momos, and Fatt Pundit’s menu will honour that. Served with spicy sesame and red pepper chutneys, Fatt Pundit’s version of these hearty Nepalese dumplings are packed with aromatic fillings such as Beef, Leek and Chilli, or Kid Goat, Garam Masala and Cardamom.
For the main event, there’s a line-up of small plates designed to be shared with a selection of new dishes unique to the new Covent Garden restaurant. From the sea, Crab 65 is Fatt Pundit’s take on one of India most sought-after bar foods Chicken 65 - a perfectly crunchy soft-shell crab served with yoghurt flavoured with a symphony of different spices and curry leaves.
Saffron Butter Prawns are a new take on Soho’s Malabar Monkfish Curry, the only curry on the menu; juicy king prawns are grilled and served with a saffron butter and coconut Malabar sauce, a nod to the beautiful flavours of India’s southwestern coast where some of the Hakka community settled and fell in love with these fragrant curries.
From the meat section, the Shredded Chilli Beef pays homage to the Leopold Irani café in Mumbai, where guests come back specially to order this iconic dish; Kolkata Chilli Chicken is adorned with beautifully caramelised onions, slit green chillies and smoked dark soy; whilst Honey Chilli Duck is served in crispy strips perfectly seasoned with five spice and ideal for wrapping in freshly steamed pancakes,
Finally, Sweet and Sticky Venison is coated in a wonderfully sweet chilli sauce with burnt garlic and crispy noodles to top it off. Try alongside Crunchy Jersey Royals tossed in a chilli and garlic reduction and topped with coriander, a herb synonymous with Indian cuisine.
Favourites from Soho will also be joining the new dishes; highlights include Crackling Spinach, a dish inspired by Chinese crispy seaweed; spinach leaves are fried two at a time, dried out for 24 hours to crisp up and served with a tamarind, date and plum sauce and topped with yoghurt and pomegranate.
Another favourite is the tender Lamb Chops with Black Bean Dust, chargrilled to perfection in a smoky stone flower masala rub; the garam masala is ground in house from 29 different spices including the distinct bitter stone flower spice from India, before being crushed with salty Chinese black beans.
Also unique to Covent Garden is a brand-new dessert, the Lady Kenny, inspired by the traditional ledikeni, a favourite Bengali sweet created for and named after Lady Charlotte Canning, wife of Lord Charles Canning, the last Governor-General and first Viceroy of India. The cult classic Sizzling Brownie will also make its way to Covent Garden from the Soho menu.
What’s more, wherever possible the team at Fatt Pundit will endeavour to create a vegan version of the dish, by taking the delectable sauces and marinades and pairing them with a suitable vegan protein instead.
Fatt Pundit Covent Garden will boast two bar areas for enjoying the new signature Fatt Pundit cocktails and twists on popular classics, as a pre-dinner drink or for those moments when only a cocktail will do.
On an ever-evolving menu, Bar Manager Gianluca Capilungo plays with flavours and spices from both India and China, creating tantalising tipples including:
· The Hakka Garden, made with peach, passionfruit, vanilla, black cherry and bergamot, in honour of settlers from Hakka who grew and used fresh fruits in their garden;
· White Tiger, made using Hapusa Himalayan Gin which is made using junipers grown in the Himalayan region boarding Nepal – Fatt Pundit is one of the few select spaces stocking this gin in London – Lychees and Elderflower;
· Birds Eye Margarita, made with bird’s eye green chillies which are extensively used in Indo-Chinese cooking, as well as tequila and pink salt;
· The Scholar and the Priest, which combines brandy, black olives and rosemary tonic, and is named after the term Pundit which is a priest in India, and scholar in English terminology.
The popular Soho Fruit Coolers – which can be enjoyed as a mocktail or spiked with spirits – will also feature on the menu, inspired by the fruit vendors of India who serve fresh cut fruits with spices and salts.
A line-up of small batch beers and soft drinks such as Mango Lassi and Thums Up round off the drinks list, while an updated wine list features a carefully curated collection of aromatic white varietals, such as Gewurztraminer, Gruner and Riesling, as well as soft and ripe reds with no dry tannins to perfectly complement the richly spiced dishes.
Showcasing independent and organic producers from interesting and undiscovered regions across the world, including China and Lebanon, highlights from the wine list will include: Chateau Changyu Moser XV Helan Mountain Blanc from China – the first ever white cabernet sauvignon to come out of China, this wine is totally unique, packed with floral and exotic fruit and enlivened by vibrant acidity.
Also listed: Domaine Wardy Beqaa Valley red from Lebanon - a basket of red fruits, herbs and flowers is the only way to describe this amazing new unoaked red wine; and Ferrari Maximum brut from Italy – this sparkling wine has an unmistakable style, with intense fruity notes combined with pleasantly persistent fragrances of vanilla and yeast, perfect as an aperitif at one of the new bars.
Co-Founder Huzefa Sajawal said, “We’re excited to be opening our second Fatt Pundit in London’s buzzy West End. It has been a rocky year for us all in hospitality, but we have been overwhelmed by the continued support from our community and are exciting to be moving forward once again.
'In the UK, we believe that Indo-Chinese culture and cuisine is still relatively untapped. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who has dined with us in Soho over the years and shared the story of Fatt Pundit, and through the launch of our second restaurant, we hope to be able to introduce even more people to the rich culture and history, the fantastic flavours and the delicious dishes on offer.
'We’ve been working hard to develop some exciting new dishes and have revamped our drinks menu entirely. We can’t wait to show everything we’ve been working on, and to continue to shine a light on Indo-Chinese cuisine.”