Fat Panda

Great hospitality, incredible food

The Fat Panda opened up less than 3 weeks ago just off Marine Drive and we were super excited to try it out. The Fat Panda is a small eatery that brings to you freshly prepared and gastronomically pleasing Asian Fusion Food. I must say, when you look into the restaurant from the outside of its glass walls, you wonder if it’s just another dodgy hole-in-the-wall restaurant. This, however, isn’t the case. We realized this when the waiters escorted us to their surprisingly warm and welcoming upstairs dining area that looked aesthetically pleasing, and was. We must comment on the hospitality of the staff at Fat Panda, as they made our little party of 4 feel at home and really catered to our every (food) need.

One thing that stood out for me was their wall-art game, something worthy of an Instagram feature for sure.  

On first look at the menu, you’d think that the prices are way off the top. But note that each portion can at least be shared by 2 people so the prices aren’t too bad after all.

Drinks 

Mickey Mouse – Rs. 400

The Mickey Mouse is a combination of coke and ice cream, ideally a coke float – Loved it!

Cinderella – Rs. 500

Cinderella, was orange and not blue as expected (bummer). It was a mix of pineapple, orange, lime, grenadine and soda, but the orange overpowered the rest. It had a sharp ‘Fontana’ orange taste to it that we didn’t like.

Melon Cooler – Rs. 500

The Melon cooler was also another refreshing favorite. It was a concoction of melon, mint, sugar and ginger ale and was perfect for a warm sunny day. Just to note, the type of melon was cantaloupe.

Lime & Soda – Rs. 400

The Lime & Soda was my sister’s go-to. She liked it because of the intense lime flavour in it, but it was not my cup of tea.

Appetizers

Crab & Sweet Corn soup – Rs. 1000

​We loved the Crab & Sweet Corn soup. We were told that portions are for one person, but I can guarantee you that they are not! For Rs.1000, this appetizer is enough for 3 people. The crab chunks are massive and the corn kernels filled the bottom of the soup. The green chillies they used for garnish add a touch of spice to the soup, one that creeps up on you well into your first mouthful of it. I must say, there was a twist to a traditional crab (or chicken) and sweetcorn soup that was brought in with the green chillies, and would suggest that if you’re not one that can take spice, perhaps ask them to go light on the chilies.

Mains 

Nasigoreng – Rs. 1250 and Crab Fried Rice – Rs. 1450

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The Nasigoreng is a scrumptious Indonesian fried rice with chicken, prawn, vegetable, prawn crackers, fried egg and a chicken satay to top it off. The satay was accompanied with a helping of peanut sauce. The sticky-ish rice was loaded with massive slices of cuttlefish and diced chicken. It was packed with flavor where a hint of lemongrass made an appearance once in a while. Albeit oily, an almost perfect representation of an authentic Nasigoreng. The fried egg was ever so gooey in the center and its runny yolk beautifully sank into the rice when cut. The only thing they may be able to improve on was the satay, because the chicken was a little dry as it was overcooked.

The Crab Fried Rice was a Chinese vegetable fried rice with lagoon crab served with a cucumber pickle, chilli paste and crackers. What impressed us first when the dish was brought to our table was the abundance of bok-choy, mushrooms and corn kernels. It was accompanied by a homemade cucumber pickle that my mother tried her best to convince the waiter to let her in on the recipe, alas but failed. The cucumber pickle was tangy sweet and it cleansed your palette every time you had a mouthful of it with the rice. What also blew us away was the crunchy chilli paste – yum!  

We were too full to try out their desserts but were told that they’ve got a great Blueberry Panna Cotta that the waiter vouched for and another Mango and Coconut dessert that he also said he thought was incredibly good.

Have you tried the Fat Panda yet? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below! Is there anything we’ve missed?

Tip: The prices are nett! You wouldn’t have to worry about a stupendously hefty bill afterwards!