Green walls, a huge mango tree right in the middle of the property and the complementing brown and green faux leather upholstery are a few elements at the newly opened Fat Owl that offer a fresh, welcoming vibe. The gastropub in South Bengaluru’s JP Nagar, joins the league of new restaurants that have popped up in the predominantly residential suburb.
Themed after the nocturnal bird, the intelligently designed space has enough natural light pouring in through the roof at strategic points. This makes it an ideal spot even for an afternoon meal. So, we dropped by for lunch on a Friday. We started with the Gin and Elderflower signature cocktail. The refreshing drink, with crisp notes of elderflower that blended well with the gin, was quite potent and we liked the floral finish on our palate.
With a start
Fat Owl has an elaborate food menu with a good mix of dishes that are uniquely Indian, and others that are borrowed from different cuisines. We tried the ‘Cauliflower and Broccoli’ from the starters section. The mustard-marinated vegetables cooked in a clay pot were served with a honey-mustard dip. We loved the smokey flavour on the florets, which had retained their texture. We then sampled the Baked Portobello Parcels. Tiny triangles packed with caramelised onions and portobello mushrooms served with pepper coulis, these cannot be missed. The mushy filling and the perfectly golden flaky pastry make it a must-try.
Breaking bread
We opted for the Chilli Thyme pizza next. This was quite an interesting ‘Indian’ take on the Italian staple. This pizza comes with a naan base. The Indian flat bread is topped with tomato chutney, chopped tomatoes, onions, chillis and cheese. We liked the blend of familiar flavours — tangy tomatoes, spicy onions and creamy cheese. From the main course, we tried the Chettinad Kozhi Curry. This chicken curry, cooked with peppercorn, cloves, coriander seeds and curry leaves, was delicious.
For dessert, we tried the The Fat, a dessert platter. It included war m sticky toffee pudding, cheesecake, chocolate mousse, Swiss roll and homemade creamy kulfi ice cream. Rich and gooey, the sticky toffee pudding was on point. But we highly recommend the kulfi that was velvety with notes of caramel. Served in a tart shell, it was wiped clean. With such an interesting menu, and soothing ambiance, Fat Owl is worth multiple visits.
Rs 1,500++ for two. At JP Nagar
ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com @aishatax