Sophisticated, Modern Noodles and Dumplings
what’s not to love?
at Fat Gajah
Having just celebrated its first anniversary, Fat Gajah in Seminyak, Bali, continues to go from strength to strength with its inspiring take on the Asian specialties of noodles and dumplings, supported by its laid back atmosphere and great service.
Located on Jl. Raya Seminyak, one of Bali’s most famous tourist streets, it’s a cosmopolitan eatery that wouldn’t be out of place in the bustling bistro-laden suburbs of Paris or London.
With seating for around 62 people, it has both outdoor and indoor options. Outside is directly adjacent to the busy street and is popular with those who want to enjoy casual outdoor dining and drinks whilst soaking up the unique Balinese atmosphere.
Chose the inside option and it’s like taking a step back in time, where the vintage European décor, curved mirrors, tiled floor, metalwork, white subway tiled walls and chalkboards highlighting the specials of the day combine to create a great retro feel. It’s cool and airy and the night lighting is subdued making for a quite romantic ambience.
The sophisticated little brasserie is the latest opening from the team behind CHANDI Restaurant, who also have plans to conquer Ubud and Jakarta. If the success of CHANDI and now Fat Gajah are anything to go by, the upcoming ventures will be another exciting culinary adventure.
The fabulously named Fat Gajah – the Fat Elephant – is open from noon until late and offers a distinctive all-day menu built around its signature steamed or flash-fried dumplings and noodles. But if that’s not your bag, then the fabulous little kitchen also churns out a selection of delicious organic salads, like the Roasted Beets & Tempe Crunch, a mix of greens, corn and tempeh served with a lemongrass and lime vinaigrette, and meat dishes such as the Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken Wings with fried coriander, red pepper and ginger.
But these days you can get a great Bedugul organic salad just about anywhere; it’s the 12 dumpling recipes and seven noodle dishes that piqued my interest in Fat Gajah.
Although the menu is very clear and the staff excellent at explaining every dish in detail, taking the taster menu is in fact a great way to ease into this taste extravaganza.
The dumplings are cooked by steaming, flash-frying, deep frying or are seared then served paired with a range of sauces and sambal. All the greens are organic and sourced locally from the cooler mountainous Bedugul in north Bali, the red meats are imported from New Zealand and fish is locally caught.
Taste aside, the first thing to point out is just how beautifully the food is presented. The contrast with the brown earthenware plates works remarkably well and although chopsticks are provided, so are knives, forks and spoons.
The whole menu is well thought out and nicely balanced with a range of options that should suit almost anyone. All the dishes we tried were delicious and offered a superb range of textures, from the crunchy deep-fried dumplings and filled wonton, to the rich wet noodles with red snapper bakso balls, and the steamed Black Pepper Crab Dumplings with soy cardamom and green peas – all stimulated and satisfied.
I adore fresh salmon, so it was no surprise that my favorite dish was the slab of Charred Norwegian Salmon served on a bed of egg noodles topped off with diced bell pepper and onions, with Chinese broccoli and tomatoes to accompany it. The taste of the charred crisp skin and soft flesh combined magically with the slight acidity of the capsicum topping, which in turn was perfectly balanced by the egg noodles, to create a fabulous and very filling dish. The salmon was, however, run a close second by the melt-in-the-mouth seared Black Sesame Tuna in ramen noodles with asparagus, cilantro and chives.
The drinks menu is surprisingly large, varied and, in some cases, complex. Complementing a range of teas, coffees, soft drinks and wines is an array of mixed classic and house specials. Classic cocktails come by the glass or pitcher, as does the popular Red Dragon Sangria featuring a blend of red wine, brandy, dragon fruit, mango, strawberries, raspberries, lime and vanilla. Or choose from a reasonable selection of wines by the glass or bottle. There is also a large selection of non-alcoholic spritzers to tempt and refresh.
The small dessert menu is heavy on the sweet stuff with the Flaming Hot Pure Chocolate Fondant being the centerpiece and available with vanilla organic bean ice cream or flambéed in Cointreau. Rich, luxuriant and utterly indulgent, the hot encapsulated chocolate is a perfect way to end your meal at one of Seminyak’s most alluring restaurants.
