Savouring a ninja's diet

FOOD REVIEW

The sight of a deep -fried red snapper, coated in chilli oyster sauce,
served in a standing position (yes that’s right – standing), is difficult to forget even after one steps out of Fat Ninja in Hauz Khas Village.

In the hub of restaurants, when one hears the name Fat Ninja, the mention of oriental cuisines like Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese brings a quaint smile on the face. With high expectations, as one enters the eatery, the soothing ambience makes one relax and rejuvenate.

While the dessert left much to be desired since Metrolife was served cold brownies with vanilla ice-cream, the food that preceded it had made up for it. But this is an observation in hindsight. Back then, the cold brownies made us fume. But frankly, everything else from the drinks to the main course, almost everything deserves a thumbs up.

Don’t feel scared when waiters dressed as Ninjas come to your table, for they only fulfill their duty of serving your desired dish. As you take a sip of Tom Yum Soup, and end up coughing, it confirms your presence in a pan-Asian restaurant.

For the tangy tomato pulp in combination with Thai herbs strike your throat - leaving a distinct flavour in the mouth. But the vegetables were a little stale especially Brocolli. More freshness would be appreciated.

The Tornado Twist or Fat Ninja Special, were great. Both are different concoctions of varied fruit juices that the bartender happily customises according to his guest’s taste buds. Among others, Toberone Shake sounds interesting but tastes regular.

To satiate hunger pangs, one looks at the starters only to find that the list is unending. From lamb to fish, the menu has it all. The few we tried were a mix of delectable and average.

For instance, the Crispy Conjee Lamb was alright but Tod Man Pla (fish cake) was tender, juicy and yummy fish minced in the shape of tikkis. Similarly, Corn and Pepper was just okay but Lotus Stem and Honey Chilli is innovative. The latter is lotus stem sauteed in honey chilli sauce.

To add to the list, the Beijing Chicken was a bit spicy and succulent with an impressive dressing of sweet corn and chilli. Even the Asparagus Chicken Skewers were finger-licking good.

But the Tofu with Wasabi Mayonnaise was a disaster as the tofu tasted bland and the mayo ruined it further!

The spirits were lifted when Vegetable Sui Mai (meaning open) dimsums were served. Smelling pleasant, the momos were stuffed with well chopped brocolli, baby corn, carrots and mushrooms and were soft and delicious.

With gluttony at its peak, we ordered Ninja Custom Meals - Red Snapper and Jumbo Prawns.

Though the dishes taste as if cooked in a typical Bengali home, the Chef deserves the credit for giving them his special touch, for they turned out brilliant.

The fish was luscious and crisp on the outside and tender inside. And the prawns were equally juicy - to be relished at leisure.

The rest need to be discovered at the eatery and now one knows why the Ninja are fat!