The Big Fat lulu in Gurgaon isn't any fancy hangout. It scores high on its pizzas, gnocchi and other cheesy delights. By Divya Kaushik
How are an Indian pizzeria and a reality show celebrity, who was equally popular for her size and skills on America’s Got Talent, relatedIJ The question popped in our mind when we first heard about the opening of The Big Fat lulu in Gurgaon. We found out that there isn’t any common factor between the two, the hearsay has it that the owners were impressed by the pizzas being served at a New York café with the similar name and thus they came up with the restaurant here with the name The Big fat lulu.
The brewing aroma of cheese and dough was widespread when we entered the sparsely occupied space. Though there was nothing particularly Italian about the décor, walls with chipped plaster, wrought iron lamps, huge black and white paintings and a splash of colour here and there against the white backdrop gave the place a casual look. Huge glass panels gave a glimpse of men tossing up a cheesy pasta and smearing layers of sauce on the extremely thin pizza base to be placed in the wood-fired oven. There was nothing too fancy about the place, even if you will walk into the restaurant in your shorts and ganjis, you won’t be the odd one out. In less time (over three months to be precise) the place has managed some loyal customers, who walk in even alone to have their share of gnocchi or pizza.
Raminder Bakshi, culinary consultant and chef, has kept in mind that like an ideal pizzeria the variety of pizzas served here should be startling. We were told by the chef that “we were inspired by an entire generation of Italians who made Brooklyn their home and reinvented the pizza. Our New York style pizzas with fresh hand tossed base in whole wheat, spinach, beetroot and garlic have been a huge hit. Secret tomato paste, imported meats, cheeses and the choicest of fresh ingredients and toppings make our pizzas different from the rest. Here you can also create your own customised pizza.”
Before giving up to the cheese craving, it was a good idea to dig into the salad. To choose from the salad section, that listed a variety that sounded both different and tempting, was a tough task. We went for the detox salad, which was quinoa, tabbouleh topped with raw papaya and veggies and finished with sweet and tangy dressing. True to its name, the salad was a palate cleanser of sorts, preparing one for the heavy dose of cheese that was to come next. A must mention also should go to the way the dishes are served. For instance, the salad was served inside the inverted glass tumbler on a flat wooden tray. Your mocktails (they are still awaiting their liquor license) are served in huge, different shaped glasses. We were served our watermelon and mint mocktail in a jar shaped tumbler.
Trio crostini was offered to us next. It is a starter that comes with three different toppings — cherry tomatoes and cheese, grilled zucchini, artichoke and olive tapenade, beetroot jam, goat cheese and orange. Variety for the non-vegetarians is immense. They can choose from voodoo shrimps and calamari baskets, cajun spiced chicken skewers, pork ribs and chicken wings among others.
There is a pasta, risotto and torteloni section. Potato gnocchis are a must-try here.
They were the most soft, delicious gnocchis that we ever had, with a perfect mix of sauce and cheese. In case you decide to give Italian main course a miss, you can also go for sliders, barbeques and sandwiches.
It is of course a sin to leave the place without sampling their pizzas. Extremely thin crust, the pizza was crispy at the edges but soft at the centre. The generous amount of toppings and cheese make the pizza melt in the mouth.
The menu, as noticed, doesn’t boast of variety. The chef told us, “We were focussed towards providing authentic Italian and some dishes from the world cuisine. But whatever we have come up with we have kept in mind that we prepare it differently with sauces and breads that are mostly made in-house.”
In case, you necessarily need desserts to conclude your meal, this is not the place for you. Desserts are still missing on the menu. However, they have some prepared desserts from a popular bakery available at the restaurant.
In case you decide to check out the restaurant, don’t go by the looks and opt for the place for its perfect pizzas.