By Pratiksha Rao
Never judge a book by its cover, and the same holds true for Fat Lulu’s. When I entered this new pizzeria in town, I was expecting to be greeted either by the posters of old Italian films titled 'Lulu,' or the much dreaded images of the recent internet and reality TV celebrity, 'Fat Lulu,' the large sized pole dancer, who showed the world that America’s Got {one of a kind} Talent.
Fortunately,instead, it was the brewing smell of cheese, sauce and warm dough that welcomed me in.
The rising trend of health food might frown on Fat Lulu’s pizzas, but ask yourself this: when you want something healthy and light, do you turn to pizza? The resounding answer is NO. When you want to indulge in some gluttony, or have friends over for a movie night, pizza brings a comforting burp that heaps of quinoa tabbouleh would never achieve.
Fat Lulu’s is a New York style pizza-serving restaurant in Gurgaon {yes, it is, technically, a part of the National Capital Region} that bears more resemblance to a New York pizzeria than the thousands of other eating joints in the city. Besides the menu and décor, the restaurant has more in common with its American inspiration than you’d imagine – the dreaded MG road traffic enroute to the Arjun Marg restaurant doesn’t pale in comparison to the exasperation most Manhattan residents suffer when taking the subway all the way to Brooklyn for a slice. But if the journey doesn’t seem so promising, the destination is totally worth it!
Now, getting to the meat of this blog {no pun intended, plenty of choices for our veggie lovers too}; here’ the breakdown of the pizzas I tried:
Manhattan | This was a combination of artichoke hearts, chicken and Parmesan. My fear of the chicken pieces being too dry was instantly allayed. These were suitably satisfactory, but on second thoughts, I might skip this to try some new toppings.
Classic Margherita | True to its name, this was pretty darn classic! Sauce, cheese and pizza – all perfect. I think a margherita pizza is the true judge of the basic ingredients and the sauce of any pizzeria, and this one was a very delicious surprise. Vegetarians, as well as non-vegetarians, will all love this. {At the risk of sounding like a pizza snob - Sorry vegans, you’ll never know what you’re missing!}
The Soho | This is a meat feast. With generous, but not overwhelming, amounts of pepperoni, Parma ham, Italian sausage and ground lam, this is a perfect fix for late night meat and cheese cravings. It’s definitely on my list, the next time I visit this joint.
Spicy Chicken Wings | No, this is not a pizza, but plain old, fried hot wings doused in sauce. These tasted really fresh and the sauce was different from what I expected, but good nonetheless. The pizza-gasm that followed this has left my memory a little hazy on the exact flavours of these wings, but I know I will certainly be ordering these in future.
Fat Lulu’s gets the base, the sauce and the cheese just right, which is what makes it one of the better, if not the best pizzeria in NCR. And you don’t even have to iron your shirt, or check your bank balance, like you have to before planning a meal at La Piazza or Diva. The staff is very keen and helpful, and the service is prompt. Having eaten at the restaurant and ordered in at home, I would highly recommend the former because the base tends to tighten up and doesn’t taste half as good as it does when it’s right out from the oven. While your NYC-resident friends might dismiss the lack of overflowing grease, I find it just enough, leaving me with enough to squeeze in an extra slice before my guilt kicks in. Some might say that the absence of a liquor menu might make you think twice about coming here when you make your Saturday night plans, but I suppose it helps keep the binge-drinking crowd away. I am happy getting high on my pizza!
I haven’t visited the recently opened second Fat Lulu’s restaurant at Galleria Market. The limited menu of this place keeps the quality in control, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this popularity and expansion won’t affect it.
Notes in our Little Black Book |
Where | 3, Arjun Marg Market, DLF Phase - I, Gurgaon, Haryana
Timings | Tuesday to Sunday; 11AM - 11PM
Contact | +91-124-4245497/4245498/+91-8826460101
For more information, visit their Facebook page.
