The last couple
of years have seen the rise
of Pan Asian flavours from not just China but also other Asian countries such
as Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, etc, as a rather dominant food trend in
India. Naturally, Goa being an international tourist destination and, more
importantly, a melting pot of myriad gastronomic cultures, joined the nation’s
metro cities in celebrating this trend. A host of Asian restaurants in Goa are
experimenting with Pan Asian flavours and presenting it to the global audience
here in Goa, from revising their menus on a regular basis to hosting food
festivals (the most recent one being the Vietnamese food festival at Vivanta by
Taj, Panjim). Fat Panda, an Indian Chinese specialty restaurant in Candolim, is
the latest to jump on the bandwagon.
The combination of vast barren plains and a largely nomadic way
of life in Mongolia has contributed to a unique culinary tradition. Though
Mongolian cuisine has its own unique identity, thanks to its borders with China
and Russia, the cuisine has been greatly influenced by the neighbours.
Mongolian cuisine includes dumplings filled with meat, dumplings deep-fried in
mutton fat, noodle soups and dishes that combine meat with rice or fresh
noodles into stews, etc, all of which are overshadowed by the Mongolian grill.
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After having a successful noodle festival last year, Fat Panda
is currently hosting the Mongolian Food Festival. Not to be mistaken with the
Mongolian grill / barbecue spread, the Mongolian food festival celebrates the
Mongolian style of cooking, where one can select their choice of meats or
veggies, pick from among six new sauces and give it to the chef to work his
magic. The end product is a cup of rice / noodles, a stir fry preparation with
toppings of your choice. The dish is a meal in itself, enough for one person,
and that’s the only way of having it.
The team has conjured up six new sauces for the fare – the
extremely fiery Chiu Chow that is a savoury chilli sauce, to the moderately
spicy Master sauce and General Tso sauce. Then there are the self explanatory
Garlic Lemon, Ginger Oyster and Char Sui sauce with the last one being a sweet,
savoury sauce that manages to capture the tongue with the kick of five spice
powder.
My love for all
things spicy nudged me to try the combination of chicken with the Chiu Chow
sauce and rice. I conveniently ignored the chef’s warning about the hotness of
the sauce that is made from preserved chillies prepared according to an
authentic recipe from Chiu Chow, China, and was quick to realise that after a
few bites into the dish. Not a deal breaker by any means, the preparation is
best suited for lovers of spicy food.
The
Mongolian food festival is on till September 14, 2018 and the restaurant is, by
all means, serving its regular Indian-Chinese offerings alongside. If the buzz
is to be believed, in its existence of a little over two years in Candolim, Fat
Panda has begun tempting diners in Panjim even, to give their regular haunts in
the city a miss and instead drive up north, for a meal with the Panda.
