Fat Prince

Fat Prince first opened its doors in Singapore’s Tanjong Pagar ‘hood at the back end of 2016. During our initial visit we thought it had potential to be a restaurant with good buzz and since then, we’ve returned on multiple occasions for a fix of fiendishly good kebabs, delicious mezze, and highly addictive harra fries. A brainchild of The Dandy Partnership (the folks behind Neon Pigeon, The Ottomani, and Summerlong), Fat Prince consistently delivers when it comes to delicious Middle Eastern-cum-Mediterranean food, great atmosphere, and really good service. Whether you’re an existing fan of Lebanese, Moroccon, and Turkish flavours or are new to the party, Fat Prince is definitely worth a visit.

Why you should come here:

There aren’t too many restaurants in Singapore that serve really great Middle Eastern food, and Fat Prince is a refreshing addition to the scene with its superb selection of dishes influenced by Lebanese, Moroccan, and Turkish cuisine. Plates here are fresh, flavourful, and perfect for sharing.

As for decor, Fat Prince has gone all out with comfy velvet armchairs, leather topped stools and chairs, a sleek white marble bar, and elegant touches like gold detailing on mirrored columns and hand-painted basins in the bathrooms. It’s definitely a setting worthy of a sultan, yet the vibe here is still chilled, so you can come and have a top dinner and drinks at the bar without feeling overly extravagant.

What we love:

Our latest visit was on a Saturday night and we found the space packed with guests creating a buzz amid low lighting and good tunes. We saw tons of couples who looked like they were on dates (makes sense given the sultry and stylish atmosphere going on here).

We started our meal with a selection of mezze; the creamy texture and garlicky, smoky taste of the cashew hummus made it a firm favourite (so much so, we reordered it – twice). The fried cauliflowers is also a must; it’s big on crunch and the green chili sauce provides a welcome kick. We also can’t visit without ordering a bowl of the harra fries (there’s something highly addictive in the spice mix, be warned).

Yet the highlight of the menu is most definitely the kebabs. We recommend the baharat spiced chicken, grilled halloumi cheese, roasted lamb shoulder, and a special mention goes to the spicy adalar prawn (so basically, all of them!). Each comes with grilled meat or veggie fillings piled high on a fluffy pita with vibrant sauces and garnishes that taste so good you won’t mind getting your hands dirty to inhale the lot.

For drinks we were presented with the wine list from Fat Prince and Ottomani (the supperclub converted from the former Ottoman Room bar sitting behind Fat Prince). The wine list has an interesting mix of wines from Lebanon, Morocco, Croatia, and Turkey, and they also have craft beers from various Middle Eastern locales. We opted for a Chianti, which we know wasn’t entirely keeping in the Middle Eastern meal theme, but we did appreciate the mix of other options!

UJ Tidbit:

There were four of us visiting this time and they placed us at a really big communal table, which made it a little bit hard to talk amongst ourselves, so if you can, try to ask for a table at the front of the restaurant next to the windows.

If you work in the area, it serves excellent coffee from Sarnies from 8am daily, but it’s coffee and only coffee until they open for lunch at 11:30am. It also does Saturday brunch from 11:30am to 3pm every week; worth having on the radar for when you want a bit of a change from the usual eggs and bacon affair.

Damage:

About $85 a person for dinner, including a bottle of wine and a few drinks.

Fat Prince, 48 Peck Seah St, 079317, t. 6221 3683. Open Mon – Fri: Coffee from 8am, Lunch from 11:30am – 3pm, Dinner from 6pm – 12am. Sat: Brunch from 11:30am – 3pm, Dinner from 6pm – 12am

Also featured in Best Dining at the Bar

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