FatSal’s – A Refreshing Reminder of Comfort Food
FatSal’s is a newcomer to Karachi’s gourmet-fast-food scene. Situated on main Bukhari Commercial in the city’s Defence Housing Authority (D.H.A.), the cute little joint is easy to spot due to its proximity to a range of restaurants like Chatterbox Café, Xander’s, and Zouk.
FatSal’s is one of Karachi’s hip new eateries whose foundation lies in the city’s entrepreneurial innovation and enterprise. “Fat Sal” is in fact a Karachiite named Salman who is a lawyer by profession and a true foodie at heart. Together with his wife and culinary team, FatSal has experimented and come up with many of the items on the menu ensuring the authenticity of the food he offers.
The name of the joint is suggestive of rich, wholesome, feel-good food and FatSal’s aims to turn this titular implication into reality. The customer is meant to dig into the food, get messy with it, and leave with a full stomach and a happier heart. As their Facebook page makes abundantly clear and simple – “don’t think, just eat.” Currently the eatery is only operational form 7:30 P.M.-11:30 P.M. which may be a bummer for those who like their fast food for lunch.
The outlet’s prime specialty is its chicken wings which, given how difficult it is to eat chicken wings with a fork and knife really drives home the general theme of getting messy. The joint offers a tinge of quirky humor by adding that “unlike Redbull, we actually give you wings” on their menu.
The outlet’s launch started off around 7:30 P.M. with the invitees consisting of food bloggers, foodies, and friends and family, allowing everyone the opportunity to get together and enjoy FatSal’s comfort food.
As soon as you enter, your eyes will be drawn to the pictures on the wall to the right which helps to accentuate the homely and comfortable atmosphere that emanates from the food. The decor of the single-floor outlet is simple but tastefully cozy with space for around 30 people at a time.
As this was a launch event, the service level cannot directly be compared to a regular day; however, the rush of foodies, friends & family was effectively catered to. The launch event focused more on communal eating so that diners could holistically tantalize their taste buds as opposed to ordering a single dish. Although a limited menu was offered, diners had the luxury to order whatever they willed outside of it. Every diner got a serving of fries, onion rings, three different types of wings being offered, as well as a taste of their sandwiches and burgers and finally dessert.
FatSal himself along with his wife kept circulating the venue in an attempt to gauge the diners’ feedback and remind them that they could order whatever they wanted, and to make sure their guests were well served; a gesture appreciated by the diners.
The food was what it was promised to be – wholesome, comfort food. While the “Lava Wings” were a tad bit too spicy for me, the “Asian Double Crunch Wings” and “Pik a Pok Wings” were equal parts delicious and messy. The wings were served with the sauce of your choice (Honey BBQ, Spicy Garlic, Garlic Buffalo or Classic Buffalo).
I also tried the BBQ Rib Burger which came with a serving of fries. The buns were fresh, the meat was tender and succulent and you could really taste the meat without its flavor being too overpowering. The prices are a little extravagant with the price of a burger ranging from Rs. 565 to Rs. 685 and about 12 pieces of wings (0.5 KG) priced at
Rs. 685. You can however, customize the serving of wings by increasing or decreasing the weight as you would like.
Image Source: FatSal’s Facebook Page
For a fast food joint, FatSal’s offers an array of different burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, salads, wings, and “shareables” like different types of fries and even a seafood dish called “Tangy and Zesty Prawns.”
Believe it or not, with whatever little room I had left in my tummy, I also tried Sal’s “Cookie Monster” dessert. Everyone on my table absolutely adored this dish and dug in so fast, we finished it in no time. Considering how much we liked it, we asked for seconds… and we got them! The quick and responsive service was definitely note-worthy. Apart from the “Cookie Monster,” Sal has also created the desserts “Creamy Banoffee Pie” and “Chocolate Obsession.”
FatSal’s taps into the premium fast food market whilst simultaneously restoring a belief in what fast food is all about – messy eating and food that really fills the stomach. It should, therefore, attract families and a younger crowd alike. What makes this eatery unique is the personal engagement between the creator, FatSal’s recipes and the diner. So, while the food may be largely similar to that of its’ rivals in terms of appearance, variety and the type of food, Sal’s innovative recipes and sauces make FatSal’s unique. The only question is – is this enough to make Fat Sal’s stand out against its competitors in the long run?
Disclosure: The Desi Appetite team was invited by the FatSals team to the lanch event. However, all comments regarding the food & ambiance are entirely our own.
FatSal’s is one of Karachi’s hip new eateries whose foundation lies in the city’s entrepreneurial innovation and enterprise. “Fat Sal” is in fact a Karachiite named Salman who is a lawyer by profession and a true foodie at heart. Together with his wife and culinary team, FatSal has experimented and come up with many of the items on the menu ensuring the authenticity of the food he offers.
The name of the joint is suggestive of rich, wholesome, feel-good food and FatSal’s aims to turn this titular implication into reality. The customer is meant to dig into the food, get messy with it, and leave with a full stomach and a happier heart. As their Facebook page makes abundantly clear and simple – “don’t think, just eat.” Currently the eatery is only operational form 7:30 P.M.-11:30 P.M. which may be a bummer for those who like their fast food for lunch.
The outlet’s prime specialty is its chicken wings which, given how difficult it is to eat chicken wings with a fork and knife really drives home the general theme of getting messy. The joint offers a tinge of quirky humor by adding that “unlike Redbull, we actually give you wings” on their menu.
The outlet’s launch started off around 7:30 P.M. with the invitees consisting of food bloggers, foodies, and friends and family, allowing everyone the opportunity to get together and enjoy FatSal’s comfort food.
As soon as you enter, your eyes will be drawn to the pictures on the wall to the right which helps to accentuate the homely and comfortable atmosphere that emanates from the food. The decor of the single-floor outlet is simple but tastefully cozy with space for around 30 people at a time.
As this was a launch event, the service level cannot directly be compared to a regular day; however, the rush of foodies, friends & family was effectively catered to. The launch event focused more on communal eating so that diners could holistically tantalize their taste buds as opposed to ordering a single dish. Although a limited menu was offered, diners had the luxury to order whatever they willed outside of it. Every diner got a serving of fries, onion rings, three different types of wings being offered, as well as a taste of their sandwiches and burgers and finally dessert.
FatSal himself along with his wife kept circulating the venue in an attempt to gauge the diners’ feedback and remind them that they could order whatever they wanted, and to make sure their guests were well served; a gesture appreciated by the diners.
The food was what it was promised to be – wholesome, comfort food. While the “Lava Wings” were a tad bit too spicy for me, the “Asian Double Crunch Wings” and “Pik a Pok Wings” were equal parts delicious and messy. The wings were served with the sauce of your choice (Honey BBQ, Spicy Garlic, Garlic Buffalo or Classic Buffalo).
I also tried the BBQ Rib Burger which came with a serving of fries. The buns were fresh, the meat was tender and succulent and you could really taste the meat without its flavor being too overpowering. The prices are a little extravagant with the price of a burger ranging from Rs. 565 to Rs. 685 and about 12 pieces of wings (0.5 KG) priced at
Rs. 685. You can however, customize the serving of wings by increasing or decreasing the weight as you would like.
Image Source: FatSal’s Facebook Page
For a fast food joint, FatSal’s offers an array of different burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, salads, wings, and “shareables” like different types of fries and even a seafood dish called “Tangy and Zesty Prawns.”
Believe it or not, with whatever little room I had left in my tummy, I also tried Sal’s “Cookie Monster” dessert. Everyone on my table absolutely adored this dish and dug in so fast, we finished it in no time. Considering how much we liked it, we asked for seconds… and we got them! The quick and responsive service was definitely note-worthy. Apart from the “Cookie Monster,” Sal has also created the desserts “Creamy Banoffee Pie” and “Chocolate Obsession.”
FatSal’s taps into the premium fast food market whilst simultaneously restoring a belief in what fast food is all about – messy eating and food that really fills the stomach. It should, therefore, attract families and a younger crowd alike. What makes this eatery unique is the personal engagement between the creator, FatSal’s recipes and the diner. So, while the food may be largely similar to that of its’ rivals in terms of appearance, variety and the type of food, Sal’s innovative recipes and sauces make FatSal’s unique. The only question is – is this enough to make Fat Sal’s stand out against its competitors in the long run?
Disclosure: The Desi Appetite team was invited by the FatSals team to the lanch event. However, all comments regarding the food & ambiance are entirely our own.
Inline popup