The Big Fat Lulu's Italian restaurants in Gurgaon get an American touch

Not wanting to enter another place with lower-than-normal lighting and the usual dhup-dhup-dhup of the music beats, we headed to The Big Fat Lulu&rsquos. We entered a brightly-lit room, its walls covered with bigger-than-life-sized sketches, and retro music in the background. It instantly took me to &lsquoold&rsquo New York, and I felt assured of a pleasant evening. We began with ordering The Big Fat Lulu&rsquos virgin mojito and watermelon-blueberry drink. The detox salad, and the virgin bloody Mary with extra tabasco sauce, was very refreshing and I was told that they can cure the worst of hangovers&hellip there was no way I could test the claim at that moment because I was sober and so were the other guests. Probably, I would have to come back another day for the experiment. We moved on to the appetisers. A platter of bruschetta containing cherry tomato and cheese grilled zucchini, artichoke and olive tapenade and beetroot jam, goat cheese and orange did not seem very exciting to a meat-lover like me. But I was pleasantly surprised it was a nice combination. The non-veg platter was equally good &ndash grilled shrimp and calamari with diced bell pepper and onion, sliced garlic, lime, ginger and chilli sauce and Cajun-spiced chicken skewers &ndash with homemade chipotle dip and leafy pineapple relish. The appetisers made me eagerly wait to see (read taste) how the rest of the evening would unfold.

As I looked around, I found The Big Fat Lulu&rsquos d&eacutecor was sparing in many ways. The ceiling bore a roughly finished look and somehow made the place seem open and airy&hellip or was it the virgin bloody Mary talking

Slightly different from a staple pizza place, this new outlet of The Big Fat Lulu&rsquos appears to be an interesting mix of American feel and Italian dining. It&rsquos time for the main course, and I am all ready for the house special pasta and risotto. The pumpkin, corn and cream cheese ravioli with sage and butter sauce and asparagus risotto &ndash pureed asparagus, grilled artichoke, walnut and goat cheese totally complemented each other. My hankering for protein was answered by the Cajun-spiced sea bass served with smashed potatoes and cucumber burre blanc blackened chicken and tenderloin steak served with roast potatoes and green pepper sauce. At the expense of sounding like I had cleaned half of the Earth&rsquos food supply, let me also add that by the end of the evening yours truly was wallowing in a battle zone of flavours and a happy belly to vouch for it. The minimal d&eacutecor, the music from the past, and the food &ndash all make The Big Fat Lulu&rsquos a must-go.

The information
Where The Big Fat Lulu&rsquos, 1^st floor, Cross Point Mall, Gurgaon
Timing 1130am - midnight
Price For two - Rs 1500 approx plus taxes (excluding drinks)
For table reservations 91-8800165566