The concept behind the Fat Badger could very easily grind some gears. It’s allegedly a pub, but one that goes against the very concept of the pub by hiding behind a velvet rope. Enter next to a small sign painted with a badger (which, frankly, isn’t even that fat - let’s hope it doesn’t develop a complex). A woman with a guestlist will channel the spirit of Studio 54 by way of Wetherspoons, then send you through the backdoor and up some rickety stairs that are as rammed as any halls of residence house party. As you ascend the building, the vibe shifts constantly. The ground floor is home to Notting Hill fashionista-bistro Canteen, and the first is the location of potentially the most West London bar ever. We pop in for a martini, and a three-piece band in performative headwear do a Westbourne Park Allman Brothers thing to a wealthy-looking gaggle of blondes in fur coats and chiseled men in blazers.
A heroic mound of Hasselback potatoes gleam like a Renaissance masterpiece
Persevere. At the very top is the relative calm of the restaurant. It’s more reminiscent of a Scandinavian sauna than a Sam Smith’s, but suddenly, everything makes sense. Lights are set to an ultra-romantic low, there are comfy nooks, cosy crannies, and an open kitchen where the uber talented George Williams is whipping up a no-choice five-ish course meal. This is the Fat Badger way. Freed from the tyranny of the menu, you pay £105 for whatever George and the team decide they want to serve that week. Thankfully, George – who honed his craft at The River Cafe and The Bull at Charlbury – is a chef you can trust. Except, it turns out that you do get to do a little bit of choosing. You’ll get what you’re given when it comes to snacks, starters and pudding, but for mains – all served sharing plate-style – there’s a choice tonight between beef fillet, guinea fowl, and pork chop.
The first dish is an egg cup-sized seafood soup, that’s actually more of a mousse, cut through impeccably by the warm twang of blood orange. Next, is a fresh and clean artichoke and fennel salad with a healthy smear of goat's curd. In textbook River Cafe fashion, there’s no fucking about - excellent ingredients aren’t messed with, but simply shown off to their fullest.
The serious cookery begins with a tiny trio of unashamedly un-Mexican tacos. The best is filled with crispy, deep fried sweetbreads shimmering with orange buffalo sauce, as if it were a sports bar chicken wing served c.1560. There’s a great, tangy pork and lime version too, and a crab tostada so light it practically floats away.
Next is the dish that’s stealthily come to define this winter; pasta in broth. From Martino’s to Tiella, everyone seems to be offering up a well-tended brodo, and the Fat Badger’s takes a dim-sum twist, with plump and bouncy pork and prawn pasta dumplings bobbing in a savoury and spot-on seasoned liquid. Umami? More than you could ever know.
We decided on guinea fowl thanks to a recommendation from our deeply charming waiter, and it’s a triumph; hunks of soft, juicy meat on a fragrant, almost medieval tumble of foie gras, pear and sprouts. If I had any complaint at all, it would be for the lights to be turned up a touch, all the better to see this evidently stunning dish. As it stands, it’s like someone showing you the Mona Lisa without whacking up the dimmer switch in the Louvre. What is visible however, is a heroic mound of Hasselback potatoes, that gleam like a Renaissance masterpiece. It is the most flawless example of the Swedish-style spud we’ve ever come across, each sliver perfectly crisp and salty, stacked like the inside of a filing cabinet if it were made of carbs.
There are two desserts, a potent chocolate mousse and a marmalade pudding that is perhaps a little dry, but given the welly it needs from a savoury dollop of ice cream made with leftover soda bread.
Despite their insistence, the Fat Badger is not a pub. It’s not even a gastropub. It is simply a very good restaurant, and there’s no shame in that.
The vibe A crowded Notting Hill ‘speakeasy pub’ with a busy bar, live music every night, and seriously great food.
The food A seasonal set menu, with a focus on old school British standards.
The drink Hearty house cocktails and a great wine list.
Time Out tip The shorter set lunch menu is cheaper, at £69 and includes a starter, main, and dessert.