Fat Buddha, Walkergate Centre, Durham

Dec 18 2009 by Liz Lamb, The Journal

FOR months I have been trying to get a reservation at this restaurant on a Saturday evening but until recently my attempts failed.

It was either fully booked or only had tables available at an unsuitable hour due to the popular times being booked weeks in advance.

It’s hardly surprising as the Fat Buddha has become one of the most acclaimed eateries in Durham City centre – not only notching up an impressive word-of-mouth reputation but winning a clutch of awards including Restaurant of the Year twice in the Durham City Retail Awards.

Only a stone’s throw from the Gala Theatre, it’s a popular pre and after-show venue as well as a destination-to-be-seen-in for drinkers in the trendy downstairs bar.

I’d wanted a reservation in the restaurant for 8pm but had to settle for a 9.30pm slot.

I was meeting up with old friends for a girls’ night out so we weren’t too put off by the later time and instead decided to go out for a few pre-dinner drinks.

After a couple of liquid refreshments in pubs in the Walkergate complex, we headed to the venue at 9pm to test out the bar.

It was packed and there was a queue 10-deep so it took an age to get served.

This was very frustrating as a couple of the staff were intent on serving their friends and the young glitterati of Durham rather than drinkers who had been there the longest.

Eventually we were served and as the bar was so busy we decided to see if our table was ready so we could get a seat.

Luckily it was and we were shown upstairs straight away.

The restaurant was also busy but we were shown to a table on the periphery of the room which was quieter, though with the noise from the bar downstairs (the venue is open plan) and the music, we did struggle at times to hear each other.

A waitress was at our table promptly offering us menus and taking our drinks orders.

We opted for a bottle of sauvignon blanc for three of us and a diet Coke for a pregnant member of the group.

The menu itself was quite extensive featuring dishes from Hong Kong, Japan, China, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand.

The Fat Buddha prides itself on Asian cuisine with a difference. They use basic ingredients found in Asian cooking but then mix it up with their own style to give the dishes a modern twist. Starters included stir-fried soft shell crab with shave curry leaf, prawn and seaweed dumpling and Dragontail ribs with a honey and plum glaze.