Restaurants

New restobar opens in Rotterdam: The Fat Fox

With the opening of restobar The Fat Fox in the Witte de Withkwartier, Rotterdam has gained another great spot. The younger sibling of restaurant The Iron Lady on Pannekoekstraat serves a combination of English pub food and Asian snacks to share.

Foto van culinair journalist Sharon van Lokhorst

The Fat Fox is the second establishment owned by Faruk Dervis and Darryl Peijnenborgh. Fate brought the two entrepreneurs together. Faruk (46) started restaurant The Iron Lady in February 2020, and had to close the place again after four weeks. Two years later, he also lost his business partner because of the coronavirus pandemic; his partner no longer saw a future in it.

South African Darryl (25) has worked in the hospitality industry since he was 15. He cooked at Michelin-starred restaurants but above all dreamed of having his own place. This dream suddenly came within reach at The Iron Lady. Darryl and Faruk clicked immediately, even though they did not know each other at all. It turned out that they both loved English pub culture: cheerful and welcoming places where you can often eat very well. The Fat Fox is a nod to these places.

Restobar

Outside, there is a large terrace, while inside, the first thing that catches your eye is the many-metre-high bar. There is also an upper floor. They call themselves a restobar, or gastropub. It refers to a hospitality venue with a real bar vibe, but where you will not find bitterballen, vlammetjes and cheese sticks on the menu, but more serious dishes. These are served in a wonderfully informal atmosphere. And that combination of good food and a great bar vibe is proving popular. The Netherlands now has a number of excellent restobars.

On the menu

The menu is concise but offers plenty of choice. There are sixteen small dishes on the menu, ranging from delicious Jamón Ibérico de Bellota and carpaccio to fishcakes with chilli aioli and lobster croquettes. The English classics are also represented. Such as beef stew pie with Guinness and, of course: Fish & Chips.

There are also a few dishes from the charcoal grill. For example, a Flat Iron Steak, rib-eye, duck breast or cauliflower steak.

Cocktails 9.50 euros

Because an English pub without drinks is about as useful as a swimming pool without water, The Fat Fox has plenty to drink. There is an extensive cocktail (‘Foxtail’) menu—and all cocktails cost 9.50 euros every day—as well as beers from Stella Artois and Goose Island, among others. More than a hundred whiskies line the bar. With The Fat Fox, Roffa has gained a wonderful fox’s den.

You can find The Fat Fox at Schiedamse Vest 30 in Rotterdam.