While Lan Kwai Fong was once solely renowned for its countless drinking establishments and late-night entertainment haunts, spots where Hongkongers hit the hard stuff until well into the early hours of the morning, a change has surely come. Today – though it seems heresy to say – good grub is as much on the agenda of the LKF-bound as devil-may-care drink downing.
Among the new generation of upmarket eateries to be found within LKF is Fang Fang, a permanently packed pan-Asian restaurant that certainly pushes the boundaries of contemporary cuisine. Opened just over a year ago, this thoroughly modern meal machine is headed by Executive Chef Wong Tai Po, a 14-year veteran of a number of London’s leading Asian fine dining establishments, as well as several of the best restaurants that Monaco, Switzerland and France have to offer.
As if emphasising that he is bringing all his considerable experience to bear at Fang Fang, Wong’s menu reads like a mad dash across North Asia, taking in Hong Kong, China and a fair proportion of Japan. Outlining his strategy, he says: “You’ll find everything here – from dim sum and sushi to wok-fried dishes. In addition to using only the freshest ingredients, we also place a heavy premium on delivering a colourful, energetic presentation that allows each dish to tell its own story.”
Keen to experience Wong’s culinary storytelling first hand, we tucked into our first appetiser – a colourful Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche served with watermelon pickle, watermelon foam, sliced red onions and cherry tomatoes. And, fair play to him, this initial serving alone was an apt testament to his ability to deconstruct expectations and traditional dishes alike, with this particular plate proving an amazing amalgam of soup and salad. The refreshing tartness of the watermelon and lime juice, cut by the sweet watermelon, was just the perfect foil for the deliciously smooth morsels of scallop sashimi.
Next to test our taste buds was the second appetiser – Chilean Sea Bass Kataifi. The presentation of the dish is an unashamed show-stopper, largely on account of the semi-fluorescent pink hues of the beetroot yoghurt sauce and the bright orange spicy mayonnaise that rest at the bottom of the plate.
Proving that you should never judge a cook book by its cover, the very first bite uncovered a surprisingly subtle flavour profile. While the sea bass was cooked to perfection, it was the kataifi – a shredded pastry of Greco-Lebanese origin – that delivered the most memorable mouthfuls.
Wong then opted to highlight his prowess in delivering more traditional fare with his Kuromitsu Buta Kakuni – braised pork belly encased enticingly in a flavour-packed sauce blended from Japanese black honey and Japanese vinegar. Each cubed meaty morsel sat atop a lettuce leaf, lightening the pork’s richness while also allowing us to unashamedly dig in, fingers first.
Plate well and truly cleared, it was back to Fang Fang’s signature modern fusion flair with Spicy Popcorn Chicken. Its name proved doubly apt – not only are the tender pieces of chicken thigh proportionately bite-sized, but the chef has also added homemade caramel popcorns to this Sichuanese-derived dish. It proved an inspired move, with the sugary kernels serving to keep the dish’s high spice levels at bay, while also restricting the taste bud-numbing effects of the ma la spice to an acceptable minimum. That said, if you’re not a fan of spicy food, perhaps best give this one a miss.
After plating colourful sauces and deconstructed dishes, Wong chose a surprisingly unadorned item for his grand finale. The focus of the simply-monikered Beef Short Ribs rests squarely on the perfectly cooked slow-cooked beef – a task that apparently requires more than twelve hours of precision preparation in a sous vide system – with the accompanying slivers of deep-fried lemongrass and lemongrass gravy serving only to heighten its melt-in-your-mouth memorableness.
From neon-hued sauces to hybrid soup-salads, Fang Fang disrupts the traditionally accepted notions of exactly what Asian food should look and taste like, while still offering the very best flavours for which its chosen regional cuisines are rightly famed for. It’s a challenging balancing act, but one that Wong pulls off superbly and seemingly with little sweat.
Fang Fang. 8th Floor, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central. (852) 2983 9083. http://www.fangfang.com.hk
Text: Tenzing Thondup