Fang Fang: Flavourful Pan-Asian Dishes with a Lounge Vibe

Trust us, you’re bound to be a fan(g) Fang

District: Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Contemporary Pan-Asian
How Much: Dishes range from $55 – $495
Best for: Dinner and drinks with friends
Must order: Jasmine Tea Smoked Ribs and the Soft-Shell Crab with Curry Leaf

In the fast-paced city of Hong Kong, it’s no shocker that restaurants come and go (snaps fingers) “like that!”. On the plus side, it’s never an issue when it comes to finding a new place to dine. One will effortlessly land into your lap (or tummy), and this time, we found one in the middle of LKF!  Located in Lan Kwai Fong Tower, Fang Fang, is a contemporary Pan-Asian restaurant with quality food, drinks, and atmosphere. Former Hakkasan Executive Chef, Kent Lee combines a variety of east Asian cuisines to take your palate on a flavorful journey.

Fang Fang’s ambience resembles that of a fancy club lounge, formed by a combination of house music and dim lighting. What better way to start a night out? The staff was friendly and helpful in more ways than one – let’s just say some of us aren’t good at keeping our chopsticks on the table and went through three sets throughout the course of the meal…

At first glance, the cocktail list was a bit intimidating. The menu consisted of exotic drinks containing ingredients ranging from kimchi vodka and chili tequila to squid ink and seaweed. Bar Manager and Mixologist, Gagan Gurung, patiently guided me through the menu making recommendations and explaining his thought process behind using the traditional Chinese five elements as inspiration for his creations.

Struggling to venture out, a drink that was relatively “tame” caught my attention. The “Nuer Fang” ($110) was a mix of goji berry bourbon, huanjiu, mango, lemongrass, lemon, and mescal. The presentation of the drink was enough to make me order another. On one side of the wooden cup there was an elegant bunch of fresh goji berries as décor, and within the drink a tasteful fresh lemongrass straw. The sweetness of the berries and the tanginess of the citrus were perfect together. This drink will definitely hit the spot if you have a bit of a sweet tooth (I know I do!). If you’re a bit more adventurous, the Omikuji Girl ($120) is the drink for you! Misleadingly served in a clay cup that resembles an innocent young girl, the drink is made of chili tequila, barley ochu, yuzu, cardamom, shiso, and five spice – definitely a walk on the wild side!

We began with an order of the Crispy Kale ($55), which was lightly drizzled with a sweet pork floss to complement the kale’s bitter crunch. The next two dishes were my personal favourite, the Soft-Shell Crab with Curry Leaf ($125), and Jasmine Tea Smoked Ribs ($125).  I’ve never personally been a pork fan, but trust me when I say this dish had me begging for more – the meat was so tender! The Soft-Shell Crab on the other hand was fried to perfection, accompanied by dried almonds, spices and chili for an extra crunch.

After internally scolding myself for overeating in the first course, I managed to find some space in my tummy for some Dragon Prawn and Cucumber roll ($125), and the Fang Fang Vegetarian Roll (so much for that summer bod). To my surprise I devoured the vegetarian roll, enjoying the combination of the tri-colored bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, and toasted sesame seeds. Only minutes after the sushi was demolished, the Fang Fang Style Paneer with Yellow Chives and Cashews ($125), the Forest Honey Grilled Chilean Seabass, with Asparagus and Enoki ($275) arrived, both of which didn’t survive long on the table before being fully consumed.

We then had the privilege of trying the Fang Fang Roasted Duck ($495), a 2.6 kg duck, marinated in five spices for a 48-hour time period. This dish is a must try for all you duck lovers, and came in quite a generous portion – we even had leftovers after six people eating!

For dessert, we enjoyed the Mango and Passionfruit sorbet ($75 for two scoops) – the perfect refreshing end to any meal – especially one in Hong Kong summer!

With the amazing flavors and vibe, one night at Fang Fang was not enough!  I will definitely be the first to book when it has its grand opening in September!

Fang Fang, 8/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong, www.facebook.com/FangFangAsian