Fan Tang had been recommended to me by two foodies who thought I would enjoy the restaurant's modern interpretation of classic Cantonese and Sichuan dishes. Accompanied by a friend, a food writer who is well versed in Chinese cuisines, we set off for the frenzy of Causeway Bay to investigate. Would this be a semi-hidden gem or would it be like so many other places in town?

It was certainly semi-hidden, it took us several phone calls to find the restaurant. You could also call it a gem, with its plush interiors, sparkling light fittings and gold framed paintings. When it came to the food however, we found that many of the dishes did not impress, and the modern interpretation mostly fell flat, except for one very surprising vegetable dish.

Two Cuisines

The menu is divided into Cantonese and Sichuan dishes, with the first two pages devoted to abalone, sea cucumber, shark's fin and fish maw dishes. According to my friend there are also plenty of home-style Cantonese dishes, such as steamed minced pork, and dishes that his Mum would order, although he thought that some of the prices were a little too rich for home-style dishes. Items such as frog's leg, fish head, pig's stomach and pig's knuckle are also represented.

None of the high-end dishes or more unusual items were in our budget or appealed and so it was with some concentrated effort that we ordered. For appetisers we selected Pan-fried Pork Ribs in Shunde Style, Shredded Chicken in Sichuan Spicy Sauce, and Sichuan-style Cucumber.

First to arrive was the cucumber dish, which looked appealing. Pieces of pickled cucumber, floating in soy and sesame seed oil, surrounded by masses of dried chillies, and a few pieces of 1,000 year egg to give it that "strange taste" that is associated with this dish. My companion thought the egg was of good quality, yet he thought there was not enough, not enough strangeness for this local lad. I found it to be spicy, salty, sweet, with a hint of off-ness, in a good way, that you get from preserved eggs. This dish was our second favourite of the night.

Next to arrive was the pork ribs dish, which we found ordinary and not too revealing about what Shunde-style means, although it could be said to be light and delicate - signatures of the cuisine. The meagre pieces of pork had a certain sweetness that reminded me of lemongrass, and had been cooked with garlic, spring onion and red pepper. It was reminiscent of Vietnamese food.

It was at this point, a good 30 minutes after we ordered, that we were told that the chicken appetiser was off the menu so did not order a replacement dish. 

Modern Touches

For mains we ordered the classic Pan-Fried Crabmeat with Egg White, plus Braised Pork Belly with Beancurd Sheets, and Kale in Claypot.

First to arrive was the kale. The sizzling claypot was served at the table after the waiter had lifted the lid and given it a good stir. My dining companion thought that this was a rather fancy way to serve vegetables, and we both agreed that it looked great. Tender pieces of kale, with colour from tiny red pepper squares, and textural contrast from shredded kale leaf that had been deep fried. This combination itself would have made for a tasty dish, but upon eating we discovered that XO sauce had been stirred through after cooking, which added spicy notes, and decadence from the discernible pieces of conpoy. Easily the best dish of the night; with its textural contrasts and depth of flavour it is a must try.

The crab and egg dish had been given a modern interpretation, one that didn't work in our minds. Instead of the gentle egg white contrasting and balancing the richness of the crab, the ingredients had all been mixed together, fried like an overdone omelette and presented like slices of pizza. All the flavours had merged to the point that it tasted of nothing more than fried egg. And, for a main course was a little on the small side.

From its unattractive presentation to its flavour the pork belly dish was in the words of my dining companion, pedestrian. 

There were only three choices for dessert that night so we shared a serving of Turtle Jelly. This was the first time I had eaten turtle jelly and I enjoyed the contrast of the herbal bitterness of the jelly with the sugar syrup it was served with; the herbal bitterness reminded me of Italian digestive drinks that are served after dinner.

Getting it Right

There were plenty of 'fat cat' types dining at Fan Tang the night we dined, and word has it that a celebrity or two has also been spotted. It makes me wonder if perhaps it is the high-end ingredient dishes that are the ones to order, such as the Australian baby abalone that was the off-menu special that night.

Our experience was not enjoyable enough for us to rush back, although the enjoyment of the kale dish was such that it might persuade me to give the restaurant a second try.

Ambience, Service, Price

You will either love or hate the decor. For me it seems to be trying to be a 'fancy' restaurant with its gold-framed European masters rip-offs, chandelier style light fixtures, and plush furnishings, but I found the overall effect to be bordering on 1980's tackiness.

From surly to friendly was our experience of the staff. The people who appeared to be in charge were almost dismissive of our presence, yet the general wait staff were friendly. 

Not including the premium items, appetisers ranged in price from $75-198, while mains were $128-600. It is worth asking the staff about specials, dishes that are not included in the menu or promoted, but are available if you ask. 

As mentioned it is not as straightforward to find as the address suggests. It is actually at the end of Sun Wui St off Leighton Road.