Words: Neil Bowen

STYLE & AMBIENCE

The newest addition to the Lan Kwai Fong dining scene has a rustic style interior with a tin roof and wooden boards walls, specially recovered from dilapidated farmhouse barns in the United States and imported to give the venue a uniquely casual dining ambience. The vibe is completed with a vintage Donkey Kong arcade game (its free!) and jukebox with a great range of blues, rock and soul music that will appeal to a younger crowd.

A range of seating options are available, from a bar at one end of the venue to large bench style tables that can accommodate groups, making it an ideal venue for a gathering of friends. Huge open windows offer an open vista of Lan Kwai Fong, meaning that you can check out the action on the street.

CUISINE

A custom built “smoker” is the central feature in the kitchen and is used to create many of the dishes on the menu. Hickory wood gives the authentic “deep south” taste. To start, we had ‘oysters bar-b-qued in the shell’ which was an fantastic mix of creole spinach, bacon and hollandaise sauce and oyster. The taste was a mouthwatering combination of flavour, juicy, creamy, salty and smoky.

Accompanying the oysters we had the Hot Wings, marinated chicken wings served with a celery and blue cheese dip. Being a fan, I have sampled many versions of this dish across the world and was quite eager to see how these measured up. These were great, the crispy skin and juicy wings were complemented perfectly by a spicy yet not overbearing sauce.

For “soup” we sampled the Texas Red Beef Chili, which although it is classed as a soup on the menu, is actually very filling. Alongside this treat, we ordered a half slab of the signature baby back ribs. The meat was tender and literally fell off the bone having been smoked for 6-8 hours. A home made bar-b-que sauce (served in a Sol beer bootle) accompanied the dish and complemented the wonderful flavour of the ribs.

Despite being rather full, we couldn’t help but order dessert. Five choices of American Pie and a selection of homemade ice cream complete the menu. We opted for Key Lime Pie. A lovely crumbly biscuit pastry pie base, with a tangy sweet lime filling and topped with whipped cream. We’ll definitely be coming back for more of this dessert!

BOOZE

One of the highlights of the venue is the well stocked bar including a range of American and international beers and American influenced cocktails, expertly selected to lure the more refined Lan Kwai Fong patron from the crowded streets for post work drinks and snacks.

PRICE

The buffet lunch at a Central standard $98 per person offers excellent value based on the quality of the food. A-la-carte dining is also reasonably priced with decent portion sizes. A two course meal for 2 without drinks will set you back in the region of $500-$800.

BEST DISH

This is a hard one to decide. The hot wings and baby back ribs comes close, but the Key Lime Pie for desert really stole the night.

BEST TIPPLE

The Samuel Adams beer (a bottled lager from Boston) is an excellent accompaniment to the traditional US fare.

CONCLUSION

We loved the food so much that we went back for a second helping a few days later and are certain to make a reappearance there again soon! I also discovered that they will soon deliver food through Waiters-on-Wheels which is fantastic news for those who like to feast in the comfort of their own homes.

Address: 3/F, Grand Progress Building, 15 -16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central
Tel: 2816 9018