FOLLOW the crowd and you will find Oscar's. Since it first opened eight months ago the bright young lookers of Lan Kwai Fong are flocking to this Mediterranean-style rendezvous.
In the evening Oscar's revellers overflow from the long, high-ceilinged bar into the pedestrian area of Lan Kwai Fong. Brodies previously occupied this prime spot but Oscar's has had a complete revamp; its open front and clean and simple lines and Mediterranean-style food is packing them in to standing room only.
On a recent Friday evening, the downstairs restaurant was empty until 9pm and scorn was being heaped on my companions for being so over prudent to book, when suddenly all the diners upstairs emptied their glasses and descended to the cool and relaxing confines below. The green wicker chairs and white walls are an escape from the teeming humanity upstairs.
When the restaurant goes from zero customers to 50 in seconds, the friendly staff in red T-shirts and aprons go from slightly less laid back to all-business.
Making decisions from the straightforward, single page menu of soups, starters, mains and desserts was a relief. It features the familiar balsamic vinegar, pesto, pasta, filo pastry school of Mediterranean ingredients.
The baked camembert in filo ($60) competed in the melt-in-the-mouth stakes. The red currant sauce was an excellent companion. The portion of smoked duck breast on balsamic-laced lettuce with pistachios was more than generous ($55).