Lan Kwai Food

"And into the street / Kicking and a’ gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer" -"A Boy Named Sue," Johnny Cash

Lan Kwai Fong has been getting a bad rap these days. When most people think of the LKF, they think of shouty drunks and heaving crowds of partygoers. But there is a not-so-quiet revolution going on in the kitchens, with chefs determined to reclaim the area as a foodie destination.

Australian chef Wade Watson of Lux is determined to change the perception that Lan Kwai Fong is just a drinking game. I first met him last year after he won a chili-making contest, beating out dozens of professional chefs from major hotels and culinary institutions. He has been cooking across the globe for the last 15 years, including a stint with famous temperamental celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, and even experimenting with deep-fried tarantula and scorpions in Cambodia.

"Many people are unaware there is quality international food in Lan Kwai Fong," he says. "About five years ago, Lux was opened as a restaurant that happened to have a bar. Now it’s a ratio of about 50-50 bar-restaurant, but I’m trying to take the cuisine to a new level.”

While the bar does one of the busiest happy hours in the city, Watson is keen to be known for his food. “The official name is Lux Restaurant & Bar. Notice order of those words," he says.

In fact, plans are underway to cut a huge hole in the wall to showcase an open kitchen at Lux. “People like to have both now, plus it keeps them longer, more of a one-stop shop.”