A game long played in China, Fan-Tan is played on a quadrant with beans or pebbles. From the mid 1860’s Chinese miners brought their own gambling games to the goldfields of Central Otago. They also brought with them the flavours of home, growing market gardens and selling their fresh, seasonal produce.

This rich, unique local history provided the inspiration for CRAFT to devise a name and brand strategy for the newest member of the Arrowtown group of restaurants and bars that include the renowned Saffron and Blue Door. The over-arching 'East meets West' fusion concept informed everything from brand identity, menu's, signage, uniforms and serviceware to the interior fit-out via colour palettes, materials which include timbers, schist and aged corten steel, feature lighting and Asian-European antique art and objects.

Photography: Julian Apse

Graypants Scraplights, made entirely of repurposed corrugated cardboard, add a warm glow to the interior and a contemporary nod to Chinese lanterns.

Signage fabricated in Corten steel which will age naturally to a rusty-orange patina, evokes an old gold pan or firey wok.

An antique accordion, abacus and opium box are some of the original objects that evoke the history of Arrowtown and the historic buildings of the laneway where Fan-Tan is located.