Lee Ho Fook

Elevated Chinese cuisine which fuses the traditional and modern is the key to Victor Liong’s Lee Ho Fook. Here, products star, skills shine and the calm, airy, loft space all adds to a very contemporary dining experience.

Lee Ho Fook

Location: 11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Ph: (03) 9654 8239

It seems impossible that Lee Ho Fook is already more than a dozen years old, but Victor Liong’s flagship Melbourne venture first opened the door to it’s stairway back in 2013.

Since then, the menu has roamed across the many diverse region of China, plucking dishes and giving them a unique spin whilst incorporating the finest of Australian ingredients. Along the way, a Lee Ho Fook Sydney has also been launched, and the accolades have continued to roll in.

So what makes this legendary Chinese restaurant so special? Well, let us take you through our dinner there.

The Space

Discreetly tucked down the laneway of Duckboard Place, the establishment occupies the upper floor of a warehouse-style building. Climb the stairs and you come out into a high-ceilinged dining room with exposed brick walls and crisp linen adorning dark wood furniture.

Seating is a mix of banquettes, small tables and a larger option with an amber lazy-Susan in the centre. Lighting is subtle and there are striking floral arrangements dotted around the space. On the night we visit, the conversation is hushed, with deep red carpets absorbing any harsh sounds. The resulting ambience is soothing and refined.

The Food

Whether you decide to go A La Carte or opt for the Tasting Menu, you’ll find the food an exciting mix of the familiar and the brave. On this occasion, we plump for navigating the dishes ourselves, without assistance from the kitchen.

Our opener is the fascinating-sounding Char Choux Bao, and the reality totally exceeds expectations. A perfect sphere of Choux Pastry, patterned with a mosaic of Craquelin. Once punctured, the ball reveals a dark, meaty filling of Grower Mushroom Char Siu. It is earthy and sweet and deeply umami, all at the same time. And it’s fabulous.

Hopes raised, we move on to the Crispy Eggplant with Spiced Red Vinegar. Arguably Lee Ho Fook’s signature dish, it’s a deceptively simple plate of Battered Eggplant, fried to a golden crunch and tossed in a fragrant Vinegar dressing.

Well, first impressions can be deceiving. Why this course has remained on the menu for so long becomes utterly apparent as soon as we try it.

The Batter on the thin Eggplant fingers is so light that, when coated with the Sichuan Pepper spiked glaze, it almost shatters in the mouth. Taste-wise, it’s sweet, sour and complex, with the soft Eggplant within it’s crunchy shell, the ideal vehicle for both the texture and flavour contrasts.

Although we give serious consideration to the Pickled Spring Bay Mussels with Chilli, Fennel & Nasturtium Vinegar, the consensus is that when in a Chinese restaurant, at least one portion of Dumplings is a must. Happily, the ones that arrive at our table are particularly fine.

The Pan Fried Pork & Hispi Cabbage Dumplings with Black Vinegar & Housemade Chilli Oil are presented with a wonderful lacy crust that holds them all together. The stuffing is packed with flavour and – most importantly – moist. And as someone who will dip almost anything in Chinese Black Vinegar, I can confirm that the dipping sauce with the Vinegar, paired with that house Chilli, works beautifully with the natural fattiness of the Pork.

And so to the main event.

Undoubtedly vying for the title of Signature Dish is the Lee Ho Fook Peking Duck. And so it should. Cooked to order, the fowl is a 10-Day Dry Aged Macedon Duck, glossy with a lush Maltose Glaze. Served with some of the finest Pancakes ever popped in a Steamer, a citrusy Quince Hoisin Sauce and the usual batons of Spring Onion, it’s a classic for a reason.

For our other Main, we choose the Cantonese Style Steamed Glacier 51 Toothfish. Initially, we are wary of ordering this. Where – along our vast abundant coast – would fisherfolk find Toothfish? However, a wee dive into the Interweb assures us that Australia has sustainable Toothfish fisheries in a number of sub-Antarctic locations. So there you have it.

Either way, the cooking of this cold water creature at Lee Ho Fook is rather divine.

The softest, whitest flakes of delicate Fish flesh imaginable. Topped with equally pale and equally yielding Organic Tofu. All crowned with a feisty Ginger & Spring Onion Oil. Absolutely stunning.

Finally, to our Sides. Such is the magic of the kitchen brigade at Lee Ho Fook that even something as straightforward as Jade Vegetable Fried Rice has layers that we’d never seen before at any Asian restaurant. This dish of impeccable Rice appears, hiding under a vivid verdant layer of crispy green veg. It’s lovely to look and and tastes great.

Admittedly, we are full by this point, but manage to force down the incredible Brown Sugar Savarin between us. This dessert is a fusion masterclass, with the classic French Sponge soaked in a Warm Ginger Wine Syrup. Apricot and a Vanilla-flecked Cream enhance the dreamy flavours.

The Drinks

In keeping with the provenance of the food side of things, Lee Ho Fook maintains a carefully curated cellar of Australian and Chinese Wines.

My companions are very content with their 2024 Yeringberg Rose (Yarra Valley, VIC), whilst I sip an elegant Vesper Cocktail. I love that my tipple has a Chinese twist, thanks to an Osmanthus Vermouth.

Even better, the smart people drawing up the Drinks List offer not only a Wine Pairing with the Tasting Menu, but a Tea Pairing. And if you’re not a Tea expert, don’t worry. The menu includes detailed tasting notes on each selection.

Lastly, at present Lee Ho Fook offers Free BYO Wine on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday at the Melbourne premises. Meanwhile, the Sydney restaurant has Free BYO Wine on Mondays.

Overall

Dine at Lee Ho Fook and it immediately becomes clear why this sophicated, modern Chinese restaurant is so revered.

It takes a deft touch to take famous dishes such as Peking Duck and Bao Buns and give them a makeover that not only works, but makes them a memorable part of Melbourne’s thriving food scene.

Whether you’re looking for a classy spot for a date night, or an intimate space for a small group gathering, Lee Ho Fook is sure to impress.