Review Lee Ho Fook - Melbourne

I dined at Lee Ho Fook for lunch where they serve their 4 course set menu, with a couple of optional dishes extra. Lee Ho Fook is an exciting dining experience. Being able to transform the flavours of traditional Chinese dishes into something completely modern and fine dining. Executed really well, flavours extremely well balanced. The venue is warm, relaxed and filled with natural light. Service was for the most part good. Not as attentive as I would have liked but friendly. The only negative was the slow pace of service. It took about 3.5 hours to serve up the courses which is pretty considerable given there are only 4 courses (we did opt for one additional course making it 5). Only one thing to fault about the food. The batter on the Peking beef (pictured) seemed unnecessary and did not add much to the overall dish. Other than that - the food was incredible all round. I will definitely be back to try their dinner set menu!

Had my birthday dinner there. Staffs are very lovely and attentive. The food is amazing, a great balance of Cantonese food with western twist. We were very full by the end of the dinner. Highly recommend.

Had a nice date night at Lee Ho Fook and some very nice food. Some of the flavours were very classic Cantonese, but there we also some surprises. We went for the Eight Courses and felt very comfortable in the dining room, the music is definitely nice in that it outs you at ease and removes any awkwardness. How can you feel uncomfortable with Queen playing in the background? Staff were very nice too! Faux shark fin soup was very nice and the portion leaves you wanting more. The spring roll was interesting as the Nori wrapped fish adds an additional element which I hadn't experienced before. I felt the dumpling course could have been more special as the filling was something that tastes very homemade. The steamed Murray cod was one of the heroes of the menu as the fish was perfectly cooked along with a beautiful accompaniment of silken tofu, fermented chilli and black bean. This was absolutely delicious! The odd dish was the roast duck with abalone. Although each element on the plate tasted nice in isolation, it was hard to understand how all of it related as it was brought together by beef tendon. It was at this point that I realised that we didn't have cutlery besides chopsticks and a spoon. This made it very hard to have little bites as chopsticks tend to be made for mouthfuls. The claypot with grilled Blackmores Wagyu was very good and the sauce with the beef was reminiscent of a black pepper sauce from a Cantonese restaurant. The claypot rice had the desired crispy bits from the bottom of the claypot and the mushroom sauce made it very moreish. The granita with coconut sorbet was refreshing and the sweets at the end rounded off a really pleasant evening.

Lee Ho Fook served Chinese cuisine with a modern twist housed in a small yet cozy venue. For lunch we ordered the yum cha brunch which was a set menu consisted of dim sum, noodles, a rice dish and a dessert. We also ordered their famous crispy eggplant dish and white chocolate tarts in addition. For the dim sum, there were some spring rolls, pork/scallop siu mai, prawn/chive dumplings, and prawn crystal skin dumplings. The noodles were rice noodles mixed with enoki mushroom, and the rice was served with slow roasted duck leg. Dessert was almond jelly with pine nuts and oolong syrup sitting on top of the jelly. My favourite dish was the super crispy eggplant sticks which were very flavourful with a slight tangy flavour, and perhaps also the duck dish, with its tender duck leg and fragrant sauce. The almond jelly dessert was rather unique; the jelly had a slight pannacotta texture, and the pine nuts gave it a nice crunch. The other addition to the set menu, the white chocolate tart with its cheesecake filling was devoid of any white chocolate flavour — and it was also the size of my thumb. Overall the food here was average; small-portioned, but more importantly not innovative and lacked flavour complexities. Service-wise, it was pretty quick and efficient, and the staff members were friendly and polite.

🥢 weekend yumcha brunch 💛 pork & scallop siumai 🥩 wagyu char kuay tiew 🐽 bbq pork puff 🍞 prawn toast 🐷 fujian style braised meat 🍤 prawn har gao 🧋 hk milk tea ice cream 🏠: @leehofook 📍: 11-15 Duckboard Place 📝: Lee Ho Fook means ‘good fortune for your mouth’. The food served here is based on Chinese cuisine, but elevated to a whole new level. They currently have Yumcha Brunch on weekend lunch and Early Autumn Course Dinners available. ❤️: The Yumcha Brunch we had was delicious and filling. We started off with a selection of signature dimsum, including 💛🖤 Steamed pork and scallop siu mai with smoked roe, 🍤 Classic steamed prawn har gao, 🐽 BBQ char siu wagyu beef puff, and 🍞 Prawn toast, sweet and sour sauce—all of which were delicious. The dishes that followed included the 🥩🍜 Wok fried rice noodles, wagyu beef, enoki mushrooms and garlic chives (10/10 for this), 🦆🐷 Fujian style master stock braised meat plate with rice, and a sweet delight inspired by Hong Kong and the regions surround and of the season—🧋🇭🇰🍦 HK style milk tea ice cream with coffee jelly, crumble, and condensed milk cream.

Overall an enjoyable night - high quality ingredients and an inventive menu with different flavours. Flavours on the heavier and saltier side than my preference. My favourite dishes were the starters (pictured) - the four bites of seafood were fresh and had interesting and distinct flavours, the fried bread with curds dipping sauce was a standout, and the crab tofu pudding had complex flavours.

Semi fine dining experience in the melbroune CBD with seasonal menu. We came for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the food and service. It's a set menu with no a la carte option but they cater for vegetarian too. Food is on the smaller portion as you would expect in this kind of restaurant but flavour wise they pack a punch. Food - 9 Service - 9 Vibe - 8 Price - $$$$

Delicious food. But not cheap. Great experience and top services.

Probably one of the best meals I've had in Melbourne in 3 years & that is saying something as I've worked my way around some of the absolute best. Every dish was a "wow" on the enjoyment scale & the lunchtime staff where absolutely divine to a group of 7 walkins! #HappyDiner!

Amazing!! Beautiful and fresh flavours - the spicy lamb ribs melt in your mouth, the San Choy Bau has a yummy smokey flavour and the pumpkin ice cream - wow. Thanks to Chad for the recommendations and great service.

To sum up: Appalling service , Staff were rude, underwhelming experience. I would not recommend anyone going to Melbourne to dine at this restaurant and certainly not celebrate a bday here. Maybe you earned a single star for the food.

Wow - a fabulous restaurant and highly recommend. Thanks to Malcolm and all the staff who were so attentive and lots of fun. The food was amazing - cannot wait to go back and enjoy the experience again.

Great food and service and worth the expense. The noise level was comfortable and space between tables was good.

Food was quite good but certainly not at the prices they were asking, also very poor service, not attentive, one menu for a group of five, over charged and didn't disclose 15% surcharge for a Sunday as additional to the bill, allegedly on menu - check the fine print. Not receptive to feedback or at all interested. Very disappointed, won't return.

The eggplant is to die for followed by the scallops and crispy chicken - very enjoyable !

The waitress Annabel was exceptional and the food was beautiful, would highly recommend

I'm usually not into fusion Chinese food, but it's done so well at Lee Ho Fook. Despite being totally packed and busy we had great service from all the staff who where up beat and cheeful. Coupled with great friends and food it makes for a perfect night out. 👍🏻🍾

Amazing meals the Noodles alone are worth going back for. The beef was great and the vegetables were a fantastic taste

We weren't so hungry so we picked this place because they have small plates choices. We had the crispy chicken skin for a starter, it was extremely salty, but I could see the potential. With less salt that would be a very nice entree. We also had CNY ocean trout yee-sang, it was divine. The flavour was very authentic and very generous with ocean trout though I would like a bit more salad to balance out with the amount of fish. Lastly, we had crab and scallop fu-jian fried rice. The flavour was just right, a bit pricey but quite generous in size. Overall, it was a good experience. Not sure if I'll be back so soon....there are many restaurants to try here in Melbourne

Dining on Monday night, 7 out of 9 dishes we ordered were tasty, just the Raw Cobia that was very bland. The service is great. Timing is not bad. One thing that let's us down is the portion and the price. $7 for one small piece of spring roll, $42 for a medium bowl of crab fried rice, $29 for 7 pieces of fried chicken drumlets, etc. Paid $422 for 5 people but still left with hungry stomach.

We had a fab meal here on Saturday night. We weren't overly hungry and the selection of small to large share plates were perfect. The eggplant crips were a standout as well as the lamb ribs. Will definitely be back.

Very nice gourmet food. Portions on the very small size for the price but very unique in taste. We had the $88 banquet with 8 dishes, and I left hungry. Drinks 25 % higher then average. Service was good.

We new the moment we walked in from the incredible delicious aroma coming from the kitchen .. the food wouldn't disappoint.. nor the fab service and vibe .. can't wait to go back!

Walking into the restaurant the aroma of sweet and spice tantalised. The amazing and surprising flavour and texture combinations were a pleasure to try. This restaurant has a casual and welcoming atmosphere. I'll definitely be back!

Good food but appalling service. We turned up on the first weekend of Chinese New Year expecting Yee Sang and the staff had no idea what we were talking about - despite their website saying it was available. I was with a party of Chinese friends and the staff were patronsing, dismissive and unprofessional. Alas, the last time I'll visit.

Another one of Melbourne's hidden gems! Great venue and great service!

A new style chinese cuisine, Lee Ho Fook. Heard so much about them but never dined there. So we took advantage of the Melbourne Stage 4 lockdown, to try their cook “at home” dish. Sussing out what they are all about! There were so many variety of at home dishes to select from, but because I’m pregnant, I was very cautious of what to order. So it came to trying their Dan Dan Noodles for two, $30!

Restaurante com uma comida Cantonese moderna. Muito inspiradora e um must visit sem dúvida. Voltaria

Not impressed...

Lee ho fook was one of my favourite restaurant at all times. Brought my friends there again this week, everything was just so poor. From the presentation, food quality (especially the desserts) to service. Will not consider to go back in the near future.

Came here for a birthday dinner. I’m not that much into fusion food as I think it’s really someone mixing and mashing things together. But I like it here. It fusioned it really well. Great tastes. <br/><br/>We ordered the crab special - advance ordering required. It felt fantastic to eat a Chinese crab without needing to get all messy with the fingers. <br/><br/>The manager was also really sweet. One of the guys wanted a mango pudding - which wasn’t even on the menu!! Obviously not available. The manager and he had fun bantering over this. Then, the manager surprised him with a mango with ice cream - mind you, mango of any sort wasn’t seen on the menu. Obviously made his day 😊. He wasn’t even the birthday boy. <br/><br/>Needless to say, our entire crew was very happy with the service. <br/><br/>We have been back a few more times since that birthday celebration. And it will always be on our mind for fusion chinese.

Such a disappointment experience in LeeHoFook. Firstly, my friend and I reached and after we get seated. One of the waiter just serve us water without any menus given. So, I’ve waited for around 5 mins and still nobody bother to serve us at all and they weren’t even busy at all. It annoys me because it’s known as a fine dining chinese cuisine, but I have to keep calling the waiter to serve us the menu. I wave at one of them and he said wait a min but ended up he did not even come to us. So, we decided to leave and seems like nobody even bother. I’ve never been to a fine dining restaurant before with this kind of service! Honestly, the ambience is not even good. With such a bad customer service, it ruins my mood to dine and I’ll swear I never go back again!

Best roast duck in Melbourne! Duck, Fujian crab fried rice and deep fried egg plants are definitely my 3 main things to order. They’ve got upstairs for the fine dining and downstairs next to the bar. I like the bar sections better:) make sure you have some room to eat the desserts. They are all so tasty!

Just one word to say about tonight Lee Ho Fook dinner experience wowwwwwwwww.<br/><br/>Really enjoyed all I am tried, pok Choi out of box. Hope they have a very good experienced chef in kitchen.<br/><br/>Well service,and not very busy restaurant compare to other locations. So you can get your table any time, but worth to try this food.<br/><br/>Specially good job kitchen staffs.....

I am a bit conflicted about Lee Ho Fook, as some of the dishes, like the crispy eggplant and kingfish, were absolutely out of this world, while the pork special we ordered was very underwhelming. In addition, the pork took an inordinately long time to come out, and when we asked to cancel it as a result, we were rudely told that we were unable to do so.

Last night was an absolute treasure at Lee Ho Fook! They’ve mastered the art of new style Chinese - refreshing, and no watered-down Chinese food here! The highlight was definitely the steak tartare with Sichuan flavours! Tiny cucumbers have it a burst of freshness! Truly a delightful dining experience!

Enjoyable dining minus the service. We had a reservation at 7.30 which we arrived promptly for. <br/><br/>We were greeted and seated immediately. Upon being seated were handed drink menus. It took over 20 minutes for our order to be received and another 20 minutes to receive and collect our dinner menus and order. <br/><br/>The resturant was neither full nor empty with only two people on that night. <br/><br/>Now to the food. The food was delicious in spite of a very small variety on the menu. People who are not a fan of chilli; beware! Most options contain chilli so choose wisely! <br/><br/>The lamb ribs, fried rice and chicken were cooked to perfection. The chicken was dressed in a soy sauce based dressing which meant it was terribly salty! <br/><br/>We did not consume anything on the desert menu as we were already full. Be wary the coffee also comes from a capsule machine!

One of the most enjoyable dining experiences i've had, and even better was the plethora of vegetarian and vegan options available to choose from! I haven't felt so overwhelmed with choice in a long time. <br/><br/>The ambience is beautiful - mood lighting set against an exposed brick wall and mirrors. The waiters were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, helping us pick our perfect selection. <br/><br/>I chose the fried eggplant (a must have and one of their signature dishes) along with the silken tofu main and vegan pumpkin ice-cream for dessert. Would definitely go back in a heartbeat!

Had the lamb ribs and crispy eggplant. They weren't edible. Me and my partner had a couple bites and decided to leave the place. Food took ages to be prepared. Not worth the money and time. Never coming back.

Great service, nice modern space. The lamb ribs are to die for but there’s a great selection for non meat eaters too. The first time we went with a voucher, but we’ve been back twice to spend our own money, so what does that tell you? 👍

Dining upstairs with basic exposed brick décor and bar downstairs.  The new sign above the door makes it easier to find, as the quirky neon sign was hard to read.  We had the $68 Summer Banquet Lunch Menu.  Food was well prepared, innovative, very delicious and well presented with subtle Asian flavours.  Waitering staff were very helpful and attentive, but there were only 4 tables occupied.  Highlights were the  Chicken Crackling, Wagyu Beef Tartare, Steamed Cone Bay Barramundi and the refreshing Salted Coconut and Lime Sorbet & Lychee Jelly.  Quite a memorable and satisfying experience

Money spent on something not as good as home cooking... <br/><br/>Service - had a booking but waited for 20 mins to get seated. Initially, I thought that we were waiting for a table. Then I realised the table was already available when we got there, we were just waiting for them to set it up. By ‘setting up’, I mean putting cutlery on the table.<br/>I suspect it’s something like: ‘we shall let you wait, so that you know how good we are’.<br/><br/>The food was disappointing.<br/>The fish is lack of flavour. It’s good idea to use loads of spring onions, but the flavour is just not in the fish.<br/>Lamb ribs are too dry. Well, it’s sort of ok cuz the idea came from roasted lamb, but the source pairing with the lamb made the whole dish too heavy to finish.<br/>Tofu two ways - man... I can make this taste/quality at home..<br/>Fried rice - biggest disappointment! It should have the aroma and taste of the lightly fried egg, but nothing was there! I make better fried rice.<br/><br/>Suitable for friends get together for some late night food.<br/>Definitely not suitable for dating cuz the tables are too close to each other!<br/>

Amazing modern Chinese cuisine. What can I say? Haven’t tasted modern Chinese food this good since having dinner at Billy Kwong in Sydney. You’ve got to order the signature deep fried Eggplant, spiced lamb racks, Shang Dong chicken, barramundi, Tofu!

Outstanding Chinese food done for a contemporary palette in mind. Despite the contemporary twist, the food delivered on authentic Chinese flavours. Every bite was bursting with intensity of flavour. What they accomplished was very special indeed.

3.5 star ⭐️ I went with a friend to Lee Ho Fook for lunch today, as I have never tried this place which is just around the corner from where I work.<br/><br/>My friend and I started off with the scallop and tofu entree. $9 for one scallop we expected it to be huge and amazing, and whilst it was good, it wasn’t $9 good.<br/><br/>Smashed cucumber and fungus was deliciously garlicky, but the stir fried shredded potato was a bit too salty in some parts. The other parts are perfect though with a slight kick to it.<br/><br/>We ordered a pan fried flounder and it was amazing. I really liked the deep fried pork fat (?) on top of it. The whole dish was so good with rice.<br/><br/><br/>All up the whole meal was about $70 per person, a bit expensive to be honest, but nonetheless quite enjoyable.<br/><br/>

Restaurant location is very hidden, not easy to find. On the left side of the door is the bar, meals upstairs. The decoration is simple, but very stylish. The counter is connected with the wine cabinet decoration and looks very comfortable. Service is not good, perhaps the staff is not enough, the food is very general, taste is not very good

Really enjoyed a business lunch here today. Service and food was fantastic. Standouts for me were the eggplant chips (twice cooked) and the wagyu tartare and of course the desserts. Will be back.

So glad we got 2 servings of the fried, crispy eggplant! They were delicious. The fujian crab and scallop rice was a hybrid of rice and congee - it was fantastic especially on a cold day. We also had the char siu pork jowl and lamb ribs - both dishes were very salty.

We came without a reservation on a Saturday night, upstairs was full be we got a little table downstairs. It was fine except for the terrible cold blast of wind coming in every time the door opened en closed, and that was A LOT of times. Also, quite often people wouldn't shut the door behind them and we had to get up and shut it. Wish they'd put something on the door to shut it automatically. The food was lovely. We had the scallop with tofu, which they said was for one, but it was cut up so perfectly fine to share. Then we had the crispy eggplant and the crispy chicken (free range). Everything was lovely. We took the dessert degustation with wine pairing and wanted to share that. They brought us two to make up for the door! That was lovely of them. Then they brought one glass of wine and although we expected three because there were three desserts we thought we must be wrong. Then later another two glasses arrived, but we had already eaten one of the matching dessert which was a small chocolate cherry praline thing, and they brought us another one for with the wine. Awesome! Would probably be wise of them to bring the wines out before the dessert and all three together and also maybe communicate about it better. For us they did great making it up though! Would definitely go again, but wouldn't want to sit right next to the door again.

The food is amazing. Love all the dishes. My favorite is the lamb ribs. JUICY and SOFT. The deep fried eggplant is sooo good. The organic tofu is simple yet mind blown with the vegen xo sauce.

Loved everything about this place. Gorgeous venue, outstanding service, delicious food (we did the banquet with matching wines). Standout dish was the eggplant but seriously, it was all great. I love when places go the extra mile and this place had that down pat. For example, we asked for some fresh chilli and out came a chilli tasting board with chilli oil and a chilli sauce in addition to the fresh chilli. Lots of good clean Asian flavours here. We’ll definitely be back. It’s every bit as good as Lucy Lui, Coda, Gingerboy and all the other hard to get into Asian-fusion places in Melbourne.

We came for a friend’s birthday celebration. We had the table for 2 hrs and were reminded constantly that they needed the table back at a certain time. We had the banquet. The food was delicious and creative and we were pleased that the restaurant was able to cater to all of our dietary requirements. The service was efficient. Halfway through the meal we had a small request to put a candle on my friend’s dessert for his birthday. The waiter forgot and we didn’t get it. Dessert was a hit and miss - the guava sorbet was delicious but the miso chocolate was too salty and the osmanthus creme caramel was too bitter. All in all a pretty good night.

Modern Chinese place. My kind of favorite meal. The best was definitely the char siu pork jowl. Really nice cut of pork. Tender but still has a bite on it. Sweet and sticky while felt smoky at the same time. When eaten with spring onion pancake and soy veggies, the flavor bomb sprang forth!<br/><br/>Next best item was the crab fried rice. It was a unique presentation of the rice. Almost like Hong Kong style fried rice. Fluffy rice at the bottom of the bowl was poured over with crab and scallop gravy; a heavenly combo. Comfort food at its best.<br/><br/>Soy chicken was tender and juicy. The black bean fish was also good. Delicate piece of fish atop a bed of fiery sauce. <br/><br/>Eggplant was super cruncy. Sweet and sticky and tangy. Fun appetizer.<br/><br/>

The crispy eggplant dish is worth coming into town for … and getting off the metaphorical high horse when it comes to westernised Asian food. Impossibly crispy crust with the perfect balance of sweet, savoury and umami-ness, this dish was by far the standout. Shared between 3, it disappeared all too quickly and left us contemplating a second serving even before the rest of the dishes had arrived.

Wonderfully attentive staff, the crispy-skin chicken was smoky and sweet and complex. Absolutely loved it. Kingfish dish was good but could have been better balanced and seasoned more - it was ocean-y and would have benefitted from a little acid. Nonetheless we enjoyed a beautiful meal and really enjoyed the experience.

Had lunch at the Good Luck Bar, which offers the simpler menu. Really good food! <br/><br/>The best Dan Dan Noodles I’ve had in Melbourne! Balanced flavours, good quality noodles that doesn’t feel heavy or overly spicy or sweet. The pork jowl char siu is amazing. And I don’t even usually like fatty meat but this is so good. The spring onion relish that comes with it is perfect! I feel like I can just eat that with white rice ;P <br/><br/>Would definitely come back for the more extensive dinner menu.

Lee Ho Fook is a restaurant that serves modern Chinese food.  Came here for work dinner with colleagues and clients ( 7 people in total). I had heard about this restaurant but never had the chance to try it. I really wasn't sure what to expect but excited to find out.<br/><br/>🔆LOCATION🔆<br/>Located in a CBD Warehouse in a laneway, it's virtually hidden away. But that is what makes Melbourne so special. Eateries in laneways.<br/>  The decor of the restaurant is simple yet sophisticated.<br/><br/>🔆SERVICE🔆<br/>Impeccable service. The minute we walked in, the waiter asked for our coats, and seated us promptly. Menu was provided and water was served very fast. Definitely received 5 star service and nothing to fault at all. The waiters were well dressed and smiling throughout our dinner.<br/><br/>🔆MENU🔆<br/>As I am allergic to Chilli, unfortunately the menu options was NOT in my favour. I was very disappointed. I asked the waiter for assistance and if any of them could be made without Chilli. He went away to ask the chef and came back and was very apologetic and provided some suggestions.<br/>As everyone else ordered food to share, I was the only odd person to have separate food.<br/><br/>🔆FOOD🔆<br/>The food that I ate were as follows:<br/> <br/>Entree: <br/>Warm Hervey Bay Scallops, silken tofu and soy brown butter, $10.00<br/><br/>Main: <br/>Lee Ho Fook roast duck, star anise and cinnamon sauce (half size), $36.00<br/>Lee Ho Fook special fried rice with prawns and lup cheong, $15.00<br/><br/>🔆PRICE🔆<br/>The price for the menu items were very reasonable priced. If you come in a large group and order food to share, it's affordable. <br/><br/>🔆VERDICT🔆<br/>I was particularly impressed with scallops, was cooked well and had alot of flavour. The duck was succulent and juicy but way too oily. The fried rice was nothing special at all. <br/>All in all my meal was average. If only they had more food options that didnt have Chilli in it then perhaps my rating and review would have been different. I can't comment on my colleagues and clients food. The presentation was very nice but because everything was either spicy or had chilli in it I wasnt able to try.  My review and rating is for the food that I ate.

This spot was on our radar for some time, but, we never got around to visiting until I happened to bump into one of the new additions to the management team -- someone who I know really gets customer service, and really appreciates the experience that guests look out for.  For him to join LHF meant it was a MUST try....so, within a few days, we booked, and we've returned several times!<br/><br/>The location is on one of Melbourne's street-art covered alleys; well lit, vibrant (not sure why others refer to the area as dimly lit!), and there are at least four or five outstanding restaurants all located on this U-shaped route.<br/><br/>The bar is downstairs, the restaurant upstairs, but, they serve (some) meals downstairs as well.  Bartender knows what he's doing and I'm a real fan of his "Sour."<br/><br/>Upstairs, well, huge open space, perfectly lit, plenty of seating (if a bit crowded when full), and a menu that will make you salivate.  Love the chicken crackling, crispy eggplant, Buddha’s delight- charred sweet corn (MMMM), Fujian style blue swimmer crab & scallop rice (OMG this is good), and the Pork jowl char sui.  <br/><br/>Each dish was delightfully seasoned, letting the ingredients shine, and presentation was well composed, not fussy or pretentious, and let you get on with why you are there:  to eat!<br/><br/>Wine menu has a focussed selection that work well with their menu.  I can strongly recommend the Louis Moreau Chablis with almost anything!<br/><br/>Great spot, outstanding staff that really shines -- and if you're lucky, they also have great music playing (subjective issue; we were lucky enough to get 80's classics on a couple of visits and several patrons were like us, singing along to music how it ought to be).

Great quality food and accommodating team. Would go back whenever want Chinese. The fried zucchini was delicious and the lamb ribs were out of this world. Great for date or work meeting

Down a dark alley we went to find this gem. I walked right past this little door that opens up to the bar then the restaurant upstairs. Very dimly lit. It is not often where our whole table agreed that every dish was delicious. There were lots of familiar Asian flavours and ingredients used but they were combined in unique, surprising ways that came together really well. The aubergine were deep fried in fingers which were crunchy and soft inside. Tofu in 2 ways were delightful. Cream cheese consistency with lots of fried garlic sprinkled on top. The crab fried rice was a surprise that came in a bowl we have at home! It had a crab egg custard poured over the flavourful fried rice. It was really lovely. We had mushrooms, potato salad which was a delicate turnip salad?? Someone correct me here. Buddha delight was fine and kingfish came with friend won ton pastry. We will try their popular duck next time and the dessert which we had to miss out this time.

Came here for dinner with my friend and we really enjoyed our visit. Firstly, we arrived a bit early so sat downstairs at the bar, and the bartender was very friendly and easygoing, even made me a drink from scratch. We then headed upstairs to the restaurant and were greeted by very lovely staff. We ordered a variety of dishes, and all had delicious flavor to them. The standout was the eggplant, their signature dish, but beware it is very rich! I also really enjoyed the kingfish, and the broth of the pippies/noodle dish was delicious. I was also pleasantly surprised about the staff constantly filling up my water, it was always being topped up! Sometimes it’s the small things that make a massive difference. We left feeling satisfied, and the food was not too heavy. Great date night spot, lots of mood lighting.

Very nice little place - in the middle of little alley, I have reviewed this place recently and it got deleted by zomato for no reason. Cosy interior, the roast duck + eggplant are definitely my best meal there! I love their food and service by micky was great! thank you.

Came here on a weeknight with high expectations and the food did not disappoint. We started off with the smoked eel and two textures of tofu. The smoked eel and foie gras were well balanced. The tofu dish came with deep fried tofu and silken tofu covered in fragrant fried garlic. I enjoyed this as well although the dish was fairly simple. My favourite dish of the night was the crispy eggplant. The exterior was crisp and the inside was soft and fluffy. The sauce was absolutely amazing as well. For mains, we had the maltose glazed duck, porcini infused mushrooms along with a serve of rice. The duck was perfectly cooked but I wished that it had a little twist to it. Service was a little slow as they were understaffed.

Ordered the crispy eggplant and it is the best eggplant I have ever had in my life. There for the vegan dishes and all of them were exquisitely flavored.

Little, cosy restaurant in the heart of the CBD. Beautiful food (the duck was to die for!), friendly and accommodating staff, stylishly decorated interior. Slightly pricey drinks BUT overall it is definitely worth a visit!

Loved my night out here. Let me tell you why you should come in for your Asian fix...<br/>1. Impeccable service. The manager will do everything in his power to accommodate your request...like if you bump into a friend at the restaurant and you want to sit together? Done.<br/>2. Great cocktails.<br/>3. Smashing food.<br/>4. Great atmosphere. Everyone here is either good looking, distinguished looking or just looking like they are having a great time.<br/>5. Smashing food.<br/>6. Pricewise very reasonable.<br/>6. Smashing food.<br/>Enjoy!

Friday 01.09.17 at 6.30pm. <br/>Set on Duckboard Place off Flinders Lane the place has a real Melbourne, hip, sleek and simple feel, a really nice atmosphere. <br/>The seating is a little tight in the restaurant with neighbouring tables only the bare minimum apart to get to the bench seating. It could definitely do with removing a few tables.<br/><br/>The staff were friendly and attentive, but when things got really busy it became difficult to get their attention. <br/><br/>We opted for the Chef Selection menu.<br/>The array of foods was excellent, I think we may have been provided with thirteen dishes to sample. At the time of eating most were really tasty and I believed I would be providing a far superior review rating;<br/>- However, after leaving the extreme levels of salt became obvious. I spent the night drinking water to deal with what I had eaten. <br/>Unfortunately, I will not be recommending this venue. 😔

Must try- crispy eggplant.... yummmzz<br/>Good without being spectacular- lamb ribs and wagyu beef<br/>Sigh- super oily fried rice. Several spoonfuls of oil scooped out of the bottom.<br/>Price- quite pricey for what you get<br/>Be careful- Sunday surcharge

I usually don't write reviews however tonight is an exception. I don't like speaking poorly of places however tonight was disappointing. We've been wanting to try this place for a while; Food was ok, service was poor - one of the staff members poured soy sauce of the Chinese broccoli all over my sisters hair, jacket and bag. She rushed off and tried to clean it but there was no sincere apology or the effort to rectify the situation. Instead they quickly gave us our bill as if they were trying to get us to leave the restaurant . My sister walked out smelling like soy sauce all over her hair and her duck down puffer jacket. Left us quite upset and disappointed in the service that was offered and not offered .

My favourite Asian/fusion restaurant in Melbourne if not the world. The chef even keeps up with food trends in HK such as the storm shelter chicken. $40 per head with drink! Best value, ambience and food in the cbd.

Food was modern Chinese food, which was an enjoyable meal. The eggplant dish was delicious and the scallop starter dish we could have ordered more. The boneless roast duck was plump and full of flavour, which filled us up with a side of rice.

What a pleasant surprise in an unassuming little lane. The food was innovative and tasty. They take you on a taste journey of different parts of China in their own way... Even their dessert were nothing but innovative. Their wait staff were friendly and knowledgeable but not obtrusive.

I had heard mixed reviews about this place but I was really impressed when I went. Firstly I'd like to mention the service. It was impeccable. My friend has some high maintenance dietary requirements and they catered for her so well. The food was delicious too - my top tips are the black cod, the eggplant chips and the chicken drummets. The fried rice was so simple but oh so tasty.

Highly recommend the crispy eggplant, absolutely delicious and would have ordered a second helping if I wasn't so full at the end! Nice atmosphere, attentive service and good wine selection.

Food is decent, staff is all over the place. Some know what to do, some don't. The XO fried rice is definitely the highlight. The other food is what you can get elsewhere in Chinatown for half the price.

Food here is just not worth the coin. They are priced so high for what you are getting, the cold chicken, braised mushrooms, pork bun, fried rice, salt pepper tofu, chicken skin and eggplant frites are good but there are just too many chinese restaurants out there that does equally well. If its more the environment you are will to pay then go for it. Even alcohol here is ridiculously priced, ver overated place for the chinese 'unknown'

To sum up: Appalling service , staff were rude, underwhelming experience. I would not recommend anyone going to Melbourne to dine at this restaurant and certainly not celebrate a bday here. Maybe you earned a 1.0 rating for the food.<br/><br/>We made a reservation way in advanced and we arrived on time. The host was rude and we had to wait 20 minutes for the table to be ready. It was a bday celebration and we had brought a cake. The host told us in an unwelcoming tone that they were in the business of serving food and not other people's food and cannot accomodate BYO cakes. Totally fine if you have that restaurant policy, but could have been managed in a better way. It was unnecessary for him to raise his voice and get upset at us for inconveniencing him with a cake. <br/><br/>After being seated it was just continued awful service. It took 20 minutes+ for the waiter to take the wine order and 30 minutes+ to give us the food menu. Service was very slow throughout the night. <br/><br/>After settling the bill, they came back to ask us for more money for "cakeage" while we were leaving the restaurant. <br/><br/>Some positives that didn't really make up for the overall bad experience were the ambience of the restaurant and the food was elegant and delicious.

Some of the dishes were a hit or miss. Eggplant and lamb were the standouts. However $40 for the lamb was too much for what it was. The tofu was nice as well. Wasn't a fan of the white chicken. Nice experience and service was impeccable. Good place for a romantic date or catch up dinner as it had cool ambience. My friend ordered a cocktail drink but it was too strong for her!

Food was delicious and well balanced, and very flavourful. Came here with 3 others and we ordered dishes to share (the menu is designed for sharing) rather than getting the set banquet. The beef tartare in Ma po flavours was my favourite. The crab fried rice was a close second. The spatchcock in master stock, white cut chicken were very good too. Service was excellent and professional too. Overall a great night.

Went for dinner last night because my friend had been raving about this place for some time. It was only half full probably because they put 15% extra surcharge on Sunday. We enjoyed everything that we ordered but our favourites were:<br/>- Crispy Eggplant with Vinegar<br/>- Blue Swimmer Crab with Fried Rice<br/>- Fried Chicken Skin<br/>- Spicy Beef Tartare with Rice Cracker<br/>- Jasmine Custard<br/><br/>Service was really good and quick, we didnt have to raise our hands our call anyone to get more water. They're always around to help us.

利口福 Lee Ho Fook 一颗帽子🎩的西式中餐馆 冲着鱼香茄子和棒棒鸡来的[Facepalm][Facepalm]幸好下午吃过小面 做好踩地雷的准备 不幸还是中招 菜太油腻了[Facepalm][Facepalm]这鸡皮倒是有点特别 你说这是虾片我也信了 麻婆塔塔牛肉很好吃 不过我还是觉得spice temple好吃啊

This is a simple yet bustling place for some good Asian food. Order their egg plant with red vinegar, le ho fook fried rice and some jasmine rice along with hills apple cider. My friends ordered pork and kale. Overall nice experience n good tasting food

Every dish was beautifully made and I don't know how to do the food justice in words. This review is a little under six months coming but definitely visit if you were ever wondering.<br/>Every element was packed with flavour and definitely striking in flavour. Serving size is obviously a little smaller than the usual, so do bring a group along if you'd like to try a few dishes but definitely be ready to spend just a little bit extra.<br/>Jasmine infused custard and wagyu beef tartare was one of my favourites, as well as the tea egg. <br/>Could've done without fried rice as it tasted generic and nothing too special, just not as oily as the cheaper restaurants. Booking is definitely essential, or visit during non-peak hours.

Overall, it's a pretty good place to just chill with wine and snacks. Mainly serve Chinese fusion with a little of other Asian (Japanese) influence. Reasonably good service but could be better.<br/><br/>Food (3.5): delicious but on the salty side if you intend not to have rice. Suited for lots of drinking .<br/>Portion also relatively small - need many dishes to be filling as a main meal.<br/>Ambience (3.0): the bar area is nice to hang out while waiting for your table and the seats in the restaurant are reasonably comfy. Not a lot of deco as pointed out by other reviewers<br/>Service (3.5): friendly, but just a tad lacking in attentiveness. (Head) waiter Knew the menu, introduces carefully before we order and made sure we know which dishes are hot or not ( temperature). The waiter and waitresses also took care to introduce the dish name as they set them down, but not a single person ask how is everything throughout the whole meal. Bizarre. Not even when the plates were taken away. Almost like we were circled by keen waiters and waitresses that are keen to clear plates to serve us the next dish.<br/><br/>That's it for the rating. You may wish to stop here if you are not after the story of the service experience.<br/><br/>Overall I would have given it a higher rating if not for the fact that we booked, and have had to wait 30 minutes for our table. As ours was the later session, I wasn't sure if diners were advised of the need to return the table for the next round. In fact, 15 minutes into our booking we were advised our table's diners' havering their dessert...<br/>I get that this joint is popular, but I am not queuing up for food, I booked. We were constantly reminded that they are moving the diners on. It was especially bad as we already had drinks (we arrived early ) and are starving for our dinner. <br/><br/> The food came relatively quickly after we ordered, nicely presented and on the small portion side. As we ordered 8 dishes ( mix of different sections on the menu) to share, that came out to be just enough for 4.<br/><br/>Dessert was the most impressive, or it's because we ordered the two that looked most interesting.<br/>The custard was made to perfection and the taste was amazing. Tea-Ramisu came amazingly big portion, unexpectedly.<br/><br/>All in all, a not too bad experience. Will I be back? Maybe not if I am super hungry<br/>

Another modern Asian restaurant in Melbourne! Greeted at the bar by a cheery staff member and shown upstairs to the dining room. Really nice inner city fitout, although fairly empty and without much ambience. Tended to by the hipper than hip waiter who really didn't seem to like fielding questions about the menu. It's a pity, because at these places you need a little guidance and Supernormal and Rice Paper Scissors are so eager to answer questions and help! The scampi spring rolls were delish but slightly bigger than a toothpick, the chicken crackling over salted but sinful and tasty. For mains we had the steamed barramundi with ginger and spring union sauce which was divine. Also ordered the special which was salt and pepper calamari. I'd have the barramundi again without a doubt. Overall, I'm a little unsure if I'll return. Nothing annoys me more than arrogant waiters. Plenty of CBD restaurants employ staff that are assets to the business.

Dishes that stood out were the eggplant (crispy outside and soft inside), xinjiang lamb ribs and crab fried rice. Waitress advised and was happy to accommodate half portion of the rice to suit the amount we ordered. A bit priey but it's not what you usually get at any old Asian restaurant. Overall it was good!

15% surcharge for Sunday. Before i start my review proper，i should mention we were slugged an extra 15% because it was a Sunday，which is something i only rarely observe.<br/>Overall，food was very average given the price we paid. Apart from the eggplant which was admittedly quite delicious，everything else was extremely ho hum and not memorable. I would recommend you steer clear (particularly if its a Sunday)， as there are much better and more affordable places in the CBD.

We ate here on a Thursday night getting in just after 6pm. The door is somewhat hidden if you are expecting a street sign over the doorway, I found it without an issue. Parking nearby was easy enough as we were lucky. The seating is upstairs from a bar area and the ambience and seating arrangement was nice. Everything we ate was nice and fresh, there was no faulting the service either but it just didn't Wow me for the price. We tried the scampi spring roll, Chinese potato salad, Wok fried cabbage and Barramundi with a bowl of rice each. The wine list had plenty to chose from and the staff were helpful with decisions. It just felt like a nice fresh meal that was expensive for what we had. I won't rule it out but we may visit again in the future.<br/><br/>Don't forget to click "FOLLOW" if you like my honest and how I saw it review.

The venue was on the corner of the lane, it's near to Chin chin, Pastuso and all of the good restaurants are. Just spot the red bright red neon light a the front! Hahaha<br/><br/>So for starters we ordered the beef tartare which I think it needs a bit more punch with the flavour. Then we also had the smoked eel, tofu and century eg and shimeji. I don't think I can spot the eel and the vinaigrette was a little bit sour for my liking. Preferably to have more sweetness and freshness to the dish.<br/><br/>Moved to our mains, we got the cold pork belly, chickpeas with garlic vinaigrette. The pork was tender and the combination btw them all was not bad. You can taste a strong sesame oil in this dish. I think it needs more crunch as the chickpeas was also a bit soft. However, the crispy eggplant was the winner of the night. It was crispy, not too greasy and flavoursome. So happy with it, can't fault it. The crunch on the outside and soft warm in the inside. Yum! Another my fave was the steamed barra, giner and spring onion sauce. I just loved how the meat was melt in your mouth, together with the well balanced sauce. Such a simple dish but executed very well. We would like to try the dessert but it was pretty late, so decided not to.<br/><br/>The staff was friendly and prompt. The dining room upstairs was classy, bit too loud though. I really recommend to book in advance if you would like to go here to avoid the long queue.<br/><br/>Overall, it was a good experience. I noticed that each of the dishes has a very strong element/taste but it needs more texture and more perfect combination to bring it altogether as a perfect mindblowing dish.

When I try Asian dishes that claim sort of fusion, I get very skeptical. But there were some dishes that Wow-ed me here! We tried the Chef's tasting menu.<br/>Entree:<br/>1)Scampi spring roll - This was a good dish, the chef played well using the custard to balance off the greasy taste from the spring roll.<br/>2) Smoked eel - This has a good punch of flavour in the sauce and we were pleasantly surprised by it.<br/>3) Kingfish- We didn't really understand this dish, as this dish felt like it did not have an identity. It was like a Japanese dish trying to be Chinese, which didn't make any sense to us. Still decent, but not the best.<br/><br/>Main: <br/>1) Crispy egg plants- This was their famous dish and it didn't disappoint. Flavoursome and not greasy!<br/>2)Stir fried greens- Didn't have much to say about this as it was your average stir fried greens.<br/>3) Steamed fish- I love the steamed fish here! It tasted like your typical yummy steamed fish but much more refined. It was not overcooked and am happy with it.<br/>4)Xin jiang spiced lamb ribs- This dish was surprisingly our winner for mains. A lot of times, these 麻辣 (spicy dishes that make your tongue numb) dishes are full on and makes your tongue very numb to the point you can't taste anything after that. Lee Ho Fook did a good job making a subtle spice that gives you enough of that sensation but still has mercy on your tongue. Hah. <br/><br/>Dessert:<br/>1) Jasmine tea infused custard- I love this dessert! Though I feel like not everyone would agree with me, cause this dessert is super intense! It's that rich creamy milky custard with the combination of robust burned caramel. It was such a good finish and I enjoyed it very much. <br/><br/>Would definitely come here again to try their other dishes.

Fooking fantastic! Starting with the Über cool bar downstairs, a definite pre dinner kicker. Great drinks with a side of aromas out of the kitchen. Upstairs is an aesthetically perfect dining room, with super floor staff. Food, yes the food too was excellent, a great mod asian interpretation. Love it and will be back.

I'm torn with Lee Ho Fook - the venue was Melbourne hip but still elegantly classy, the staff friendly and incredibly attentive, and the Asian inspired menu looked mouth-wateringly delicious - however, the food was a mixed bag to review. On one hand there was the crispy eggplant with spiced red vinegar - goldenly crunchy on the outside, soft and flavoursome on the inside - these little morsels are so utterly delicious it's easy to say why it's Lee Ho Fook's signature dish.

I dined here for Valentine's day. The set menu  was generally delicious however we felt like cattle lined up in rows eating next to each other with no room to breathe. Take a couple tables out and it would have felt a lot more intimate.

Fabulous, wonderful and amazing. A real treat of creative Chinese dishes, each one complementing the others. The lamb with cumin was an epic fail, but everything else was just stunningly good. Friendly staff, great service, lovely wines

Loved how hidden this place was. Wouldn't have known it was there if it weren't for my sis who knew Melbourne pretty and led the way. Ambience was perfect if you were on a date, not so suitable if it was a family dinner (unless that's how your family roll 😉). Food was pretty decent. The stand out for me was the crispy eggplant dish. Overall, it was a good dining experience.

The best Modern Chinese food I've ever had. We sat at the bar, down on one of the low tables, and had the Chinese New Year banquet menu. It's a more Westernized take on Chinese food, and every dish was delicious and noteworthy. I'll certainly be back to try more of what they have to offer. Well done!

Asian fusion is always hard to execute on, as the original, unadulterated items are already so palatable and delicious without further alterations.<br/>Honestly, tonight was no exception and I left feeling much rather having eaten at a traditional Chinese restaurant, and paying a much more agreeable price.

Consistency is key!<br/>Lee Ho Fuk was one of the best modern Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants we've tried so far.<br/><br/>Located next to the ever-crowded Chin Chin, Lee Ho Fook was a bit quieter sitting near the end of Duckboard Pl. Nevertheless, we booked a table for two in advance to avoid disappointment.<br/><br/>We started the evening with the Chong Qing style chicken crackling (4/5 points). It was sensational, the crackling was very crispy with light batter, well-seasoned, and not oily at all. Luke would be happy to plough through a big bowl of this stuff with some beer. Be careful of the Sichuan peppercorns though, they are truly hot and spicy - very authentic of a Chong Qing dish.<br/><br/>For mains we first got the 3-cup style chicken (4/5) which was phenomenal. This version of this traditional Taiwanese dish at LHF was super tasty. The chicken was slightly crunchy, tender, moist inside, and well-coated with a slightly sweet caramelised sauce. The crispy Thai basil leaves did also provide some variation in texture.<br/><br/>The chicken dish went really well with the rather lightly-seasoned Lee Ho Fook fried rice (4/5). The rice was all separating, plump, and well-cooked to the right firmness. The portion was quite generous for its price and suitable for sharing among 2-3 peeps.<br/><br/>The last main we got was the Soy glazed beef ribs (4/5) which was again delectable. The beef was cut into pieces, all of which were very tender, juicy, and came with the right amount of fat. The green chili and charred onion added some more complexity to the flavour. <br/><br/>For desserts, we picked the Jasmine infused custard (4/5) which was joyful. The infused jasmine really added a second layer of flavour and fragrant to the dish, besides the slightly sweet and burnt caramel taste. The custard was silky smooth and balanced in taste (not too sweet). What a lovely item!

Had lunch there and we went though the menu with various items. All was good. Stand out was the chicken skin, the sorbet in the end and the raw wagyu. They have a great selection teas. I would go back. Service was very quick and attentive. It was a midweek lunch and the place was not overly busy.

So impressed by this place, consistently. Love that they are constantly innovating in the menu department, this makes for a fresh and exciting dining experience each time you go in. From the current menu, I can recommend the chicken crackling and beef shin. They importantly also do the staples like rice and tea well here, that tops off the experience. <br/><br/>Though the menu changes seasonally, I know these guys do constantly good meats (esp duck), so you would be always safe to go with a meat option here. Eggplant dishes are plentiful on this season's menu as I noticed. Saw some coming out and they looked really good, would be keen to try. Atmosphere and service are top standard.

DO: The scampi, chicken wings, fried rice, chicken marinate, kingfish and pizza. <br/><br/>DON'T: Know what to order, just do the feed me menu. <br/><br/>TIP: Uber into the city and leave your car at home. Great alcohol selection and within walking distance to so many other bars and eateries. They have a great bar area downstairs.

Excellent restaurant, excellent food. The kingfish sashimi appetiser is to die for It's a total #firstworldproblem but having the kingfish sashimi as your first dish almost makes everything else seem disappointing. Of course none of the other dishes are disappointing at all. The eggplant is preternaturally good. The smoked eel is incredible and the barramundi is cooked to perfection. It's not cheap but the portions are reasonable, the service is well above par and the wine list extensive. Highly recommend.

Food is alright. However service is shocking. Our waitress was sliding dishes onto the table clanking everything in its way. When we were ordering or asking questions she would stare at the wine glasses on the shelves on the other end of the dining floor. Her attitude definitely threw off our dining experience. I feel like I've never had the reason to point out service but now I realize that it is very important.

The food was beautiful in flavour, some dishes could have been hotter. I think the temperature of the dishes is due to the lack of service here. The staff while friendly enough are inattentive and too busy gossiping with one another. I waited 15 minutes to be offered a drink without a food menu in front of us. The food portions are small for the cost, however the flavours are delicious and inventive. 3 of of our group of 4 got their entrees promptly and another 10-15 minutes later the 4th was served, and everyone else had finished their entrees. The main courses were also all very tasty, however 2 of the dishes came out almost cold. I think this is because the servers were too busy talking to realise the food was in the dumb waiter. Drink service was abhorrent and we were constantly look for our bottle of wine or a new one and one of our party finished drinking alcohol and was not offered a soft drink in replacement. We finished mains and got given dessert menus and waited a really long time for someone to take an order and eventually gave up and decided to just get the bill. This place has a lot of potential, but the service is terrible. I would recommend it for food but expect nothing from the service.

Enjoyed my dining experience here, I was disappointed that I couldn't get a big dish of beef chow mein however, as per my friend Warren's suggestion - twas not on the menu. Will continue to seek this dish, and return once it is on the menu.

Awesome little area, was a little small, but didn't appear crowded.<br/>The food was very nice, and the staff were lovely. The only fault I have is that they forgot our drinks, which was a little disappointing. However would still recommend.

Very nice Chinese food. Service was good too and they were very efficient with filling up our wine (which I love) <br/>The steamed fish /barramundi was amazing! It was the standout dish by far. <br/><br/>I would return again however the thing I didn't love was As a dinner venue it is very brightly lit from the long overhead lights. I felt it needed to be dimmer in there as it felt it gave it a too casual/quick style look which isn't really what it is based on the food quality, price and service. <br/><br/><br/>

Nice venue. Fun, fresh and well presented food. Deep fried Eggplant dish was the standout, the mushrooms and pizza options were other standouts.

Very nice wines, reasonable dishes. <br/><br/>Came with a large group of friends for set menu dinner. Most courses were average to good. Once course however was so salty it wasn't edible, to the point where it slightly burned and cheeks went red. Told the staff nicely, however were told nicely back that we were all wrong. Considering the audience and the fact that we put salt on our salt, and the fact that we were polite, would have been nice for them to accept it. They did however give us a free course.<br/><br/>Would I go again? Not sure. Its a maybe.

Fantastic every time! Faultless execution. Victor Liong and his team has done a great job. Have been here many times and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.

Good authentic Chinese food. It's definitely elevated from your average Chinese restaurant but none of the flavors are compromised. The ingredients are of the highest quality, cooked with skill and plated with a lot of care. Staff could be friendlier though - saying this based on the price of food here.

Overrated from my perspective. Food is fine but I would say overpriced given no wow factor for us - group of 5 Asian ladies. We had to wait quite a while. Won't be back.

Friday lunch. First time visit. We had the set lunch menu. Well presented and tasty. Some unique dishes done well. The crispy eggplant and the chilli chicken on the lunch menu hit the spot. Loft style room above the classic Melbourne city laneway. Wine choice a bit limited. First choice not available but ended up with Beaujolais - which surprisingly matched well. Be warned - No coffee available.

It's always a nice surprise when you go to a new restaurant and it's exceeds your expectations. The food had amazing presentation and tasted great. A stand out dish was the egg plant chips but the rest weren't far behind. Tucked away in a laneway off flinders lane gives it that extra special vibe. Some of the best Asian food I have tried in Melbourne .

Trading Plates recently spoke to Liong to find out more about the inception of one of Melbourne’s favourite Chinese restaurants and how they create their signature taste. Trading Plates: How did you come up with the idea for Lee Ho Fook?. Victor Liong: We wanted to create a cool, new style Chinese restaurant and we had a great little space on Smith Street in Collingwood. The concept of the restaurant was to cook a new brand style of Chinese food, in a vibrant and exciting dining room, with food that drew inspiration from all over China.

After being blown away by the Collingwood venue, I was pretty excited to try the CBD venue - I booked online via Zomato and was pretty disappointed to hear that when my dearest friend turned up before me he was handled pretty poorly - apparently the waitress was quite short and advised that they were completely booked - this certainly was not the case as the restaurant had a handful of tables that dined for lunch. It could have been better handled with a we don't seem to have a booking but it's no problem<br/><br/>We opted for the express lunch option which are a few of their most popular dishes, starting with a soup, this had crab and was delicious <br/><br/>Then we had poached pork belly which was an interesting dish, <br/><br/>The highlight for me was the sticky eggplant absolutely as I remembered it -sticky with spiced red vinegar and hot and delicious<br/><br/>Then the white poached chicken, which was melt in the mouth tender and delicately flavoured <br/><br/>Beautiful sweet to end, some sort of Brûlée it was the perfect portion ! <br/><br/>drank a bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio and an outstanding French Rose, service improved and the waitress was cheeky and attentive after getting over the no reservation glitch - spoke with Danielle and figured out the glitch I obviously had a senior moment and booked the wrong day as she called to confirm for today, all in all a good restaurant, good food

Not a nice meal at all just don't go expensive Chinese food <br/>Not done better than ur local Chinese take away not even busy waitress was rude

How many laneways in the world offer Chinese, Peruvian, Indian, and Italian? It sounds like having the opportunity to walk around the world in thirty seconds. One of the newer restaurants adorning this incredible part of Melbourne is the relocated Lee Ho Fook. I never made it to the Smith Street Collingwood location, but it was always somewhere on the list. Besides knowing it is well regarded, I actually knew little about the entire place.<br/> <br/><br/>This is high quality Chinese with various Asian influences focussing on fresh ingredients and not over doing the number of tastes. For example the crispy fried eggplant is a complete taste sensation. With the liquid content in eggplant playing against you, this is a challenging task. Somehow the team at Lee Ho Fook have given eggplant the facade of being chips, with a slightly softer interior, and lashings of sweet and sour flavour in the mix.

Entree quite nice, pork belly, chicken crackling, silken tofu scallops all very tasty, but we ordered sweet and sour pork, fried rice for main and they were quite disappointing

Having dined at this restaurant in their previous Smith Street location, we were keen to visit them in their new digs. Essentially the menu is pretty much the same however the fit out here is great. We went for the banquet menu and whilst we enjoyed the dishes, it would perhaps have been preferable, from my perspective only, to have chosen some less spicy options off the menu! The only disappointment was that we would have liked to finish our meal with coffee however the chef/owner has decided to offer tea only. Diner choice/option I would have thought …. not so here!

Really beautiful modern Chinese food. We were in a large group and the patient & professional staff coped very well with this mild chaos. Perfectly satisfied with $68 banquet and the food fantastic.<br/><br/>I'd love to return though with my partner to really relax and consider each beautifully cooked dish.

We appreciate good service and our waiter last night was spot-on - attentive, friendly, well-mannered. You'd think this would be a given for hospitality staff but no. The waitress couldn't be bothered to be there and spilled quite a bit of water on a mobile and didn’t care. Never mind, we had the waiter dude we chose to stick with.<br/><br/>We had the crispy vinegar eggplant, pork belly, sour kale, chinizza and lots of chilli. Everything went so well together! Reading the descriptions doesn’t quite do the flavours justice. When you’re eating them, the layer upon layer you’re tasting….sigh…. The pickled fennel from the pork belly went well with the crispy eggplant and the fermented chilli from the sour kale. Not like your good old Chinese place, I mean there’s always a time and place for Supper Inn, but that’s the whole point.  One of us, who apparently didn't like eggplant, and yet...we had to stop her from licking the plate from the crispy eggplant dish.  LHF did well in her eyes :)  Out of all our desserts my faves were the burnt caramel custard (which should be bigger, but that could be because we devoured it) and the baked chocolate mousse.

Amazing environment. <br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Staff were very friendly and helpful.<br/><br/>Food: 4.5/5<br/>Very delicious, unique and flavoured very well!<br/><br/>Favourite dish: crispy eggplant slices red vinegar<br/>

Lee Ho Fook Melbourne is the new incarnation of one of our favourite Smith Street restaurants, Lee Ho Fook. It’s been over 2 years since Victor Liong opened up his refined Chinese eatery so, with a relocation to bigger, snazzier CBD digs what’s changed?