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It’s almost impossible to walk past LEE Lo Mei on Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, without noticing its quirky neon decor and retro Chinese style. This a place that celebrates Chinese culture in both its history and modernity. The food is traditional with a twist, acknowledging Cantonese cuisine’s roots while embracing new dining trends.
Their new Cinematic lunch menu is inspired by Hong Kong’s classic films and actors. Film buffs will love the dish names that play on some of HK’s most beloved movies. The mains are individually priced, but each comes with Flooding Scholar soup (based on Stephen Chow’s film Flirting Scholar), a Justice bao (named after the TV soap opera) and a dessert of the day. Traditional soda floats (+$28) such as the Pink Panther, black cow and cream soda can be added. A special two-course lunch set ($98) is also available and features health-conscious options.
We decided to indulge in some cheeky lunchtime cocktails. The Yum Cha ($128) was sweet and refreshing, featuring pear vodka, jasmine tea, honey, plum liqueur and apple sour. We absolutely loved the Traditional No. 8 ($128), made with whisky infused with English breakfast tea, milk tea and condensed milk. Essentially an alcoholic milk tea, the condensed milk foam and smoky whisky could stand this drink in good stead in SoHo’s cocktail scene.
If you care to extend your lunch, LEE Lo Mei’s all-day happy hour runs from 3–8pm, with beer, wine, cocktails and spirits starting at $68.
The soup had an umami taste thanks to the addition of dried squid. The bao held a juicy piece of pork belly and was a substantial start to the meal.
Running on Tendon ($158) consists of braised pork cartilage and soy egg and is served with flat rice noodles. The pork was juicy and tender, while the noodles had a great, chewy texture.
Wagyu Rouge ($188) is a showstopper in its presentation. Clearly inspired by old-school cha chaan tengs, the slow-cooked Wagyu cheek is served on a sizzling plate with fries, veggies and black pepper sauce. While we love the concept of this dish, the meat was too fatty for our liking and left us with a strange aftertaste.
For those who want to try LEE Lo Mei’s signature dishes, the à-la-carte menu is available at lunchtime. At Foodie, we’re suckers for food puns, so we were obviously drawn to Got You Wonton More ($88). These wontons had a delectably rich filling, crisp casing and a touch of theatrics from the small syringes filled with sweet-and-sour sauce.
Another punny dish, Shrimply the Best ($148) was our favourite of the day. Wok-fried tiger prawns are coated with salted egg yolk, cauliflower purée and black truffle, creating a beautiful medley of flavours and textures. We were told that this is the most popular dish on the menu, and we can certainly see why!
The Cinematic lunch set ends with Comrades: Almost a Sweet Story. Inspired by the film starring Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai, this light and fruity dessert was a refreshing end to a hearty meal.
Verdict
LEE Lo Mei’s Cinematic lunch set offers a well-priced and generous midday meal alongside nostalgic flavours and quirky concepts. Aside from one disappointing main, the rest of the dishes provided a thoughtful, comforting and overall tasty walk down memory lane.
LEE Mo Mei has also just launched a new takeaway and delivery menu (available on Deliveroo, OpenRice
and Ritual), commencing on 21 April. Classic HK faves with a twist (which all include soup) like seafood fried rice with XO sauce and red curry with chicken and crunchy rice will be available for ordering to eat at home or al desko alongside takeaway sets for two or four people.
G/F and 1/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2896 7688, book online
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
Check out our review on LEE Lo Mei’s vegetarian sister restaurant, Miss Lee
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