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They don't take reservations for groups smaller than 5, they open at 6 pm and that's probably what has increased the popularity of this place located in SoHo... well that, and the fact that their Cocktails and Food is actually really delicious! The 4 of us tried to get in on a Tuesday night at 7:30 pm, and were told that there's an hour long wait to get in. We were starving a bit too much to even consider that. So we tried again on Wednesday, and I requested the team if they could get a table within 30 mins since it was my last evening in HK. There was still a 30 min wait, but we managed to get our table within 20 mins. Until then, we hung out at their small bar downstairs and ordered a few cocktails which included Sichuan Spiced Sour ($148) and Kowloon City ($128). Both were really amazing and whiskey lovers will love Sichuan Spice sour. My favorite was Kowloon City though - drink-wise! When we were seated we ordered a bottle of red and ordered a couple of things which included Chongqing-style chicken wings ($138), Roast Goose (half - $398), Black Angus beef tenderloin ($208), Grilled te mana Fatty Lamb Ribs ($298), and Roast Wagyu Short Rib ($558). Short ribs and the chicken wings were extremely flavour-full and I'd highly recommend both! Service was spot on, although noise levels were extremely high, thanks to the 2 extremely loud tables around us. A little too much wine, a little too much of annoying laughter and a little too loud music as the night started getting busy... but, we've all been there! Our total bill was just shy of $3700, but overall, we had a great experience!
If you are in Hong Kong and want to experience a tasting menu this is the spot. For starters it wasn't an outrageous price. I would have paid double in the states. The ambiance is loud, upbeat and dark. To get these photos I had to ask my friends for cell phone light but don't worry. The energy is with it! We had a somm help us wine pairings, and the waiter brought us complimentary shots to finish our meal! #winning The first few dishes were cold and came out fast. It was a feast starting with a scallop dish. Ceviche isn't the word and it was similar. Vinegar, scallops and love. Next Waygu beef tartar that ranks as my favorite tartar in the world now. Spicy and served with perfect chips. The chef accommodated a vegetarian friend and we had lovely bamboo salad, perfect broccoli and oyster sauce and nasi goreng that made your forget about meat. We had a fun rice dish where you are given gloves to mix the seaweed. This was a little sweet but perfectly suited for the tasting. My two favorite dished were the tofu and grouper in a bed of chilis and the unbelievable short rib served with the bone. Dessert wasn't an afterthought. I normally don't like flan but the delicacy of five spice and milk want to be missed!
Despite the food being good and the amazing veggie dish which was the best I had while visiting i just have mixed feelings about this place. It was very touristy which was fine as I was a tourist as well lol just wanted it to be more traditional experience. If you want an authentic experience do not dine here! It was very cool inside and service was great so I do recommend you stop by but also make a reservation. We didn't but they were nice enough to sit us but did say we could only have the table for 1.5 hrs. Which was fine by us. We appreciated they were able to accommodate us. The place was packed with tourists.
Super eclectic menu with dishes that have been rethought from their original concept and recreated to include all the best parts from the original without the bad. The pork belly was perfectly balanced with its ratio of fat to lean meat, whereas the usual pork belly had a lot of fat. They also use a great quality pork, rich and clean in flavor. The outside is perfectly crispy, has a nice crunch, not chewy, while not too hard.
Ho Lee Fook is one of my favorite restaurants in Hong Kong. Whether or not you like this place seems has a lot to do on your opinion of whether traditional canto fare should be done in a classical way or you enjoy some creativity around the classics and willing to pay a premium for higher quality ingredients. I think you can't go wrong with anything on the menu as I have enjoyed everything I've ordered. The dishes that really stand out and I would recommend are: 1) wagyu short rib 2) Chong fun 3) cha shiao 叉燒 4) typhoon shelter corn Place is still really popular and reservations are limited. Recommend going early to snag a table.
Best duck place in the HK that I ever been to. This place is super popular with lines ranging from hour to three hours to get a seat. But it is definitely worth it. We had Duck, Dumplings, and Noodle Rolls. Even though they sound simple, but they were made to perfection and the taste is superb. Definitely worth coming to this place for dinner
Ho Lee Fook was one of the best food spots I went to in HK. At first I was skeptical because sometimes the fusion or westernized type Asian restaurants are all for the look but don't taste great. But, Ho Lee Fook was beautiful inside and the food was amazing. We ordered the pan fried thick rolled noodles and the massive bone steak (forgot the actually name) but you won't miss it on the menu. The noodles were crispy and seasoned just right. The steak was so tender and delicious. It came with a jalapeño sauce on the plate which complimented it so well. While being here I forgot I was in HK because everyone spoke English and the menu was also in English! The entrance is so cute with the lucky cats all on the walls. If you are visiting HK or live there I definitely recommend giving this place a try! It is a little on the pricey side but for the atmosphere it is expected.
If you are looking for relatively authentic Cantonese food, do not come here. This is located in SoHo, where all expats go to hang out and eat. There's basically no local flavor. Don't get me wrong, when a place does fusion food well, it could be very yummy, thinks Mission Chinese in SF and NY. Unfortunately, here everything was MEH. . We ordered Chongqing style chicken wings, roast goose, fried cauliflower, "Slightly fires the emperor", DYI sang choi bao, salt and pepper grouper, and wok-fried cheong fun. Chongqing style chicken wings were the best thing we had all night. It was crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside, and it was full of flavors. Second to best was the wok-fried cheong fun, it was light and not greasy, maybe the best cheong fun I've ever had. Everything else was very average. . Fried cauliflower was heavily flavored with BBQ sauce, in a bad way. Roast goose was very average, skin was not crispy and meat was too tough to chew. The "slightly fires the emperor", some stir fry with chive flower, chorizo, and shiitake mushroom was very light on flavor, to the point it's non-existence, and I honestly couldn't find any shiitake mushrooms in the dish. DYI sang choi bao was a worse version of larb. This restaurant is probably tailored to expats who wanted to eat Asian food but haven't had really good Asian Fusion. It was nothing spectacular, nor was it worth the one hour wait. Luckily now I know, will not come back next time I'm in HK.
This Asian fusion restaurant is so lively and hip with excellent tasting dishes to match. The atmosphere had mixed 80's and 90's music playing. Cool vibe with a lot of locals and visitors curious about the restaurant name I imagine. That's the main reason why I visited. Came on a Thursday night and it was a 1.5 hr wait. WTH? Guess this place is popular. Took a stroll around the neighborhood to explore and was called about 45 mins later. Guess there was some cancellations so we got in sooner. The place looks small and very assuming from the outside. It's kind of a strange layout as the kitchen is on first floor where you check in at the reception desk. The chefs are in full display with their cooking skills. It's also a good way to see some of the dishes and find the ones that look appealing to you. The dining area is downstairs. It's a bit dark down there. Felt like walking down the stairs into a dungeon. There were a couple party groups dining so a lot of socializing going on. I had no idea this was a hot ticket place. As for the food, it was very good. We had the garlic butter mixed veggies that included broccoli, asparagus and sugar snap peas, crispy roasted duck, prawn fried rice and wagyu short ribs. Dishes come family style. The wagyu short ribs took a little longer to get to our table but it was worth it. The succulent meat is very tender with a teriyaki-type glaze with a jalapeño type purée on top of the plate and garnished with a green onion kimchi slaw. This was the highlight dish. I would def get this dish. The portions are not huge but they were delish nonetheless. Overall, our meal was very good and def would return. Hoping they would sell some named merchandise. May go back before I return home.
We came here for dinner upon recommendation. We were lucky we didn't have to wait too long. It was neat to see them prepare the dishes while we waited. I was able to see what was popular. I noticed a lot of people ordered the chicken wings and the shrimp toast! So, of course, I had to get that too. Honestly, I don't eat meat much, but I had to try the chicken wings! My girlfriend thought it was the best chicken wings she's ever had in the world. It's got the perfect crispness to them. They're temperature hot and also spicy hot. It's got a good kick to them. It's not overwhelming where you lose your taste buds. They use different chilis to make this dish. Super good! My favorite was the shrimp toast! It's unlike anything I've ever had. It was delicious! I wish I could get that somewhere when I go home to the US! I'll be sad if this is the only place in the world that I can find this. The ambiance is really what I expect out of Hong Kong. It reminded me of some clubs that I've been to in the past: dark, artsy, and loud blasting music. Luckily, they were playing hip hop. My kinda jams! It's very difficult to hear and talk here. If you are trying to get to know someone, don't come here for conversation. You come here for good food and music. The servers are pretty attentive. We ordered two orders of the chicken wings but they forgot to bring one out. They ended up bringing it out later. They were apologetic. They even made us some shots to drink on the house. May be they felt bad so they thought alcohol would make us happy? On the way out, we were told that they have a karaoke night and drinks are free flowing (I think he said Saturday but my hearing might have been off because of the music I endured over dinner). The workers there are so nice. They even tried to help us hail a cab, but unfortunately it was too difficult that we had to call an Uber. Definitely an A in effort for customer service here. The food is outstanding! Definitely on my list of recommendations!
Holy fook, the food was outstanding and service was prompted. The staff is young and are from all across the globe and are fluent in English. I do however, think it's a bit of a tourist trap. It's in the SOHO area and the kitchen is on the first floor and the seating area is in the basement. I think the area is a bit dark and the music was a bit loud for my dining preference. Not to take away from the food, everything was delicious. I get that the place is an island and everything is imported, but I think it's a bit pricing.
Not sure why this restaurant is so hyped up when it's really so mid. The restaurant is in a dank basement that is absolutely freezing and everyone kept their jackets on. The bathroom was also super weird, narrow and awkward and so dark that you can't see anything. Of the 2 stalls only one of them had toilet paper in a little roll that wasn't even properly attached to the toilet paper holder. The overall vibe is loud, "club-like," and kind of ratchet, there was a table quite far away from us but the customers were so clearly drunk and loud that the entire restaurant could hear them. We haven't even gotten to the food-- which was below average all around. We had pre-ordered the typhoon crab in advance and it was very expensive, was so over-seasoned, and the crab was not fresh at all. The bbq roast pork (char siu) was okay but incredibly oily and we couldn't finish it. The only passable entree was the fish, but even that was just a steamed fish and nothing to write home about. The service was okay, nothing spectacular but polite enough. The other nice thing was that we got these cute little mah jong desserts and I liked that the outside wall of the restaurant was decorated in mah jong pieces. But overall, this restaurant was my least favorite during our Hong Kong trip and it's just overhyped. read more
Ho Lee Fook is a Cantonese fusion Michelin starred restaurant in Central. The place looks nice, but a bit gaudy. The bathrooms are cramped and kind of awkward. Service is friendly and relatively efficient. But for this price point and the coveted Michelin star, I would expect more. The food quality is so-so. The chicken wings were tender but lacking in depth of flavor. Just salt and a ton of chili peppers. The char shu roasted pork was ok. It wasn't as greasy as others but it was also a bit dry. It was really no better than any other roasted pork we found at random restaurants all over HK. The crispy cheong fan noodles were a bit greasy but flavorful and different. Let's talk about pricing. We went on a Sunday night and we booked early so we did not have a minimum spend. But it seems any bookings now have an 800HKD/pp minimum. They slap a 10% service charge on everything and they basically require you to buy an 88HKD bottle of water. Sorry, they're just not that good. read more
3 months ago
8 months ago
2 years ago
They don't take reservations for groups smaller than 5, they open at 6 pm and that's probably what has increased the popularity of this place located in SoHo... well that, and the fact that their Cocktails and Food is actually really delicious! The 4 of us tried to get in on a Tuesday night at 7:30 pm, and were told that there's an hour long wait to get in. We were starving a bit too much to even consider that. So we tried again on Wednesday, and I requested the team if they could get a table within 30 mins since it was my last evening in HK. There was still a 30 min wait, but we managed to get our table within 20 mins. Until then, we hung out at their small bar downstairs and ordered a few cocktails which included Sichuan Spiced Sour ($148) and Kowloon City ($128). Both were really amazing and whiskey lovers will love Sichuan Spice sour. My favorite was Kowloon City though - drink-wise! When we were seated we ordered a bottle of red and ordered a couple of things which included Chongqing-style chicken wings ($138), Roast Goose (half - $398), Black Angus beef tenderloin ($208), Grilled te mana Fatty Lamb Ribs ($298), and Roast Wagyu Short Rib ($558). Short ribs and the chicken wings were extremely flavour-full and I'd highly recommend both! Service was spot on, although noise levels were extremely high, thanks to the 2 extremely loud tables around us. A little too much wine, a little too much of annoying laughter and a little too loud music as the night started getting busy... but, we've all been there! Our total bill was just shy of $3700, but overall, we had a great experience! read more
If you are in Hong Kong and want to experience a tasting menu this is the spot. For starters it wasn't an outrageous price. I would have paid double in the states. The ambiance is loud, upbeat and dark. To get these photos I had to ask my friends for cell phone light but don't worry. The energy is with it! We had a somm help us wine pairings, and the waiter brought us complimentary shots to finish our meal! #winning The first few dishes were cold and came out fast. It was a feast starting with a scallop dish. Ceviche isn't the word and it was similar. Vinegar, scallops and love. Next Waygu beef tartar that ranks as my favorite tartar in the world now. Spicy and served with perfect chips. The chef accommodated a vegetarian friend and we had lovely bamboo salad, perfect broccoli and oyster sauce and nasi goreng that made your forget about meat. We had a fun rice dish where you are given gloves to mix the seaweed. This was a little sweet but perfectly suited for the tasting. My two favorite dished were the tofu and grouper in a bed of chilis and the unbelievable short rib served with the bone. Dessert wasn't an afterthought. I normally don't like flan but the delicacy of five spice and milk want to be missed! read more
Despite the food being good and the amazing veggie dish which was the best I had while visiting i just have mixed feelings about this place. It was very touristy which was fine as I was a tourist as well lol just wanted it to be more traditional experience. If you want an authentic experience do not dine here! It was very cool inside and service was great so I do recommend you stop by but also make a reservation. We didn't but they were nice enough to sit us but did say we could only have the table for 1.5 hrs. Which was fine by us. We appreciated they were able to accommodate us. The place was packed with tourists. read more
Super eclectic menu with dishes that have been rethought from their original concept and recreated to include all the best parts from the original without the bad. The pork belly was perfectly balanced with its ratio of fat to lean meat, whereas the usual pork belly had a lot of fat. They also use a great quality pork, rich and clean in flavor. The outside is perfectly crispy, has a nice crunch, not chewy, while not too hard. read more
8 years ago
Ho Lee Fook is one of my favorite restaurants in Hong Kong. Whether or not you like this place seems has a lot to do on your opinion of whether traditional canto fare should be done in a classical way or you enjoy some creativity around the classics and willing to pay a premium for higher quality ingredients. I think you can't go wrong with anything on the menu as I have enjoyed everything I've ordered. The dishes that really stand out and I would recommend are: 1) wagyu short rib 2) Chong fun 3) cha shiao 叉燒 4) typhoon shelter corn Place is still really popular and reservations are limited. Recommend going early to snag a table. read more
7 years ago
Loved this place. Eclectic menu, Asian fusion, family style servings. Wagyu short ribs and morning glory are a must. No reservations - we were lucky, only had to wait 15 minutes for a table of 6. Believe the hype! read more
Best duck place in the HK that I ever been to. This place is super popular with lines ranging from hour to three hours to get a seat. But it is definitely worth it. We had Duck, Dumplings, and Noodle Rolls. Even though they sound simple, but they were made to perfection and the taste is superb. Definitely worth coming to this place for dinner read more
Ho Lee Fook was one of the best food spots I went to in HK. At first I was skeptical because sometimes the fusion or westernized type Asian restaurants are all for the look but don't taste great. But, Ho Lee Fook was beautiful inside and the food was amazing. We ordered the pan fried thick rolled noodles and the massive bone steak (forgot the actually name) but you won't miss it on the menu. The noodles were crispy and seasoned just right. The steak was so tender and delicious. It came with a jalapeño sauce on the plate which complimented it so well. While being here I forgot I was in HK because everyone spoke English and the menu was also in English! The entrance is so cute with the lucky cats all on the walls. If you are visiting HK or live there I definitely recommend giving this place a try! It is a little on the pricey side but for the atmosphere it is expected. read more
If you are looking for relatively authentic Cantonese food, do not come here. This is located in SoHo, where all expats go to hang out and eat. There's basically no local flavor. Don't get me wrong, when a place does fusion food well, it could be very yummy, thinks Mission Chinese in SF and NY. Unfortunately, here everything was MEH. . We ordered Chongqing style chicken wings, roast goose, fried cauliflower, "Slightly fires the emperor", DYI sang choi bao, salt and pepper grouper, and wok-fried cheong fun. Chongqing style chicken wings were the best thing we had all night. It was crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside, and it was full of flavors. Second to best was the wok-fried cheong fun, it was light and not greasy, maybe the best cheong fun I've ever had. Everything else was very average. . Fried cauliflower was heavily flavored with BBQ sauce, in a bad way. Roast goose was very average, skin was not crispy and meat was too tough to chew. The "slightly fires the emperor", some stir fry with chive flower, chorizo, and shiitake mushroom was very light on flavor, to the point it's non-existence, and I honestly couldn't find any shiitake mushrooms in the dish. DYI sang choi bao was a worse version of larb. This restaurant is probably tailored to expats who wanted to eat Asian food but haven't had really good Asian Fusion. It was nothing spectacular, nor was it worth the one hour wait. Luckily now I know, will not come back next time I'm in HK. read more
This Asian fusion restaurant is so lively and hip with excellent tasting dishes to match. The atmosphere had mixed 80's and 90's music playing. Cool vibe with a lot of locals and visitors curious about the restaurant name I imagine. That's the main reason why I visited. Came on a Thursday night and it was a 1.5 hr wait. WTH? Guess this place is popular. Took a stroll around the neighborhood to explore and was called about 45 mins later. Guess there was some cancellations so we got in sooner. The place looks small and very assuming from the outside. It's kind of a strange layout as the kitchen is on first floor where you check in at the reception desk. The chefs are in full display with their cooking skills. It's also a good way to see some of the dishes and find the ones that look appealing to you. The dining area is downstairs. It's a bit dark down there. Felt like walking down the stairs into a dungeon. There were a couple party groups dining so a lot of socializing going on. I had no idea this was a hot ticket place. As for the food, it was very good. We had the garlic butter mixed veggies that included broccoli, asparagus and sugar snap peas, crispy roasted duck, prawn fried rice and wagyu short ribs. Dishes come family style. The wagyu short ribs took a little longer to get to our table but it was worth it. The succulent meat is very tender with a teriyaki-type glaze with a jalapeño type purée on top of the plate and garnished with a green onion kimchi slaw. This was the highlight dish. I would def get this dish. The portions are not huge but they were delish nonetheless. Overall, our meal was very good and def would return. Hoping they would sell some named merchandise. May go back before I return home. read more
We came here for dinner upon recommendation. We were lucky we didn't have to wait too long. It was neat to see them prepare the dishes while we waited. I was able to see what was popular. I noticed a lot of people ordered the chicken wings and the shrimp toast! So, of course, I had to get that too. Honestly, I don't eat meat much, but I had to try the chicken wings! My girlfriend thought it was the best chicken wings she's ever had in the world. It's got the perfect crispness to them. They're temperature hot and also spicy hot. It's got a good kick to them. It's not overwhelming where you lose your taste buds. They use different chilis to make this dish. Super good! My favorite was the shrimp toast! It's unlike anything I've ever had. It was delicious! I wish I could get that somewhere when I go home to the US! I'll be sad if this is the only place in the world that I can find this. The ambiance is really what I expect out of Hong Kong. It reminded me of some clubs that I've been to in the past: dark, artsy, and loud blasting music. Luckily, they were playing hip hop. My kinda jams! It's very difficult to hear and talk here. If you are trying to get to know someone, don't come here for conversation. You come here for good food and music. The servers are pretty attentive. We ordered two orders of the chicken wings but they forgot to bring one out. They ended up bringing it out later. They were apologetic. They even made us some shots to drink on the house. May be they felt bad so they thought alcohol would make us happy? On the way out, we were told that they have a karaoke night and drinks are free flowing (I think he said Saturday but my hearing might have been off because of the music I endured over dinner). The workers there are so nice. They even tried to help us hail a cab, but unfortunately it was too difficult that we had to call an Uber. Definitely an A in effort for customer service here. The food is outstanding! Definitely on my list of recommendations! read more
Holy fook, the food was outstanding and service was prompted. The staff is young and are from all across the globe and are fluent in English. I do however, think it's a bit of a tourist trap. It's in the SOHO area and the kitchen is on the first floor and the seating area is in the basement. I think the area is a bit dark and the music was a bit loud for my dining preference. Not to take away from the food, everything was delicious. I get that the place is an island and everything is imported, but I think it's a bit pricing. read more
Great ambiance, super attentive and friendly staff, and my first meal here qualifies as one of the best meals I've ever had bar none. The decor is nice, dimly lit and chic, and the staff are diverse and very good at their job, whatever it may be. Of course the food and drinks are out of this world amazing. I stumbled in 30 minutes before closing and the wonderful hostess set me up with a table by the stairs and made me as comfortable as possible given the circumstances. The initial thoughtfulness of the staff really got the evening off to a great start, and my meal took it to another dimension. It wouldn't be an exaggeration on my part to say the short rib at Ho Lee Fook is quite possibly one of the best things I've eaten in my life. I had spent time on four continents and 7 countries in the 2 months leading up to my meal, and it was the meal that was by far the best and most memorable. YOU CANNOT MISS THIS ON A VISIT TO HONG KONG! read more
7 years ago
6 years ago
This place was good. Just no reservations for parties under like 5 I was told. So we had to have a few cocktails up Elgin (lots of options in this area) but once seated here is what I liked about this joint- - There are 3 Hostesses, all were very friendly and walked me to an assortment of appropriate venues for drinks prior to dinner. -They serve a nice assortment of Kalavan whiskey (my new favorite) -The food is solid, with expensive not cheap ingredients. We had Pork Belly, a dish of high quality greens, and a dish of House made noodles and large clams. -Service was friendly, music was late 80s early 90s hip-hop (yes I think I heard some EPMD). It reminded me of the excitement of what Mr Chow originally was in NYC. I like this spot, although not cheap (but I would not say overly expensive either), I think it's quality was much better then many places I tried which were around the same price or a little bit cheaper. I'll be back. read more
2 years ago
8 years ago
Overpriced and overrated for food -- not sure why this place is 4.5 stars other than the very friendly expat staff. Cocktails were pretty good and I appreciated the kitschy marketing, but was disappointed with the food. The only dish I really enjoyed was the Chow fun. Definitely don't recommend the wagyu beef -- overcooked and super expensive! Would definitely recommend going somewhere less Americanized. read more
Got a tip from a friend who visits Hong Kong often. One minus is that it is not easy to get a table here because they are fully booked. But once I got the chance to try it, I was blown away. Every dish is unique and tastes heavenly. The other minus is that it is kind of pricey for Hong Kong standards. read more
8 years ago
A modern take on Chinese food with refined techniques and a touch of SE Asian flavors. The portions are good for sharing. A plate can be eaten between 3-4 people at best. There were 8 of us and we ordered 10 plates, with a few veg items, rice and noodle, fish, chicken (which was awesome, tender meat with crispy skin), and their signature short rib. All of the dishes were seasoned well, flavor was on point. The cauliflower and Brussels sprouts dish was my least favorite. Beef tartare was the winner for sure, with the short rib coming in at a close second. The chicken salad was also superb. Lighting is dim, very dim. Not good for photos. Bonus points for blasting 80s music loud and proud. read more
This was my one nighttime restaurant visit during my short stay in Hong Kong. Luckily, my colleague is a close childhood friend of Jowett Yu, Executive Chef and Owner of Ho Lee Fook, so we were able to get a table on short notice. As soon as you enter and hit the steps on your way down to the main seating area, you're greeted by a massive wall of waving Chinese lucky cats wishing you well on your culinary journey. The space was decorated with vibrant and colorful paintings by contemporary Taiwanese artist Jonathan Jay Lee, depicting various aspects of HK daily life. The attractive artwork, aided by the funky HK hip-hop playlist, infused the room with a modern, trendy vibe. We were a pretty big group, so we shared a number of dishes... the calamari, egg fried rice, and a few others. I'm uncapable of judging whether the food was "authentically Chinese", but what I can say is everything was SPECTACULAR!! The CRISPY SKIN HALF CHICKEN (which would typically need to be ordered at least a day or two ahead of time)... W-O-W... the juiciness... the sprinkle-it-yourself seasoning... and for only USD $26 (approx.).. so good I had two servings (yes, a WHOLE chicken) virtually by myself!! This will go down as THE SINGLE BEST CHICKEN DISH I HAVE EVER ENJOYED. Period. And... another period for good measure. Jowett's posh, underground foodie paradise more than lives up to its namesake. How convenient that "Ho Lee Fook" in Cantonese means "good fortune for the mouth" in English. Well, HOLY F*** to that!! This was a truly unforgettable Hong Kong highlight for me. read more
7 years ago
11 years ago
Cheeky name, I know, but the food makes up for it. Add in the trendy ambiance and it's understandable why this place is completely booked, even on a weeknight. The staff was adamant that we finish within 1.5 hours, and even though we ordered a lot of dishes, the kitchen was very fast so we were able to finish with time to spare. The cocktails here were a lot of fun. I had this Yakult gin drink and I found it interesting and refreshing. Our group tried a variety of dishes but my ultimate favourite, hands down, were the Wagyu short ribs. I don't know what they do to it, but they were the juiciest, tastiest, Asian style ribs I've ever had. Nothing else comes close to you.... no one makes me feel the way you do! The main dining area is in the basement, where your phone's data will most likely die. Luckily, they offer free wifi, no password required. Nice touch. read more
Ho Lee Fook! (I just want to grab the chance to say these three words together.) For a lot of you not Chinese thought the name would be some offensive to Chinese, I for one to find this name amusing. I find it more offensive when a local restaurant use a French or Italian made-up words that you can never pronounce (and yes, it happens a lot in HK). Anyway, I'm writing this today as they are going to have their 1st year anniversary, which also marks that I have been waiting for a full year before I finally get a taste of it. The rational side of me keeps telling myself that "cheeky name" + "modern Chinese cuisine" never works well, but the Yelp reviews have been saying otherwise. We didn't make a reservation, but we arrived early at 6:30pm on a Saturday evening. The staff was nice enough to get us a very comfortable table, but also reminded us to kindly return the table by 8pm. Funny enough I knew it wasn't for another booking at 8pm (because they offered no booking for less than a group of 5), but I didn't really mind if they wanted to do another round of business on the busy night. The two of us ordered cauliflower and brussels sprouts, a quarter of a roast goose, and a wagyu short ribs. I got a ginger mule cocktail and my partner got a (something something) martini. Both drinks were amazing. Yet my drink was served in a "Taiwan bubble tea"-style plastic cup, and my partner's in a classy martini glass. I wasn't even mad, but it's just very entertaining (i.e. being made fun of by my partner...). The cocktails were the shit, especially on these super hot days. I would have ordered another glass if it's not the time constraints. Cauliflower and brussels sprouts - very well cooked and had the classic Chinese wok-style taste (or the breath of the wok, "鑊氣"). Roast goose - Very decent and comparable to those fancy star restaurant that specializes in roast gooses. One thing though, it got fair bit of fatty meat (which I admitted I loved those meats), and it worked against any diet plan for your week/month. Wagyu short ribs - HO LEE FOOK. Forget about the price tag and get this one every day please. Got the best of both world. Texture tasted like wagyu, and the crispiness tasted like char siu (Cantonese roasted meat), and the sauce was second to none. They separated the meats with soft bones on the other side of the dish, which was equally amazing. It's easily a dish to share among 4 people, but we had no regrets ordering it. All but one staff were very nice, friendly and helpful. Obviously the price tag and the potential waiting time forbids most of us to visit regularly, but I'll be lying if I say I don't want to go back right after I finish this review. read more
Wagyu short ribs! Short ribs! Short Ribs! Wait, did I forget to mention their short ribs? Easterners and Westerners alike will love the name of this place. But once you get past that, the food here is quite superb. A cute little downstairs establishment in Central, this place is kickin' some of the best eats I've had in Hong Kong to-date. Okay, so the short ribs? I don't even know how to explain this one. it's euphoria in every bite. Sex hardly even compares to these short ribs (well, okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get my point). Everything is decadent here. I'm not even a fan of brussels sprouts (a childhood hang-up) and I thought theirs were out of this world. C'mon, fried Brussels sprouts with cauliflower and crunchy bits of bacon? Mmm! I could have been satisfied with just this and short ribs and call it a night. But I didn't! Also tried a few more things, including the french toast. Perhaps more to the point - it was butter with a little french toast! OMG most delicious heart attack ever. It's hard as a traveling foodie to want to return to the same place when I know there are hundreds more restaurants in HK I want to try in my limited time visiting. But Ho Le Fook has me wanting to repeat visit at least a few more times. I'm a devout fan. Short Ribs! read more
Since I've been here 4 times in the last year, including their pop up Belle's chicken event, I really shouldn't be so lazy and write a review... Ok so I first heard of HLF even before it opened. Being Aussie and a foodie I unashamedly follow (stalk) chefs on Instagram to see where they're eating, what they're saying about places, etc. So when I saw that one of the innovative Aussie chefs who was at Ms Gs, part of the Merivale group was leaving the sunny shores to open up a joint in HK I knew I had to eat here when I was still unsure about moving here late 2014. At that time all my HK friends were like, what's this restaurant? Never heard of it, Asian fusion? But we're in Asia! Anyways, since then HLF has become the cool dining spot that most expats know and have tried at some point. So, as I am a glutton and having been here so many times, I've pretty much tried their entire menu. If you order nothing else on the menu, you must order: - prawn toast - cauliflower - wagyu short ribs I think I've ordered these 3 dishes every time I've come here, whether with 2 people or 6. Bringing more dining companions just means you can eat more food. But take my word for it, these 3 are the holy grail at HLF and word on the street is that the ribs supply may only last till the end of the year so get your fix soon! Their cocktails are tasty and fun, similarly to Ms Gs in Sydney, some are served up in the bubble tea cups which is fun but more importantly, convenient when you're a bit boozed and won't be spilt. One annoying thing however is that booking is allowed only for 5 or more and even when you do book, if you're the second seating, you'll end up waiting. Not really their fault if people eat slow I suppose but cmon, by 9pm my stomach is eating itself. read more
7 years ago
Ho Lee Fook man!!!! Amazing food. Asian refined at its finest. Great decor and attention to details. Here are my absolute favorites... And must have mentions Hokkaido Scallops Steak Tartare Beef Short Ribs Hamachi Collar 24 Hour notice Crispy Chicken Shrimp Toast Snow Pea Leaves Tea drink ALL desserts are amazing. The food at Ho Lee Fook is packed with flavor, and moisture WITHOUT being drenched in salty sauces or starches. The chef here has mastered. Every dish has pleasant surprise and textures. Come hungry! Best meal I've had in Asia hands down. read more
This restaurant was on my list of places to try in Hong Kong since I heard great things about it. With a name like Ho Lee Fook, who wouldn't want to give this place a try? Overall, it's good food but on the pricier side. When we went, we had the wagyu beef tartare, and oh my goodness, that was my favorite thing on the menu! The beef is fresh, and the flavors are perfect. Definitely good fusion tartare. I loved it and would eat this again. We also got the pork belly, which was alright. The sauce was good though. Lastly, the dessert! This was the part of the meal which I was most excited for, but it didn't impress me heaps. The matcha cake was really good... gorgeous on the eyes! The mesh of all these flavors (green tea, chocolate ganache, and strawberries) were excellent. That was the better dessert of the two we tried. I did not care for the granita we had. It was different from what I was used to, but not in a good way. I expected it to be more like Hawaiian shave ice, but it was more like large chunks of ice with no taste. The ambience of the restaurant was lovely. It has that American feel of a Chinese restaurant that I can't explain. Kind of similar to fusion restaurants in the states. The exterior is lined with mahjong pieces, while the interior is decorated with many Chinese elements. I loved it. The restaurant is also dark, perfect for a date setting. read more
Seriously good eats in a killer space. Music on point. The service was fab. The scallop appetizer was very enjoyable and the most unique preparation I have ever had. Enjoyed my spicy tequila cocktail immensely. The wall of waving kittehs makes me smile! read more
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