Started in 1973 with their first restaurant, the Lei Garden Group has now grown to an empire of 23 branches, of which half is here in Hong Kong. After moving to Kwun Tong APM two years ago, this is the first time I had dinner at this Michelin 1-star right underneath my office.
Seated comfortably, the décor is fairly similar to the other branches, with the signature blue-colored fish tanks on one side, plenty of decorations in red on a background of dark wood columns and walls, contrasting by white ceiling.
Started with their renown soups, we had chosen Double-boiled Giant Grouper Bones with Gastrodia 天麻燉龍躉骨 ($268). The clear soup was very tasty, rich in flavors and the unique notes from the medicinal herb. There were plenty of ingredients used, including not just the fish bones but also pork and chicken feet to enhance umami to another level. The portion was also perfect with four servings, making it manageable even for just two people.
Next, we had Spicy Garlic Salt Mantis Shrimp 蒜香椒鹽瀨尿蝦肉 ($248). This one was my favorite in the evening, with the chef taken out the shell of the mantis shrimp so you did not need to worry getting the hands dirty, with every bite a pure pleasure from the sweetness of the mantis shrimp meat, coupled with the spicy and intense garlic salt. As there were eight tails in total, the dish was good in value too. A must try in my opinion.
Trying something we seldom ordered, the Deep-fried Macao Sole 鹽燒游水方利 ($598) was quite big in size, with the chef deep-frying the fish to golden brown. To facilitate eating, the staff then cut it into sections using scissors, pairing with some light soy sauce. The fish was seasoned well, with the skin crispy while the meat still tender, and the soy sauce helping to bring forward umami. Even though it tasted very good, considering we already had another deep-fried dish earlier perhaps we should had the fish steamed.
Already close to Christmas but it was still very warm, nevertheless we wanted to order the seasonal delicacy Clay Pot Rice with Crab Meat and Cured Meats 蔥花蟹肉臘味煲飯 ($160). Taking 50 minutes to get ready, it was worth the wait, with the nice aromas from the cured meats came pouring out when the lid was opened. The rice was flavorful after absorbing the oil from the cured meats, and with a bit of the special sweet soy sauce was a treat on palate. The only improvement I wanted was the charred rice at the bottom. Normally our favorite, this one unfortunately was too dry and hard, which we could not finish.
Wrapping up on desserts, my wife ordered the Sweet Mung Beans Soup 綠豆沙 ($25) while I had the Almond Cream with Egg White 蛋白杏仁茶 ($30). Not too sweet, I liked the delicate notes from the almond cream and it was a good finish to a nice meal.
The service was quite good, with the staff friendly and attentive. The bill on the night was $1,490 and considering the overall experience and food quality, it is a reasonable price and if looking for a decent place to have Cantonese dishes in Kwun Tong, this would be a nice choice.
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