Lee Ho Fook Sydney: Victor Liong’s Melbourne Favourite Lands in Sydney
Melbourne’s modern Chinese icon has found a new home in Sydney, and after sitting down with Victor Liong on The Wined Up Podcast, we couldn’t wait to experience it ourselves.
Lee Ho Fook has earned a loyal following in Melbourne for its modern take on Chinese cuisine. When Victor Liong opened the Sydney restaurant inside Porter House, it quickly became one of the city’s most talked-about dining destinations.
A few weeks later, we found ourselves sitting at one of those tables.
We recently welcomed Victor onto The Wined Up Podcast to chat about the Sydney opening, his approach to modern Chinese cooking and why sharing a meal is at the heart of everything he creates.
By the end of the evening, we’d shared more dishes than we planned, enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and were so full we practically rolled out of the restaurant. That’s usually a good sign you’ve had a memorable night.
Meet Victor Liong
When Victor joined us on The Wined Up Podcast, he spoke about the gap that existed in Australian Chinese dining.
On one end, you had the local Chinatown favourites, where a few dollars bought a plate of dumplings. On the other, you had iconic fine dining restaurants like Flower Drum. Victor wanted to create something that sat comfortably in the middle.
His vision was to take the foundations of traditional Chinese cuisine and reinterpret them using exceptional Australian produce. Not to reinvent Chinese food. Not to make it unrecognisable. Simply to celebrate it in a more contemporary way.
After spending an evening at Lee Ho Fook, that philosophy became easy to understand. Every dish felt familiar, yet completely its own. The flavours respected tradition, while the ingredients celebrated what Australia does so well.
A Restaurant That Feels Alive
Stepping into Lee Ho Fook, the atmosphere immediately pulls you in. The dining room feels intimate without feeling crowded.
The open bar creates plenty of theatre, while the dry-ageing cabinet quietly reminds you that great cooking starts long before service begins.
Despite visiting on a packed Saturday night, everything flowed effortlessly. The team welcomed us warmly and guided us through the menu with genuine enthusiasm. Nothing felt rehearsed. Nothing felt rushed. It was exactly the sort of hospitality you hope for when booking somewhere special.
Australian Produce Meets Chinese Tradition
That philosophy comes to life the moment the food starts arriving. The menu celebrates incredible local produce through a modern Chinese lens. That’s exactly what landed on our table.
We started with baby cucumber, prawn toast, Ora King salmon and the fried eggplant.
The prawn toast disappeared almost before we’d finished taking photos. Victor mentioned the fried eggplant during our podcast, so it was always going to be on our order. Now we understand why it’s become one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
The Ora King salmon highlighted just how much emphasis is placed on quality Australian seafood. Even the baby cucumber proved that simple ingredients can become something memorable.
We came for the Peking duck and it did not disappoint! The toothfish and pipis arrived, we knew we had completely over ordered. Then again, that’s exactly how Lee Ho Fook should be enjoyed.
Wine, Hospitality and One Very Full Table
A Saturday night dining meant we couldn’t take advantage of Lee Ho Fook’s complimentary weekday BYO. Instead, we enjoyed a couple of wines by the glass.
We started with a glass of the Rieslingfreak No.4 Riesling before a Handpicked Tasmania Pinot Noir carried us through the mains. Both worked beautifully with the food. More importantly, the recommendations felt genuine.
Great service often goes unnoticed because everything simply works. That’s exactly how the evening unfolded. It was such a pleasure having Serena look after us all night.
By the time dessert arrived, we all agreed we couldn’t possibly eat another bite. Then the frozen yoghurt for two landed on the table totally hit the spot. It was like michelin star Yo-chi! There’s always room for dessert!
Plan Your Visit
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for your next memorable dinner, Lee Ho Fook delivers an experience that’s as much about the people around the table as it is the food. Come hungry, order to share and don’t be afraid to add “just one more dish.”
Lee Ho Fook Sydney
Porter House Hotel, Sydney CBD
Our highlights
- Prawn Toast
- Fried Eggplant
- Peking Duck
- Toothfish
Wine
- Rieslingfreak No.4 Riesling (by the glass)
- Handpicked Tasmania Pinot Noir (by the glass)
🍷 The Wined Up Tip
If you’re planning your visit, book for a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and take advantage of Lee Ho Fook‘s complimentary BYO. After one visit, we’re already planning our return with a special bottle tucked under our arm.
