Victor Liong opens Lee Ho Fook Sydney at Porter House Hotel

• Lee Ho Fook Sydney has opened in Sydney as a spin-off from the famous Melbourne original.
• Victor Liong has returned to Sydney to oversee the opening alongside head chef Brad Guest.
• There will be a bigger focus on seafood as Lee Ho Fook Sydney captures much of what makes the original such a dining powerhouse.

After raising his profile under the imposing shadow of Mark Best, Victor Liong set off to open Lee Ho Fook in Melbourne in 2013. Over a decade later and it’s consistently slotted in as one of the finest Chinese dining experiences you can have in the country, sporting two hats and a seemingly endless wait for reservations. Now, Liong has opened Lee Ho Fook Sydney.

The Porter House in Sydney CBD has welcomed Victor and his team into the Castlereagh Street property as part of the hotel’s reinvigorated hospitality offering, curated by Trippas White Group. It’s a surprising get for the property, which to date has struggled to find a dining concept that would help set it apart from nearby foodie-favourites like QT Sydney and Capella Sydney.

Sydney’s leg looks like a carbon copy of Melbourne’s instantly recognisable original. The exposed brick bones tell the same industrial story, but Sydney’s version feels more polished and refined. Think less laneway hideaway, more sophisticated hotel dining room, now offering some of the city’s best Chinese food.

Lee Ho Fook arrives at a time when Chinese food is being elevated all around Sydney. You’ve got favourites like XOPP and Spice Temple still standing strong, but recent months have brought Grandfather’s, from the Clam Bar team, and Young’s Palace from Big Sam Young and Grace Chen. Having Lee Ho Fook arrive at the end of that unexpected Chinese food boom feels like icing on a very delicious cake.

Head chef Brad Guest has inherited Liong’s precise approach to technique, where every element serves a purpose. The menu reads like a greatest hits collection from the Melbourne mothership, with the signature crispy eggplant in spiced red vinegar taking centre stage. But Sydney gets its own personality through an increased focus on premium seafood and choice cuts that reflect the harbour city’s dining expectations.

What makes Lee Ho Fook special isn’t just the food, though the twice-cooked pork belly and XO pipis will certainly convert the uninitiated. It’s Liong’s ability to thread the needle between authenticity and innovation without falling into fusion territory. These are recognisably Chinese flavours, but presented with a confidence and finesse that speaks to his years spent in Australia’s finest kitchens.

Lee Ho Fook Sydney menu highlights

It seems like a smart move, for Brad and the team to, at least initially, push this as a Lee Ho Fook’s greatest hits while the restaurant settles into its Sydney digs. That means you’ll spot the tried-and-true signatures on the menu, alongside more seafood-based dishes. This includes:

• Pickled black fungi dressed in aged black vinegar
• Crispy fried eggplant with red vinegar
• Glacier 51 toothfish in spring onion sauce (feature image)
• Fujian fried rice with crabs and scallops
• Jasmine tea custard and burnt caramel

Sydney’s wine program diverges from Melbourne’s all-Australian approach, incorporating international selections that complement the complex spice profiles and varied textures on offer.

Lee Ho Fook

Address: Level 1/203 Castlereagh Street, Sydney
Contact: (02) 8236 8855
Opening Hours: Monday (5:30pm – 10pm); Wednesday (12pm – 3pm, 5:30pm – 10pm); Thursday – Saturday (12pm – 3pm, 5:30pm – 11pm); Sunday (12pm – 3pm)

leehofook.com.au