Watch out vegetarian restaurants of Hong Kong, Miss Lee has a fresh take on contemporary Chinese cuisine
You know that we’re fans of the best vegetarian restaurants and vegan spots in Hong Kong, well, we’ve got another one to add to our list. Cute and contemporary, Miss Lee does modern Chinese vegetarian cuisine that knocked our socks off. Find out why you need to make her your new best friend.
Who is Miss Lee?
The brainchild of ZS Hospitality Group (the company behind the likes of Hansik Goo, Whey, Ying Jee Club, and J.A.M.), Miss Lee has become a firm favourite on the Hong Kong dining scene since it opened in December 2019. This restaurant is known for serving innovative Chinese vegetarian cuisine that plays with classic flavours while utilising new plant-based ingredients. With good reviews from my vegan friends, I was excited to check out the new A La Carte menu, which includes 15 new items ranging from Celtuce & Mushroom Salad to Wonton Nachos, to Creamy Tomato Rice Cake.
Thoughtful interior design by local firm JJ Acuna / Bespoke Studio sets the scene with a mix of dusty pinks, marble tiles and bright greens giving reference to Hong Kong’s past while also creating a modern space that’s just begging to be ‘grammed.
What about the food?
I really had no idea what I was in for when going to taste the dishes at Miss Lee, and I was a little worried that the entire menu was going to be filled with TVP or gluten like many Chinese vegetarian restaurants. But I was thrilled to discover that real vegetables were used as the base for all of the dishes, many of which are vegan and gluten-free.
We started out with the Mixed Vegetable Wrap, a cone stuffed with beetroot, pickled cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, carrot and cabbage. Fresh and flavourful, if this was how the menu was going to go on, I was very excited.
And so it did. The Golden Cauliflower, a dish of cauliflower with salted egg yolk, braised mushroom, and pumpkin puree, was meltingly fork-tender. And, although it was lurking under the cauliflower, the pumpkin puree was so packed with flavour that it nearly upstaged the entree’s eponymous ingredient.
Moving on to the other dishes from the ‘Root & Marrow’ section of the menu, we thoroughly enjoyed the Taro & Yam Puff Pastry, which is a vegetarian take on beef wellington. The buttery puff pastry wrapper was stuffed with sliced root vegetables such as taro, yam and sweet onion, and finished with a creamy porcini sauce. The Mapo Eggplant & Bean Curd, served with fragrant Kale Rice, had just the right amount of spicy heat.
On to the Soy & Grain, or main courses, and we went for Handmade Noodles with Scallion Oil, served with a soft slow-cooked Japanese egg. Finally, the highlight of the night for me was the Homemade Scallion Pancake, stuffed with gooey, melted vegan cheese filling, and served with a sweet vinegar dipping sauce. There was a tussle to see who would get the last bite… I won.
For dessert, we sampled the Tangerine Peel Custard Pudding, served with preserved plum jelly. The custard was light and delicious, the perfect way to round out an amazing dinner at Miss Lee.
With so much to choose from, I would recommend taking a group so you can enjoy a larger selection of the menu, I know that’s what I’ll be doing when I head back for more soon.
Miss Lee, G/F The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong, p. 2881 1811
