Southeast Asian cuisine in Hong Kong has long been embraced as casual comfort foods limited to down-to-earth dining experiences. Recently, the launch of more elevated Southeast Asian culinary concepts like Le Le and Ugat are rewriting this narrative, hinting at a new chapter in the city’s dining scene.
Le Le
ZS Hospitality Group celebrates their 10th anniversary this year with the launch of Le Le, a tender ode to distinct Sino-Vietnamese flavours. With Head Chef Lê Minh Đức and Executive Chef Elvin Lam at its helm, the restaurant celebrates the flavours Hong Kong audiences are already familiar with, yet journeys beyond to expand their palates with produce flown in directly from Vietnam. “The herbs are really interesting,” says Chef Elvin. “In Hong Kong we typically use Japanese shiso, but the Vietnamese shiso is entirely different, the aroma is stronger. You might think everything would be similar, but the taste is really different. This is [the experience] we want to present to the customer.”
At Le Le, a zingy green Vietnamese seafood dipping sauce called muối ớt xanh stars alongside an almost buttery sesame and peanut puree, and slices of fresh shima aji swirled around basil, Vietnamese shiso, and rau răm leaves. The green sauce is a blend of coriander root, kaffir lime leaf, condensed milk, and local green chillies—a slight adjustment to ensure the spice level is suitable for the Hong Kong palate. Perhaps one day we’ll be able to handle the heat of Vietnamese green chillies.
3/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central; @lele.hongkong
Ugat
It seems that some of the best ideas in the culinary world begin with a drink. An earnest dose of liquid courage opens up a whole new space for chefs and epicureans to share their boldest, most impassioned dreams. Such was the case for Ugat co-founders Jayson Wu and Chester Molina. When a mutual friend united them at a bar one night, the two immediately hit it off, clinking beers and talking until the early hours of the morning. With backgrounds in F&B—Jayson in service and photography, Chester as a chef—the two found friendship in a shared desire to build a community-driven culinary passion project in which they could celebrate their Filipino roots.
Aptly named after the Tagalog word for “roots”, Ugat held its first pop-up in May, bringing a full fledged 9-course tasting menu to Filipino restaurant Dara. Their inaugural menu brimmed with diverse Filipino flavours and chronicles Chester’s journey. “The whole menu is basically a story of me,” he says. “It’s my favourites [reimagined] with Japanese, Italian and French influences inspired by where I have worked over the years.” Combatting common misconceptions of Filipino cuisine he has heard over the years (“not looking pretty” and “being mostly brown in colour”), Chester presented creations like the Kinilaw na Hipon, an elevated take on a native Filipino dish that existed before foreign influence on the country. Carabinero prawns are cured in salt, sugar and black pepper for 15 minutes to achieve a punchy, briny flavour, while a mixture made from simmering coconut milk, cream, lemongrass, and ginger brings contrast with its indulgent, creamy mouthfeel. Finally, a splash of vinegar and drops of chili and chive oil add a subtle layer of acid and heat.
Whey
Contemporary Singaporean restaurant Whey earned its Michelin star only eight months after opening its doors in May 2021. It has retained its distinction since then, and has become the longest surviving fine dining establishment dedicated to Southeast Asian fare in Hong Kong. Singaporean Chef Barry Quek has been at the restaurant’s helm ever since, upholding a lifelong mission to educate diners that “Singaporean food is more than just chicken rice and chilli crab.”
The Asam Laksa Dry Noodles are among the restaurant’s most recognisable dishes, inspired by flavours Barry grew up eating. “Laksa is traditionally a hot dish served in a soup form but we made it into a cold noodle,” he explains. Whey’s version tosses chewy housemade squid ink noodles in a vibrant assam paste that is blended and fried with a mixture of shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, shrimp paste, chillies and ginger flower. The dish is topped with slow-cooked abalone glazed with a soy and sesame liver sauce, and a sprinkling of local dried shrimp from Lamma Island—added to taste.
UG/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central; @wheyhk
Photography: Samantha Sin
Styling: Ella Wong
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. Payos
