It’s a family-friendly members-only club that goes by the name of Maggie & Rose during daytime, but as evening approaches, the third floor of Lee Garden Two gets almost magically transformed from a cutesy toddler-filled haven to a true-blue rustic British eatery, The Leah, that promises nothing less than “British food done right.”
Upholding this admirable philosophy is The Leah’s Creative Director James Sharman, who is best known for hosting pop-ups in some rather unexpected places such the Mount Everest, a sleeper train in Vietnam, etc. In comparison, the quaint venue in the middle of Causeway Bay may seem tame enough, but Sharman has already buckled up for the challenge here – to cook “hearty, fun food that people will crave over and over again”.
Eager to taste-test his take on British “comfort food”, we dove right into the first course, the Scallop, Leek and Black Pudding, a classic combination that is enhanced by the addition of the crunchy leeks. The next dish, Scotch Egg & Soldiers, proved to be equally irresistible, with the contrast between the melt-in-the-mouth duck egg yolk and the crunchiness of the breadcrumbs sure to be a hit with not just the Brits, but just about everyone.
However, the pies are the ones that deserve a special mention, with both the Chicken, Leek & Bacon Pie and Beef, Ale and Black Pepper Pie, luring us to go in for second helpings, all courtesy of their juicy meats.
If is it Beef Wellington – a quintessential British dish – that you catches your fancy, you will have to pre-order; though, it may be worth the extra effort, given the tender preparation of beef fillet and Parma ham inside the puff pastry is surely a showstopper.
All in all, the true hero of the restaurant is its Creative Director, not just for his culinary skills – and he has tons of that – but for his ability to let his food do all the talking, with no frills attached.
The Leah
3/F, Lee Garden Two
28 Yun Ping Road
Causeway Bay
Tel: (852) 2337 7651
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay