The
Age Good Food Guide 2000
You approach Li Li's in West Melbourne warily. The street is dark and
surrounded by warehouses, the windows are barred and there's only a
small sign to mark the trail. All of a sudden you are in a land of technicolour
pastel, surrounded by Imperial robes and calligraphy.
The restaurant is an eccentric outpost of a famous Beijing restaurant
run by the Li family. The food is a reflection of Beijing court-cuisine
and is based on recipes collected over the years from the kitchens of
the Forbidden City's Imperial Palace.
There is no à la carte dining here: the menus are multi-dish
banquets starting at $48 a person and heading up from there. Banquets
may include luxury items such as sea cucumber and shark's fin, but less
rarefied dishes such as beef spareribs are among our favourites.
You might also find a mustard cabbage roll, deep-fried fish pieces or
lotus root stuffed with mince pork. More substantial items might be
stir-fried venison with fresh coriander, and Peking duck. The wine list
is small but passable. Starvation is suggested as the proper preparation
for a visit to Li Li's. But remember: you must make a booking. Not should,
but must.
14/20
Have you seen the movie 'The Last Emperor'? Li Li's, named after its Beijing-born chief, is Chinese with a difference - a historical difference. Li Li's great grandfather was the Manchurian general in charge of the Imperial kitchens for the last Emperor of China, and documented all the recipes, preparation and cooking techniques of China's finest chiefs of the time. Eventually these were handed down to his great granddaughter, Li Li.
After winning a national cooking competition using some of these recipes, Li Li became an instant celebrity in China and opened a one-room restaurant with one table for ten in her Beijing home. Some visiting Australian-Chinese businessman were so impressed with Li Li's that, in partnership with her, they opened a restaurant in Melbourne.
The set feast (for that is what one gets) starts with a series of cold dishes, that complement and contrast each other in a most interesting manner. This is Chinese food quite different to that served in other restaurants here and in Asia. It is much more like a Chinese menu degustation, with small delicate serves of many dishes that will be doubly appreciated if eaten very slowly and with concentration on their subtle nuances.
In the lobby and in albums which guests can see on request, there are some extremely interesting historic photos of Beijing's Imperial days. The decor of this restaurant is also quite fascinating and, by contrast to its very simple Beijing original, beautifully decorated in Imperial Chinese style.
The choice here is not from a range of dishes, but rather a choice of banquets in several price ranges. And all of them are memorable feasts. Arrive hungry and leave plenty of time to enjoy this extraordinary culinary experience.
Li Li's is not a place for a quick Chinese meal. A banquet elegantly presented at this restaurant takes several hours. And in this time you will not only enjoy the best that Chinese food can offer, but take a small step back into history. W.G.
Favourites: (part of various set banquets priced from $48-$168) Fried fish with five spices, Scrambled egg whites with bamboo shoots and chicken fillets, Crayfish cooked with ginger and hsiao hsing wine, Chicken consommé with water marshmallow.
71-73 Stanley Street
West Melbourne 3003 Australia
Phone/Fax: (+613) 9326 5790
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