Lees Fortuna Court

4 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  1      Service  5      Value  5     

Ugh! On a saturday night this place is a cross between McDonald's and Wizzy World. The food is ok, service friendly but inconsistent.

Jan 29, 2012 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  10     

I'm usually too lazy to give reviews but I just had to give this place some well deserved recognition.

Being Chinese, I'm usually very fussy with my food and living in Chatswood, I have found the food and service to be very mediocre for the price you are paying.

I came into Lees tonight with some work colleagues who recommended this place. It was fully booked and there was a lion dance ceremony to celebrate Chinese New Year. There was a lot of sporting memorabilia and it looks like this place is an institution with some of our famous rugby, soccer and cricket teams.

We ordered the Chinese New Year banquet and an additional dish. Although, not everyone had arrived, the waiter noticed that we had been waiting for a while and suggested that we start with the entrees and the people who were late would be served when they arrived. This sounded good so we went ahead.

Now, onto the food.

Spring rolls - very good, very generous with the fillings and well flavoured.

Lamb pancakes - (they gave us 2 each - unheard of for a banquet) excellent dish, well flavoured and very tender lamb.

Szechuan Prawns - good size, lightly battered and perfectly spiced.

Fried rice with every dish!!

Beef with black pepper sauce - excellent - was so tender I would not be surprised if it was eye fillet.

The service was excellent given that the place was full. The staff were friendly and attentive.

The lion dance was a bonus and was entertaining.

At the end, we were offered a round of free drinks because it was Chinese new year after our bill was paid!! I asked for a glass of water and he came with a bottle of Italian mineral water! Speechless at this stage.

Would highly recommend to anyone in Sydney. Stay away from Chatswood and come to this place!

Jan 24, 2012 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

From the minute you walk into Lees Fortuna Court you get the feeling that you’re about to enjoy a superior dining experience. And you won’t be disappointed. We dined on a Sunday night and the place was buzzing. So I guess bookings are advised any night of the week.

Lees Fortuna (even the name is old fashioned) has obviously been here for a long time. The richly upholstered furniture and carpets attest to this: It’s how I remember restaurants from the “old days”: almost stately places with beautifully laid tables, stainless steel cutlery and fresh, crisp, white napery. A place where people spoke in hushed tones and it was easy to hear one another.

But this is a family friendly era so there were quite a few large groups with noisy kids in tow just to test the acoustics, but the upholstery easily absorbed it.

Three of us dined and no sooner had we sat down than the first round of hot towels was delivered to our table. How many restaurants do that? After drinks, we quickly moved onto our starter, the lamb pancakes. The helpful staff conveniently divided it into three equal portions for us to share. It’s a soft pancake filled with tender but well cooked and seasoned lamb and an assortment of red and green vegetables. In her hurry to please, our waitress spilled a single piece of lamb onto the table while dishing up: No probs, without even being asked she brought another single serve.

For mains we had the beef with noodles and the lemon chicken. The lemon chicken was just one of the best dishes I’ve had in a local restaurant. The chicken was succulent and tender in a crispy fried batter and with the tangiest lemon sauce. But I shouldn’t make the beef feel bad because that dish was also a winner. Premium grade, tasty, well cooked strips of beef with vegetables, onions, noodles and topped off with sesame seeds.

One starter, two mains plus rice were sufficient for three people. We weren’t offered desserts or coffees but the kids got free Kit Kat treats, fortune cookies and chocolates to end the evening with, which was a nice touch. Our bill came to a tad under $90 for a single beer, two cold drinks, lamb pancakes, two mains and rice all round. It’s well worth the price.

Service was efficient and polite and we were asked at least twice if everything was alright. Toilets are clean, well stocked and easy to find and to top it off we managed to find a parking virtually outside the front door, on Falcon Street.

My only gripe is the live lobster menu item. Fortunately, the night that we dined, I didn’t see anyone game enough to indulge in it but really guys: it’s cruel and inhumane and should have no place in modern society. Plus I’d hate to be sitting next to the table where they were eating live lobster.

Oct 02, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  10      Value  7     

We went there last Wednesday night for my daughter's birthday, 5 of us. The place was packed, food was excellent and service outstanding. I hadn't made any arrangements about a cake but they somehow worked out there was a birthday involved, checked with me and brought an ice-cream birthday cake, which I saw them also do with other tables. Ambience is typical chinese and it's not cheap.

Sep 03, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  6     

I love Lees. I've been going there since I was a little girl and they remember all the dishes I love, so sometimes when I don't want to think about what to order, they know, it's like a second home. They take service very seriously and cater to our every whim all the time. I love the food, and it is consistently delicious.

Favourites include the lamb pancakes, shuntung chicken, sweet and sour (no body makes it like theirs)...I could go on. I love Lees.

Jul 30, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  8      Value  7     

We had - Entrees: Lamb pancakes - Very tasty, but they charged extra for one small extra pancake. Steamed dim sum - Filling was starchy and pastry was soggy, not up for standard.

Mains: Pepper beef on hot plate - Beef was very tender, very tasty.
Shantung chicken - Very tasty. Seasonal green beans - Beans was nice, but the sauce had too much cornstarch in it.

Jul 19, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

A long established Crows Nest restaurant. This place gets a dedicated following and is family oriented. Good shantung chicken and fresh mud crab. Good service, though a bit pricey and the decor is tired looking, but very good food.

Jun 21, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

We went there with a couple of friends of ours and really enjoyed the experience. The wait staff were friendly and we couldn't believe the high service we were given. Also, we had a 1 kg crab to share and paid a very reasonable price rather seafood restaurants usually charging an arm and leg! Spring rolls were to die for. Definitely will go there again!

May 22, 2011 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

I found this restaurant browsing this site whilst on a business trip from Melbourne. Sounded like the best of an average selection near my hotel. To my surprise the food was excellent, tried the lamb pancakes as recommended in another review and loved them. Chilli prawns as a main and again fresh tasty and an excellent meal. I’m a stickler for good fried rice and I wasn’t disappointed in their special fried rice. The service is good but the older people serving are kind and attentive and the decor of the restaurant gives it a real homely (in a positive way) ambiance. You don’t mind less than perfect service when you enjoy being there. All in all a great experience and I look forward to the opportunity of dining there again.

Apr 10, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

I have been frequenting Lee's for many many years, since I was a child, am now 49 and have never ever had a bad meal. Stanley and William and all the staff go beyond the call to deliver. My partner is Coeliac so having her dietary requirements taken care of is at times challenging, again Stanley accommodates and delivers exceptionally. It is rare you find a chinese restaurant who even understand what Coeliac disease is. Salt n Pepper prawn, Shantung Chicken and the best fried rice in the world are stand out dishes (for me). Again never disappointed.

Apr 06, 2011