A tie-up with the homegrown JIA Group, Leela is chef Manav Tuli’s second Hong Kong project; his first turn at Chaat in the Rosewood hotel established his reputation as master of the tandoor oven, and earned that restaurant a Michelin star. Leela’s elegant wood-and-glass setting by designer André Fu gives the chef-owner more space and freedom to show off his extraordinary range. Tuli is a maestro of the complex South Asian spice repertoire, and Leela’s pan-Indian fare entices diners with its expertly and unexpectedly layered flavors. Here you will find no one-note curries—Tuli is too talented and too playful for that. Dishes like his oxtail gosht (stewed meat falling apart at the bone in a rich cinnabar-colored gravy) tease you at first bite with flavors you recognize (cumin, beetroot, ginger), before they explode, like a jazz solo, into dazzling new variations.

While Instagram-worthy dishes like the bone marrow biryani (crust dramatically cracked at table by the server) and the sublime tandoor beef chop are menu musts, make sure not to miss the black-pepper chicken tikka, made with organic peppercorns from Kerala—it will transform the way you think about that “common” spice. And the sweet potato masala, a velvety not-too-sweet mash of locally sourced vegetable flecked with coconut, is a luscious comfort bomb you could imagine eating every day for the rest of your life. —Daisann McLane

leela.hk
+852 2882 5316
Shop 301-310, Lee Gardens Three, 1 Sunning Rd., Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Leela: Elegant Spice

Hong Kong Dining

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