Chain reaction

Lei Garden has just opened its eighth restaurant in Hong Kong. Although the term chain restaurant often has negative connotations, the Lei Garden outlets - also in Guangzhou and Singapore - are known for consistently high-quality Cantonese food. The menu includes steamed lobster on egg white with sauteed shredded lobster on rice nest (below right; $298), sauteed scallops with green pepper champagne sauce ($88), steamed champagne crab with Chinese Hua Diao wine (below left; market price), and double-boiled crocodile soup ($398 for four persons). The newest Lei Garden is at L5, APM, Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road, Kowloon, tel: 2365 3238. Other branches are in IFC Mall, North Point, Wan Chai, Mongkok, Tsim Sha Tsui and Sha Tin.