For 4 generations, the history of Madame Ly’s family, originally from a small, unspoilt island in the Canton region – “Hai Nan” – has been linked to that of the restaurant business. Sy Ly’s great-grandfather already worked as a cook for a large bourgeois family before leaving for Malaysia, Singapore and then Cambodia, where he acquired some Kampot pepper plantations.
Her grandfather, then her father, were also born in Cambodia, and also learned the trade of cooking before the family left the country in 1975 to take refuge in Hong Kong. It was here that Madame Ly was born, having been introduced to fine Asian cuisine by her father and grandmother, who was uncompromising about the quality and origin of her produce. Enriched by this education, and by her father’s supply networks, Madame Ly decided to leave Asia for the West, finally settling in Paris where, with her husband Alain Ly, she opened her 1st restaurant in 1988 in the 8th arrondissement.
“Chez Ly” quickly became a reference in the world of Chinese gastronomy and an institution in western Paris, where gourmets love to gather with friends, family or for business meals around a round table lavishly garnished with dishes to share.
“Chez Ly” soon opened other addresses in the 8th and then the 17th arrondissements, with as much success as ever. The latest opening is the restaurant on Rue Lord Byron, inaugurated in 2014. A beautiful location a stone’s throw from the Avenue des Champs-Elysées (Johnny Hallyday’s former Rue Balzac), with over 120 covers divided into several small, intimate lounges.
Today, Madame Ly, a key figure in the world of Asian cuisine in general, and Chinese cuisine in particular, runs 2 addresses with her husband: the one on rue Lord Byron and the one on avenue Niel. The other three “Chez Ly” are run by members of her family.
The best of Asian cuisine
To guarantee the very best for her customers, Madame Ly has surrounded herself with the very best chefs in their field. Her team includes 2 Cantonese chefs: one specializing in wok stir-fries, the other in steamed dishes. A Thai chef is dedicated to the preparation of Siamese specialties, while another is entirely devoted to the cooking of ducks, lacquered Pekingese-style or roasted Cantonese-style. Also not to be missed is “Cantonese-style roast duck, Hong Kong style”, different from the crispier Pekingese lacquered duck.
Chez Ly, for the festive season, they also prepare “Canard aux 8 bonheurs”, stuffed with marinated pork, seaweed, dried fruit, mushrooms, lotus…
Chez Ly signature dishes
Heir to four generations of chefs, the Ly family has many family specialties that Sy Ly has carefully preserved and serves on the menu of her two restaurants on Rue Lord Byron and Avenue Niel. Among her signature dishes is a delicious “Boeuf au poivre de Sichuan” (Beef with Sichuan Pepper), devised by her father for the Western clientele who frequented her table in Hong Kong.
Another house specialty is jumbo salt-and-pepper shrimp, crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside.
Chicken can be served crispy, grilled, lemongrass-flavored, Thai-style or steamed to retain its moistness. Serve with soy, sweet and sour, caramel or Szechuan sauce. And let’s not forget the fish: Sea bass, sole or sea bream are served grilled or steamed, preferably whole and topped with soy, Thai, hot pepper or sweet-and-sour sauce.
Vegetarians will also find something to their liking, as vegetables are eaten a lot in China, and at every meal. Chez Ly offers more than a dozen vegetarian dishes, such as the “Buddha Vegetable Marmite”, not to mention salads and
specialty vegetables, noodles and stir-fried rice.
Seafood plays an important role in Cantonese cuisine and on the restaurant menu. At Chez Ly, as in Hong Kong, we use dried abalone, a technique that keeps them longer and, above all, concentrates their flavors. They are then cooked in a fragrant broth with scallops and mushrooms.
Vapors are eaten all over China, mainly for breakfast, as people get up early in Asia, and steaming is certainly the quickest way. Ravioli, or “Jiaozi”, are either made from rice dough, like the Cantonese ravioli opposite, or from wheat flour, as in Shanghai or Beijing, where they are served grilled or in broth.
A cellar full of winemaking secrets
Grands crus from Bordeaux and Burgundy, rare vintages from the great Champagne houses and precious bottles from France’s finest vineyards… Monsieur Ly’s wine list is breathtaking. You’ll come across a few nuggets that are impossible to find in the shops, such as this Richebourg 2001 from Domaine de la Romanée Conti, this Margaux Château Palmer 1970 or this Batard-Montrachet 2012 from Dommaine Leflaive.
For more information, visit http://www.chezly.fr/
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