Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - The Dutch House

In HK we can find delicacies from all over the world, but somehow Dutch cuisine is virtually unheard of. So, when I saw the promotion of The Dutch House on social media, I immediately made a reservation to explore.

The restaurant is on 13/F of VIP Commercial Centre in TST, and we are seated at a table on the window side, having a nice view overlooking Kowloon Park. Neat décor, with some post-impression style paintings on the walls, to pay tribute to the famous Dutch artist Van Gogh.

I have pre-ordered the seasonal Holland White Asparagus Tasting Menu ($888 each) with also wine pairing. A smart approach is that they charge per pairing ($80 each), so allowing the diner to choose which and how many glasses they like.

There are two starters. On the left is the Dutch Herring tartlet, with the chopped herring nicely marinated and flavourful. On the right is Asparagus Bitterbal, replacing the oxtail meat in the traditional snack with asparagus and Italian ham. Both are delicious.

The first pairing is in fact not wine, but a gin called Hazey Gin. Developed together with celebrity chef Chris Cosentino, the spirit has many fragrant herbs, pleasant on the nose and palate, but its strong alcohol level may not work for everyone.

The first course is Smoked Mackerel White Asparagus Apple Salad with Eel. The mackerel and green apple and finely chopped and mixed like tartar, with white wine vinegar pearls and asparagus on top. The gorgeous smoked eel is from a wild river species only available in Holland. Together with beetroot and asparagus pickled in beetroot juice to give a beautiful red colour, this salad is phenomenal in taste. My favourite dish in the evening.

The wine paired is Pere Ventura Tresor Gran Reserva 2018, a Cava from Penedes in Spain. The sparkling wine from the traditional blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada, with nice persistent bubbles, crisp green apple and citrus zest, and toasty.

The second course is White Asparagus Soup with Dutch Shrimps. The shrimps are small but intense in taste, with also good bite. Added with some chopped poached eggs, the soup is of perfect thickness, delicate with the refined flavours of the white asparagus and not overly seasoned. Another wonderful dish.

The third course is White Asparagus Hollandaise with Monkfish and Lobster. Adopting the traditional style to enjoy white asparagus with poached egg and Hollandaise sauce, the chef has also added monkfish and lobster on the side, which are very good on its own, to complement the true anchor of the dish, the prized ‘white gold’.

The wine paired is Domaine La Grange Tiphaine Bel Air 2022, a Chenin Blanc from Touraine in Loire Valley of France. A fruity wine with good minerality and richness, it is a versatile wine that can match both the hollandaise sauce and rich flavour seafood.

The fourth course is Slow Cooked Pigeon with Crispy Fried White Asparagus in Truffle Sauce. Beautifully presented, the pigeon is very tender and juicy, with the deep-fried asparagus on the side, together with some okra and onion, and finished with the truffle sauce to enhance the earthy tone and savoury. Another of my favourite dishes.

The wine paired is Maddi Rioja Reserva 2019. The intense aromas of this Spanish red show a lot of spices and balsamic characters, with also cocoa, earth, and oak. Good to match with the pigeon and truffle sauce.

The fifth course is Rangers Valley Australian M9+ Wagyu Tenderloin with Grilled Asparagus. The beef is soft and tender, with a nice gravy sauce on top. The grilled asparagus is very nice, along with some bell pepper and cauliflower. Another nice dish. I think if the beef is from a cut with a slightly chewier texture, it might be even better.

The wine paired is Chateau Fondouce Cuvee Juliette 2013, with the owner of this Languedoc estate being a good friend of the chef. It has nice, forward Grenache characters, but is in fact a blend, with delicate light oak and sweet spice on top of the ripe black fruit.

The sixth and final course is Dutch Strawberries Butter Cake with Custard. The strawberry gelato is delicious, not too sweet, with some fresh strawberries and puree added, plus a bit of crumbs on top to give extra texture. On the side is a homemade butter cake, which is also nice. A pleasant finish to a satisfying meal.

The wine paired is Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg Riesling Kabinett 2020. The Mosel wine does not have the necessary sweetness and honestly does not match with the dessert. I guess there may be a mistake on the choice here.

Service is good, and the bill on the night is $2,651. The food, ambience, and overall experience is nice, and while I am not sure how authentic its Dutch cuisine, it is certainly delicious. But seeing how slow business is, I feel sad and hope they will get more customers, as it is with diversity and quality that made HK an international food heaven, and we need restaurant like this one to uphold our pride heritage.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Lamb Stew with Bean Curd Sheet 羊腩煲

Ingredients (for 4):

• Lamb brisket - 2 lb
• Dried shiitake mushroom - 10
• Sugar cane - 2
• Dried tangerine peel - 1 corner
• Water chestnut - 8
• Ginger - 15 slices
• Chinese celery - 1
• Chinese leek - 2
• Fried bean curd stick - 2
• Shallot - 6
• Garlic - 6 cloves
• Rock sugar - 1 piece
• Red bean curd - 1 piece
• Chu hou paste - 2 tbsp
• Chinese sesame paste - 2 tbsp
• Oyster sauce - 3 tbsp
• Fermented bean curd - 4 pieces
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tsp
• Lemongrass leaf - 2

Procedures:

1. Soak the lamb brisket in salted water for 30 minutes.

2. Soak the dried shiitake mushroom in water until softened.

3. Soak the dried tangerine peel in water until softened, keep the water.

4. Wash the sugar cane and break in the middle. 

5. Cut the Chinese celery and leek into sections.

6. Peel the skin off the water chestnut.

7. Heat the pot with oil, turn to low heat and put the lamb brisket in, skin side down, to pan-fry until slightly browned.

8. Flip the lamb brisket over and turn to high heat to continue pan-fry the other side. Splash some Chinese yellow wine on top.

9. Add sufficient water in to cover the lamb.

10. Simmer for 5 minutes.

11. Remove and flush under cold water, then wipe dry with kitchen paper.

12. Cut the ginger into slices, peel the skin off the shallot and garlic.

13. Mix red bean curd, chu hou paste, Chinese sesame paste and oyster sauce. 

14. Heat the pot with oil, then add in the ginger to stir-fry until slightly charred.

15. Add in shallot and garlic, as well as Chinese celery and leek. Continue to stir fry.

16. Add in the mixed paste and turn to low heat, to stir fry until fragrant.

17. Add in the lamb brisket and stir well. Turn to high heat and add a splash of Chinese yellow wine.

18. Add hot water to cover the lamb brisket.

19. Add in rock sugar, sugar cane, water chestnut, tangerine peel with water, and then cover with lid to cook for 30 minutes under low heat.

20. Cut the lemongrass leaf into fine shreds.

21. Mix fermented bean curd with sugar. 

22. Add in sesame oil and shredded lemongrass leaf. Mix well. Keep as dipping paste.

23. Add in the fried bean curd stick and shiitake mushroom, and continue to simmer for 35 minutes.

24. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 30 minutes. Then serve.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Leek and Chicken Spaghetti 雞肉蔥鹽風義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Chicken fillet - 100g
• Leek - 1
• Black pepper finely - dashes
• White dashi - 3 tbsp
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp
• Garlic - 2 tsp
• Water from spaghetti - 150ml

Procedures:

1. Boil a pot of water. Add the spaghetti in and cook for 2 minutes less than the suggested time on package.

2. Cut the chicken fillet to bite sizes.

3. Cut the leek finely.

4. Chop the garlic finely.

5. Pan-fry the chicken fillet briefly with oil to char on the surface.

6. Transfer the spaghetti to the frying pan with chicken, add in the chopped leek, garlic, white dashi, olive oil, water.

7. Cook until the sauce boils again, and continue to cook for 3 minutes until the sauce dries up.

8. Sprinkle with black pepper finely upon serving.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Ultimate Napoli Ragu 終極拿坡里肉醬麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Frankfurt sausages - 4 
• Onion - 1/2
• Mushroom - 6
• Green bell pepper - 1
• Spaghetti - 200g
• Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Butter - 20g
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 10g
• Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp
• Parsley - dashes

Procedures:

1. Cut the sausages into slices.

2. Chop the mushroom into slices.

3. Cut the onion into shreds.

4. Cut the green bell pepper into shreds.

5. Shave the Parmesan cheese finely.

6. Heat the pan with oil, then pan-fry the sausages, flipping when it turns brown.

7. Add in the shredded onion and stir-fry until softened.

8. Add mushroom, tomato paste and tomato ketchup. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce is dried.

9. Add in green bell pepper and butter, stir-fry briefly to keep the crunchy texture.

10. Boil a pot of water, add in salt and cook the spaghetti according to the required time shown on the packing.

11. Add the cooked spaghetti into the pan, stir-well. 

12. Serve with Parmesan cheese and parsley on top.