Wineshark Home Cooking - Pork Belly with Mashed Garlic 蒜泥白肉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork belly - 600g
• Ginger - 10g
• Spring onion - 2 sprigs
• Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Rice wine - 2 tbsp
• Garlic - 50g
• Young garlic - 20g
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Zhejiang vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Wash the pork belly.

2. Cut the spring onion into sections.

3. Cut the ginger into slices.

4. Put enough water in the pot to be able to cover the pork belly, then add in spring onion and ginger, as well as rice vinegar and rice wine. bring to boiling.

5. Cut the young garlic finely.

6. Cut the garlic finely.

7. Mix the garlic and young garlic with soy sauce, Zhejiang vinegar, sugar and sesame oil as dipping sauce.

8. Put the pork belly into the pot, cover with lid and turn to low heat to cook for 30 minutes.

9. Turn off the heat and let the pork continue to simmer inside the pot for another 15 minutes. Then remove and cool.

10. Cut the pork belly into slices. 

11. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Chatterbox Café (Airside)

I have forgotten when my first visit to Singapore was, but it was at least 25 years ago. One thing I still remember, however, was going to the Mandarin Hotel for chicken rice. It was very expensive, but I did not regret the decision. While I did visit a few times afterwards, more recently it was no longer on my list, but knowing they are having outlets in HK, today I came to Kai Tak Airside to see how it compares.

The design is casual and fun, with rattan chairs and banquette seats, a cartoon style mural on one wall depicting the Singapore neighbourhood and signature dishes like laksa and chicken rice. The restaurant is quite big in size, with even some private rooms which can accommodate groups who want more privacy.

We ordered the signature Mandarin Chicken ($188 half). The Hainanese chicken is very tender, and paired with the homemade chili, ginger, and dark soya sauce. However, compared with my memories I found the chicken here having less flavours, not sure because of the marinade or the time of cooking. Still quite good.

We also had the Double the Yum promotion, offering at a special price of $128 we are able to choose two snacks, picking Pan-Fried Carrot Cake and Otah-Otah. The carrot cake is pan-fried together with sweet soya sauce and prawns, good in savoury taste. Personally, I would like to add some chili sauce to stimulate the palate even more.

The Otah-Otah is a Malay dish, essentially seared spicy fish cake wrapped in banana leaf. The patty is made to a thin sheet, nicely seasoned, and served with white toast on the side. Tasty but is quite spicy, so need to consider whether you can take that before choosing.

We finish with Char Kway Teow ($128), with the wok-fried rice noodles nicely cooked at high temperature, with prawns, scallops, squid, Chinese sausages and crispy silverfish. The amount of sweet soya sauce is also appropriate to make a good balance of savoury and sweetness.  

Service is decent, and the bill on the night is $488. Compared with the price at Mandarin Hotel here is more affordable, but the overall experience is much better in Singapore. Perhaps next time when I visit the country, I should revisit the restaurant again to compare. Hope that will be soon…

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - 818 The Seafood 八一漁八

This restaurant is located at 4/F Harbour City, specializing in seafood. It is part of the Maxim Group, and while we have visited the adjacent Singaporean restaurant a few years back, it is our first time coming to 818 The Seafood.

Walking past the fish tank at the entrance, the staff leads us to the main dining room, with a few VIP rooms which offer more privacy on the side. The décor is nice, classy but relaxing. The highlight is certainly the harbour view, and we are fortunate to get a table on the window side, allowing us to enjoy the sunset and beautiful night scenery.

To start we have Deep-Fried Shrimp Roll 酥炸五香蝦棗 ($78). Thinking it would be like those we have in Chiu Chow restaurant, it turns out to be quite different, more akin to the style for the Cantonese deep-fried oysters with crispy batter. The taste is decent, but the shrimp roll has too much fatty pork in my opinion.

We also order a Combo Set ($1,888), which includes Braised Hanasaki Crab with Sarawak White Pepper 砂撈越白胡椒花咲蟹半隻. The hard and spiny shell has been cracked open to make it easy to enjoy, and the meat is sweet, with firm texture, where the white pepper sauce gives fragrance but not spicy. 

The other dish in the Combo Set is Stir-Fried Chinese Kale with Garlic and Pork Lard 拍蒜油渣炒芥蘭. The vegetables are tender, nicely seasoned, with the pork lard in particular giving rich aromas and flavours. While it looks simple, it is a wonderful dish.

Feeling still a bit empty, we also ordered Sauteed and Deep-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Clams 酥炸花蜆鴛鴦脆皮河粉 ($198) to wrap up. The rice noodles are served in two styles, one deep-fried to offer a crisp texture, the other stir-fried with sauce to remain soft and moist. Cooked together with the large clams so the noodles can absorb the umami flavours, it is delicious. I would prefer less deep-fried and more sauteed noodles, but we applaud the creativity that goes into this dish.

Service is decent, with the staff being courteous but did not offer much introduction to the dishes. The bill on the night is $2,428. The customers are basically all tourists and business people, but I think it is a good place for bigger groups to enjoy fresh seafood. Not exactly wow, but can try it out.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Louise

This Michelin 1-star restaurant offers French cuisine and is located at the historic two-storey building at PMQ, which used to be Police Married Quarters. Having visited almost five years ago, today we returned to see what Chef Loic Portalier has prepared for us.

On the ground floor of the building is a bar and outdoor terrace for more casual drinks and dining, while ascending the stairs leads to the main dining room. Seated at a table on the window side looking out to the balcony, the décor is elegant, with warm lighting, a luxurious yet relaxing and comfortable setting. From my spot I also got the pleasure of seeing some of the actions in the kitchen at the back.

We have chosen the Prestige Menu ($1,888 each) and I also go for the wine pairing ($1,088). For aperitif, I started with a glass of Eric Rodez Blanc de Blancs 37 edition ($228). This Grand Cru Champagne, made from grapes from Ambonnay, is a blend of 3+ vintages, with a floral and delicate nose, good acidity and highly refreshing.

The Amuse Bouche is a Beef Consomme. The intensely flavourful broth has a creamy and rich Parmesan foam on top, scattered with some garlic croutons and chives to add to the texture and taste. Reminding me a bit of an espresso, it is delicious and the first time we have a broth for amuse bouche.

The Homemade Sourdough has a crunchy crust while the inside is airy and light. With a cream cheese butter on the side, the bread are so good that we finished the two pieces straight away. The staff then kindly provides another serving which we also annihilate.

The first wine paired is Taittinger Folies de la Marquetterie. This Champagne is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir growing on the hillsides around Chateau de la Marquetterie, where the Champagne House started, with a deep yellow colour and nice fruity bouquet of peaches, leading to toasted brioche and vanilla, and a full-bodied palate.

The first course features Langoustine. The raw langoustine is chopped to small pieces and served in tartare fashion, mixed with some smoked cream. On top is a thin slice of tuile, which supplements crispness to the bite. The sauce is made with clementine and fir buds, to give the citrus vibrancy with a nice pine fragrance. Very pleasant and tasty.

The second wine paired is Domaine Courbet Savagnin Sous Voile. This Jura wine aims to show the full potential of the varietal aged under flor but not into the vin jaune style. Having a nice almond and citrus peel note, together with honey and spices, plus the high acidity, it is the perfect complement with the food coming next.

The second course is Caramelised Onion Tart. A buttery “Brioche Feuilletee” sits on the thick, creamy sabayon prepared together with vin jaune, infusing the sauce with the unique taste. With the caramelized onions on top, and together with Comte cheese cream, it is delicious and complex in taste.

The third wine paired is Domaine Lambert Le Chenin d’a Cote, a Chenin Blanc from Chinon, with aromatic white flowers, plenty of fruit like apple, citrus, and stone fruit on the nose. The palate has good acidity, a sharp minerality, with chalky instead of the typical waxy characters found in the varietal from other parts of the Loire.

The third course is Meuniere Frog Legs. Inside the bowl the chef put the butter poached frog legs, fully remove any bones, and cut into small pieces, together with cep and quenelles, which are essential fish meatballs famous in Lyon, before pouring in a watercress velouté, with a delicious peppery note. Together with some chives and croutons, it is phenomenally good. A must order.

The fourth course features seasonal Morisseau Mussels, which are cultivated along the Brittany coast. The mussels are poached slightly and still retains the umami taste and tenderness, paired with a fennel salad and the sauce with Amalfi lemon for its citrusy freshness. There are some small Nduja pieces for additional savoury taste.

The fourth wine paired is Benoit Ente Bourgogne. While the producer is less famous than his brother, this white wine is very pleasant and nice, with green apple, lemon zest, and white blossom on the nose, an elegant palate that has quite high acidity but not austere, plus nice minerality but not oaky.

The fifth course features Brittany Dover Sole. Underneath the fish there is some cucumber puree together with grilled sweet peas, providing a nice combination of textures. On the side are the prized Kristal caviar, paired with the beurre blanc sauce. With some dill to add to the fragrance, the fish is very nicely seasoned and grilled, wonderful in taste.

The fifth wine paired is Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino. Changing from French white to an Italian red, this wine has a rich nose, showing nice ripe cherries and raspberry, sweet spice, and some toasty cedar with hints of vanilla, also having a smooth palate and velvety tannin. A good match with game, and meats of leaner cut.

The sixth course features “Fabien D’eneour” Brittany Pigeon. Served in two ways, in the centre is roasted pigeon breast with some pine nut crumble on top to give a crunchy bite. On the side is the shredded pigeon meat, stewed for long hours and covered with pastry. Together with confit fennel and onions, and “Sauce Diable”, of black pepper condiments, it is another great dish.

The sixth wine paired is M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Rimage. With lots of dried fruit, this fortified sweet Banyuls has plenty of coffee, toffee, and nuts. Made from 100% Grenache, it is powerful in nose yet has still got a nice acidity to bring freshness on the palate, making it a good complement with dessert made with chocolate.  

The seventh and final course features “Tulakalum” Dark Chocolate. The single origin chocolate comes from Belize and has nice tangy notes, sitting on top of caramelised sourdough ice cream, with toasted sourdough crisp. Together with some cocoa nibs praline and a drizzle of whisky for fragrance, the chocolate wraps up this wonderful meal.

The Petits Fours is homemade Canele which are not too sweet, with a crunchy surface, and a nice vanilla taste, pairing well with a cup of espresso to finish. The restaurant also provides a couple of Madeleine for us to bring back home as snacks, both good in taste. It is a satisfying and enjoyable meal throughout.

Service is great, with the staff friendly, helpful and attentive. Chef Loic Portalier also comes to our table to introduce the main course and interact with us. The bill on the night is $5,864. If you want to enjoy nice French cuisine in a more relaxing ambience, Louise is a good place, and in cooler season can also consider dining on the balcony too.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Ultimate Fried Rice 終極炒飯

Ingredients (for 2):

• Pork belly slices - 100g
• Egg - 2
• Spring onion - 2 sprigs
• Ginger - 8g
• Cooked rice - 400g
• Salt - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper finely - 1 tsp
• Sake - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the pork belly slices into small pieces, and marinate with 1/2 tsp of salt.

2. Chop the spring onion into small pieces.

3. Cut the ginger into very small pieces.

4. Whisk the eggs.

5. Heat the wok with oil, then put in the pork and stir-fry until golden. 

6. Add in the ginger pieces and continue to stir-fry.

7. Quickly add in the whisked egg and rice, and continue to stir-fry and mix well. 

8. Add in the spring onion and mix well. Season with salt and black pepper finely.

9. Add the sake in and mix well.

10. Serve.