Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Fish School

This restaurant, as its name implies, specializes in fish and other seafood. It is located on the Third Street, with the entrance in a side alley and quite difficult to find. So if it is still busy on a typical weekday evening there must be good reasons behind.

The environment is quite nice, with a sort of fusion tone, having an open kitchen where you can see Executive chef Chris Ma in action, as well as a bar adjacent servicing cocktails and other beverages. But at the same time you can see a few fish tanks at the back, with some lively fish swimming, like what you can see in a Chinese restaurant.

The staff are very friendly and introduced the catch of the day and the selection menu to us. We decided to go for the selection menu, which has a total of 9 courses with some of the signature dishes of the restaurant included.

The first course is Fresh Oyster, with Horseradish and Apple Granita. The oysters are from Australia, fresh and creamy, having a delicate taste and not too salty or coppery, so ideal for even those people who might not be particularly fond of fresh oyster. The condiments of horseradish and apple granita provided a nice tartness, substituting the common lemon juice. The results are in fact quite harmonious. My only feedback is that the oysters are too chilly, and if they are served at right temperature the enjoyment would be even higher.

The second course is Lobster Popcorn. This is one of the signatures of the restaurant, with the lobster meat coated with bread crumbs and a sort of sesame-like seeds, then deep-fried. It has a great bite, with contrast of the crispy skin outside. Certainly a great appetizer and it would be a wonder pairing with some ice cold beer.

The third course is Cobia Terrine with Buttermilk. Cobia is a type of fish with solid texture and flavors, and this dish makes use of those elements and make it into a terrine, then thinly slice. Because of the black skin the effect is pretty with a marble look. Among the dishes, I like this one the most. Also, there are buttermilk served as a sauce and the pairing is really great. A really wonderful concept.

The fourth course is Steamed Razor Clam with Fermented Black Beans and Butter. A very interesting idea, the razor clam are steamed in a traditional Chinese fashion. But instead of the typical spring onion and garlic, the restaurant has substituted with fermented black beans and some deep-fried garlic, then adding melted butter instead of the usual cooking oil. Another brilliant concept, the razor clam are cooked to the perfect timing, well-cooked but not rubbery.

Before serving the fifth course Chris specially prepared a complimentary beef tartare, which is also not the typical one but has in fact added some blood clams in, which added an extra flavor dimension. With the chives on top, and putting on top of a toast, the crunchy toast and soft beef tartare give a great complement to each other.

Next comes the fifth course, which is Raw Crab and Sea Urchin with Rice. When first serve I was a bit concerned as the crab is raw and for those who are not used to such this might be a bit exotic. With the crab and sea urchin are mixed well with the coriander and rice, and after our first bite, apart from a bit salty it is quite acceptable in taste, without too much the expected fishy note. Still maybe for those who are not used to, this dish would not be their cup of tea.

Originally the sixth course is Wagyu Bavette Steak with Salted Fish Aioli, but I decided to go for a non-beef dish so the staff nicely helped to switch to Braised Pork Pluma with Fermented Tofu. The dish is nice, with the pork braised well to great tenderness, seasoned well with the interesting fermented tofu flavor. A bit salty however but still a good main dish for me. I also like the braised lotus root which got a great bite and rich in taste.

The seventh course is Grey Mullet with Preserved Lemon. I think this is a perfect example of how traditional Chinese ingredients to prepare a Western style dish. Grey Mullet is a fresh-water fish that frequently appears in our traditional cuisine, normally served whole. But preparing as a fillet, and then topped not with herbs but using another traditional ingredient of preserved lemon to kick in the fragrance and additional flavors is really smart. Another tribute to the creativity of Chris Ma.

The eighth course is Fig, Ricotta, Walnut and Honeycomb. The dessert is fairly good with the ricotta providing a rich cheese but not strong in flavors like other type of cheese, and the fig and honeycomb giving the sweetness, further supplemented with the crunchy walnut with the nutty notes. An interesting combination with right balance of the sugar level for even the health and weight conscious.

The final course is another dessert, a Red Date Pudding with Butterscotch. The pudding has nice red date flavors, and on top there are a few dried wolfberries. Another great way to pair traditional Chinese ingredients with western cooking technique, the pudding is great in taste and the butterscotch also complements it well.

We enjoyed the meal throughout, with the staff giving us a short introduction of each dish when serve, and also coming by to check with us frequently in a friendly and cheerful manner. We all feel good on the hospitality. The restaurant also did not have service charge and it is really up to the guests to decide how much gratuity to pay. The price was $1,650 for two, with me also ordering a mocktail, a coffee in the end, as well as a bottled water. So overall it is quite a good price for money.

I recommend this restaurant to those who like seafood, and want to enjoy how some of the traditional Chinese ingredients can be utilized to cook great western style dishes. And next time I would like to try their steamed fish from the catch of the day menu.