Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Cafe Bord de Mer

This restaurant is located in Auberge Discovery Bay, the hotel on the side of Lantau Island away from the busy and touristy areas, where private vehicles are not allowed into this residential retreat. Surrounded by a picturesque landscape overlooking the South China Sea, the place offers a peaceful atmosphere which is rather unique for this metropolitan renown for its hassle.

On a Wednesday evening we arrived here and the restaurant is rather quiet, with only six or seven tables of customers. The setting of the restaurant is decent, with everything neat and tidy, creating a warm family-hotel ambiance. We ordered the semi-buffet ($268) which included appetizer and dessert buffet with our choice of a main course.

There is a surprisingly wide range of salad choices, the vegetables looking fresh and appealing, along with a nice assortment of cold cuts and smoked salmon. The restaurant also has the condiments like anchovy, black olives and sun-dried tomatoes, giving many options and one can even mix your own Caesar Salad with the salad bowl. A nice salad bar.

There are also two choices of soup, one Chinese and one Western. I opted for the Western soup which is a creamy asparagus soup. This one comparatively is more mediocre, not particularly flavorful and the texture also not particularly creamy. My wife had the Chinese soup which she said was quite good on the other hand.

There is also prawns and mussels too. And trying both I would say the mussels are decent though a bit salty, while the prawns did not have much taste. I probably should eat them in the opposite sequence. However, compared with the buffet in other restaurants offered by hotel in the same level this one is not bad at all.

For the main course I have chosen Pan Seared Fillet of Cod and Chicken Steak, with Mashed Potato, Sauteed Vegetable and Onion Port Reduction. This one unfortunately is rather disappointing, the chicken having a bit of the 'frozen' note on the bite, and while the sauce can provide some 'masking effect' to the meat, it also having a gap pairing with the fish.

My wife ordered the Wok Fried Pork Tenderloin with Jade Cucumber, Black Fungus and Lily Bulbs with Steamed Rice. The portion of this dish is really big, enough for two persons, and I tasted the pork tenderloin which is far better in taste than my main course of chicken and fish. Interestingly the Chinese dishes (including soup) seem to taste better.

The dessert buffet is rather limited in choice, with some fresh fruit, cake, jelly and mango sago. There are also Movenpick ice-cream. Customers can also have a cup of tea or coffee to wrap up the meal. Overall the desserts was normal and are not particularly interesting.

The service was decent and maybe given there is not that many customers I would expect they come to interact more often. But overall it was still fairly good. The bill was $589 and considering the food, ambiance and experience I would say it is good in value. 

Soy Sauce Chicken 豉油雞

Ingredients (for 4):

• Chicken - 1
• Soy sauce - 2/3 cup
• Spring onion - 3 sprigs
• Ginger - 30 g
• Rock sugar - 100 g
• Star anise - 2
• Water - 2 cups
• Dark soy sauce - 3 tsp
• Chinese yellow wine - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Mix the dark soy sauce and Chinese yellow wine together.

2. Wash the chicken thoroughly, then drip dry. Then brush the sauce evenly on the skin and insides of the chicken. Marinate for 2 hours.

3. Peel the ginger and cut into slices. Cut the spring onion into two sections.

4. Heat the wok to low-medium temperature, then add the oil into the wok and cook the chicken for a short while until the skin tightens. Remove from the wok.

5. Cook the ginger and spring onion with a bit of oil until fragrant. Then stuff the ginger and spring onion into the chicken. 

6. Boil the soy sauce with rock sugar and star anise. Then add the two cups of water. Stir well until the rock sugar dissolved.

7. When the sauce is boiling, put the chicken in, with the side of the thigh down, and cook for 12-15 minutes. Repeatedly pour the sauce on top of the chicken during the process. Repeat the process with the other side of the chicken and cook for 12-15 minutes. Then cook the back side of the chicken for the same process.

8. Remove the chicken and let it cool down. Then remove the spring onion and ginger. Chop into pieces to serve.

Pan-fried Fish Intestines and Fish Cake 魚腸煎魚餅

Ingredients (for 4):

• Fish meat - 400 g
• Chinese sausages - 1
• Fish intestines - 2 sets
• Salt - 1 tsp
• White vinegar - 2 tsp
• Ginger - 1 small piece
• Spring onion - 1 sprig
• Chinese coriander - 1 sprig
• Corn starch - 1 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/8 tsp
• Salt - dashes
• Sugar - dashes
• Chinese yellow wine - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Remove the fat from the fish intestines, and remove all the liver and other parts, then add the teaspoon of salt to clean it thoroughly. Rinse and then add white vinegar to clean again. Rinse until it is cleaned. Cut into sections of 6 cm long and then drip dry.

2. Steam the Chinese sausage for 20 minutes. Then cut into small pieces.

3. Chop the spring onion and Chinese coriander into small pieces.

4. Add the spring onion and Chinese coriander into the fish meat. Mix well.

5. Mash the ginger and squeeze the juice to the fish intestines. 

6. Add corn starch, Chinese yellow wine, white pepper powder, sesame oil, salt, sugar to the fish intestines.

7. Add the fish intestines to the fish meat together with the Chinese sausages. Mix well.

8. Put the frying pan on medium-low heat, then make the meat into balls and place on the pan.

9. When the pan is of sufficient temperature, pour in the oil around the rim of the pan. Turn the heat to low and pan-fry the fish cake, pressing the ball to form a cake shape.

10. Once the fish cake is cooked well and golden brown, flip it over and continue to pan-fry until it is well done.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Beefbar

This restaurant opened in 2015, part of the formidable international Beefbar network (16 in total) which originated in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. This outlet in HK, located in Central Ice House Street, is awarded Michelin 1-star status consecutively from 2017 till now, and has been one of my good friends' favorite restaurants. Even though I generally do not eat beef, I decided to try it out today.

Arriving early in the evening, the dining section was not yet ready, and we had to wait at the bar. Luckily we don't need to hang out for too long before we were seated. The restaurant offered a nice ambiance, with white marble table top contrasting with the dark-colored chairs. The lighting was comfortable, creating a warm cozy sensation while not too dark to make it challenging for customers to make out what they actually were eating.

We ordered the Tasting Menu ($1180 each) and I also opted for the wine pairing ($600). The first course was Traditional Beef Tartare "Bistro Style", featuring American prime 'Black Angus'. The raw beef was added with onion and I believe some gherkins (?), giving a nice sour note and a bit of crunchy texture to the soft minced meat. The egg yolk sauce on top actually reminded me of the Chinese raw egg with minced beef pot rice. A few drops of balsamic vinegar on the side added further complexity of flavors to the meat. Certainly a good start for the meal. This was paired with a glass of Delamotte Brut champagne which is surprisingly good match with the tartare.

The second course was Short Rib Tataki, featuring the Australian M5+ 'Black Angus'. The slow-cooked beef was grilled beautifully, and dipped with a sauce I guessed made with some yuzu vinegar, providing yet again the nice acidity and a refreshing palate. The leek and onion on top further enhanced the fragrance of the dish. Another nice dish, though might not be particularly 'special'. It was paired with a Napa Valley red wine from Stag's Leap.

The third course was my favorite in this dinner: Homemade Ravioli with Japanese A5 Hyogo Tajima 'Kobe' as fillings. The beef inside the ravioli was intense in flavors, with a nice 'shredded' texture. The ravioli itself was very terrific, perfect on the chewy bite and size, with a bit of jus added to make it moist and further echoing the taste of the fillings. A really great dish. It was paired with a Chateauneuf-du-Pape which is surprisingly light in my opinion.

The fourth course was Hanwoo Striploin, served with Comte Cheese Mashed Potato. This top-tiered Korean 1++ 'Short Horn' was served on cast-iron, cooked perfectly to medium rare as I requested, with a crispy surface while a moist, juicy and tasty flesh inside. Seasoned simply but smartly to highlight the true flavors of this good quality meat, it was amazing indeed. The mashed potato was also creamy and good in taste, while the torched comte cheese on the surface reminded us of a creme brulee. Another nice dish. The wine paired was a Shiraz from Tuscany.

Before dessert we were served a cocktail called Sunny Monte-Carlo to help cleanse our palate. An interesting way to transition but I am not particularly impressed and thought the taste a bit awkward for this purpose. It seemed the mocktail was in fact better from my wife's reactions. The last course was Raspberry and Chocolate Bar, with a chocolate cake base, a raspberry mousse in between, and a chocolate strip at the top. With some toasted hazelnut and puree on the side, it is a nice finish to the meal.

With also a Petite Fours served, our overall experience in this dinner was very good. The service was friendly and attentive, but I found they are a bit shy in explaining the dishes to us in more details. The total bill on the night was $3333 and I think it is a fairly reasonable price.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients (for 4):

• Butter - 50 g
• Pork - 800 g
• Onion - 200 g
• Celery - 100 g
• Carrot - 200 g
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Tomato paste - 4 tbsp
• Canned tomato - 1 
• Penne - 360 g
• Parmesan cheese - 10 g

Procedures:

1. Mince the pork.

2. Chop the celery finely.

3. Chop the carrot finely.

4. Chop the onion finely.

5. Put the pan over medium heat and add in the butter till it melts. Then add the minced pork and cook until it turns colour.

6. Season with salt and black pepper and continue to cook for about 15 minute when the meat is dried and distinct. Then turn it out.

7. Heat the pan over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Fry the vegetables gently until softened for about 12 minutes.

8. Add the meat to the vegetable and mix well.

9. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes into the sauce, season with salt, black pepper and sugar, and continue to simmer for 1 hour.

10. Heat a pot of water till it boils, then add in some coarse salt. Put the penne in and cook for 12 minutes (or according to the package information).

11. Drain the pasta and add a small amount of olive oil to mix well. Put in a serving bowl. Pour the bolognese sauce on top, then sparkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Mackerel and Potato Stew

Ingredients (for 4):

• Mackerel - 2
• Potatoes - 6 (small)
• Garlic - 4
• Parsley - 2 tbsp
• Tomatoes - 2
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Paprika - 2 tsp
• Fish stock - 800 ml

Procedures:

1. Rinse the mackerel under cold water and cut the body into three equal parts. Season with salt and white pepper powder.

2. Cut the potatoes into pieces about 3cm across.

3. Finely chop the garlic.

4. Cut the tomatoes into coarse pieces after removing the seeds.

5. Chop the parsley finely.

6. Put the pan over medium heat, then pour in the oil and add the garlic.

7. As soon as the garlic turns golden, add most of the parsley and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes.

8. Add in the paprika and potatoes, mix well.

9. Pour in the fish stock and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are softened.

10. Add the mackerel and cook for another 5 minutes.

11. Sparkle with the remaining parsley and serve.