Wineshark Cooking Class - 魚露煎雞排

Ingredients (for 4):

• Chicken legs - 300 g
• Oil - 1/4 cup
• Corn starch - 1/4 cup
• Chicken stock - 1 cup
• Fish sauce - 2 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1/2 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/8 tsp
• Salt - dashes
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Sake - 1/4 cup

Procedures:

1. Remove the bone from the chicken leg, and trim the fat and tendon.

2. Marinate the chicken steak with white pepper powder, salt, sugar and sake for at least 15 minutes. Flip the chicken steak over multiple times.

3. Pour the corn starch on a plate, and coat the chicken steak with corn starch. Dusting off the excess.

4. Heat the pan with oil, and then add the chicken steak in to pan-fry until golden brown on both sides.

5. Remove the steak and put on a kitchen tissue to soak the excess oil.

6. Mix the chicken stock with fish sauce and soy sauce.

7. Heat the sauce until it is reduced and thickens.

8. Cut the chicken steak into strips and pour the sauce on top.

Wineshark Cooking Class - 油炆春笋伴蒜泥白肉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork jowl meat - 400 g
• Ginger - 3 slices
• Spring onion - 4 sprigs
• Chinese yellow wine - 1/4 cup
• Garlic - 3 cloves, chopped 
• Dark soy sauce - 1 tsp
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Zhejiang vinegar - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Chili oil - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
• Spring bamboo shoot - 450 g
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Salt - dashes
• Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Cut away the thick fat on both sides of the pork jowl meat, and lightly cut on the meat perpendicular to the texture of the meat to avoid it curling during cooking.

2. Heat a pot of water and once boiling, add the spring onion, ginger and Chinese yellow wine. Then put the pork jowl meat in, and cover with lid to let it boil for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the pork jowl meat and cool it down under running water. Then cut into thin slices.

4. Mix the garlic, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, Zhejiang vinegar, sugar, chili oil and sesame oil together to form the dipping sauce.

5. Peel the bamboo shoots and remove the hard parts at the bottom. 

6. Cut in halves and then cut into thin slices.

7. Heat a pot of water and once boiling, add the bamboo shoots in to cook for 3 minutes.

8. Remove and drain the bamboo shoots, then toast to dry on a wok. Remove once totally dried.

9. Heat the wok with oil, then add the soy sauce and sugar. Cook until the sauce is bubbling.

10. Add dark soy sauce and salt, then add the bamboo shoots in and toss it well. 

11. Add sesame oil and continue to cook until the sauce is reduced and stuck to the bamboo shoots.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Dragon Inn

This Shanghai restaurant is located in Regal Riverside Hotel in Shatin. Coming over on a weekday evening I found the valet parking was suspended due to the coronavirus situation. Fortunately there is hourly parking on the basement and taking the elevator can go straight to the first floor where the restaurant is.

Still early in the evening we were the first group of diners. Seated at one end near the entrance looking out to the hotel interior, the first impression I got was that the decor and setting was dated, just like the hotel itself. The lantern lighting, red and slightly dark ambiance was just not too inspiring and lively.

We ordered a soup to start, with me going for Hot and Sour Soup ($55) while my wife had the Salted Pork Broth with Bamboo Shoots and Vegetable in Casserole ($58). The hot and sour soup was decent, with the initial taste not particularly spicy but gradually the heat surfaced and giving a nice kick on the palate. However I would prefer the sourness to dial up more as that was certainly lacking to give the right balance.

Next came Glutinous Rice Lees Sliced Mandarin Fish Fillet ($188). Personally the best dish on the night, the fillet was appropriately seasoned and was greatly complementary with the sweetness of the rice lees. I also like the fish served steaming hot as the taste was the best under this temperature. Once the dish started to cool down the thick sauce would make the overall texture rather awkward.

The Deep-Fried Pork Knuckles with Salt and Pepper ($238) was a signature dish. In my mind I would expect a more spicy and savory dish but it turned out to be completely opposite, with the knuckles in fact sweet in taste, and the pepper without any spiciness. Big in portion, the pork is tender but the expectation of the taste profile was so drastic so I could not resonate well with the dish unfortunately.

The Smoked Duck in Hangzhou Style ($218) had half a duck of fairly small size, with the duck quite lean to our liking. The smoky flavors were intense but did not overpower the other components, so overall the duck was not bad. But like most of such dishes I found the meat was too dried after the smoking process.

The service was good considering the hotel was not a top-notch one, and the bill was very reasonable at $795. The restaurant is now serving a number of dinner sets too. Definitely a choice catered more for people living in the neighborhood, but might not persuade me to come all the way for dinner again.

Wineshark Hotel Stay - Kai Tsugaru 界 津軽

Address: 青森県南津軽郡大鰐町大鰐字上牡丹森36-1

Tel: N/A

Website: https://kai-ryokan.jp/tsugaru/

Date of Visit: 3 Nov 2019

After finishing the walk around Nakamachi Komise Street in Kuroishi, we drove for about 30 minutes to arrive at the ryokan we were staying for the night - Kai Tsugaru. It was also the sixth Kai I visited. Reopened on 1 April, 2019, now there are 41 rooms in the ryokan. Following a quick registration we were shown to our room - Signature Room featuring ornamentation made with Tsugaru Koginzashi Needlework (津軽こぎんの間).

This traditional Aomori’s art was born in the Edo Period (江戸時代), as a method to increase the strength and heat retention of clothes, and gradually used to decorate the kimonos as beautiful decorations. It uses horizontal and vertical symmetrical rhombuses as basic motifs and is a traditional craft that represents Aomori.

In the corridor of the guesthouse building, which is about 60m long, the “Sunlight Kogin” (木漏れ日) was created, where the light is shining through this traditional craft, making amazingly beautiful effects. A number of fantastic lighting with kogin patterns is created by kogin designer, Mr. Masamasa Yamabata (山端家昌), who works on the signature rooms, are projected onto the skylights and walls.

We went for a bath at the public onsen before dinner. One can see the four seasons of Aomori from the public bath through a large window, with a great view of greenery in spring and summer, yellow and red leaves in autumn, and a snow-covered garden during winter.

The indoor bath is called Ashinoyu (檜の湯), with the bath made from wood that is 2,000 years old, providing a rich ambiance, and has been used for medical treatment since ancient times. There are some apples put into the onsen, representing the signature produce of the prefecture.

The bath is opened from 15:00 to 24:00, re-opening at 05:00 to 11:00. It is a colourless sulphate springs (硫酸塩泉), good for curing neuralgia, myalgia, arthritis, fifty shoulders, movement paralysis, chronic digestive tract disease, coldness, fatigue recovery and skin disease.

Returning to rest for a short while we headed to the restaurant for dinner. Both dinner and breakfast are served at this restaurant, offering good private space and a comfortable and calm atmosphere in a sophisticated space.

One of the most iconic foodstuff in Aomori Prefecture is tuna. Surrounded by deep sea, the famous Oma (大間) tuna caught from autumn to winter. At the best season the tuna is called “black diamond”. The ryokan prepared the tuna, including Akami and Toro, in a variety of ways, to taste the delicious sashimi and nigiri sushi.

Apple juice tasting

鮪と長芋のあられ和え

甘鯛  海老  茸いろいろ

さもだし  菊

白玉胡桃味噌  鶏と干し葡萄の松風  鱸の棒寿司  鮭の幽庵焼き  秋刀魚油煮ずんだ和え

甘海老紹興酒漬け

ぶどうの白和え

大間の鮪の握り寿司  大間の鮪のお造り  赤身  中トロ

帆立進上の変おり揚  野菜の天婦羅  抹茶塩

たつぶりの鮪節でとつた旨だし  牛しゃぶ  野菜

漬け鮪  薬味  白飯  吸い物

りんごの淡雪チーズ

There is a live performance of the Tsugaru Shamisen (三味線) being held in the lobby by the national champion Kohei Shibuya (渋谷幸平) and the ryokan staff who received his guidance. Tsugaru Shamisen is distinct from other shamisen music, and is characterized by percussion-like playing techniques, mainly "tapping".

In order to deliver the unique sound that comes from the instrument to the guests’ ears, the music is played live and does not pass through a microphone. While listening, guests can also enjoy looking at the large mural "Shunjuhato" (春秋波濤) by Japanese master painter, Matazo Kayama (加山又造).

After a good rest, breakfast that incorporates local ingredients and recipes are offered in the morning. The ryokan uses scallops, bonito with green onions and miso to prepare Tsugaru's local cuisine Kaiyaki miso (貝焼き味噌). The fragrant scent is stimulating to the appetite.

Apple and Grape Juice

Chicken and Tofu Meatball, Carrot, Shiitake Mushroom, White Radish, Lotus, Okra

Mackerel Grilled with Miso Paste

Tofu  Pickles

Scallop, Shimeji Mushroom, Green Onion

Tsugaru Koginzashi Needlework is popular among handicraft fans and young women because it can arrange beautiful symmetry patterns in a modern style. The ryokan has prepared an original paper “bookmark making” experience that anyone can easily do. Guests can take the completed koginzashi bookmark as a souvenir too.

• Room package for two (including dinner and breakfast) - 94,700 yen