Wineshark Cooking Class - Steamed Giant Grouper 清蒸花尾龍躉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Giant grouper - 600 g
• Ginger - 10 g
• Spring onion - 2 
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Fish sauce - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• White pepper powder - dashes
• Water - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Clean the fish descale, remove the insides and clean the blood.

2. Cut the ginger and spring onion into thin strips.

3. Mix the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, white pepper powder and water.

4. Steam the fish under high heat for 8-9 minutes. Remove the fish juice after steaming.

5. Heat the soy sauce mixture, and then pour on the fish.

6. Heat the oil and then add the ginger to slightly fry for a short while, then pour on the fish. Spread the spring onion on top.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Stir-fried Bitter Gourd with Frog 涼瓜炒田雞

Ingredients (for 4):

• Bitter gourd - 600 g
• Frog - 600 g
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Red chili - 2
• Ginger juice - 1 tbsp
• Chinese yellow wine - 1 tsp
• Corn starch - 1/2 tsp
• Spring onion (white section) - 3
• Soy sauce - 1 tsp
• Oyster sauce - 1 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Sesame oil - dashes

Procedures:

1. Clean the frog and chop into pieces, then marinate with soy sauce and ginger juice for at least 30 minutes. Then mix well with corn starch.

2. Cut the bitter gourd in half, and remove the seeds and pulp. Then cut into strips.

3. Blanch the bitter gourd strips in hot water for about 1 minute, then remove into cold water. Drip dry right before stir-frying.

4. Cut the garlic into slices.

5. Cut the spring onion (white section) into sections.

6. Remove the seeds from the red chili and cut into pieces.

7. Heat about 2 cups of oil under medium-low heat, then pour in the frog pieces and deep-fry for about 8 seconds before removing.

8. Heat the wok to high heat, and add 2 tbsp of oil. Add the garlic slices and stir-fry to fragrant.

9. Add the bitter gourd, red chili and salt to cook for about 1 minute.

10. Add the frog pieces and sprinkle with Chinese yellow wine, then add oyster sauce and sugar. Then add the spring onion section and stir well. Season with some sesame oil before serving.

Wineshark Go Hiking - 香港仔樹木研習徑

Difficulty: 1/5

Total Distance: 2.73 km

From: 灣仔峽道遊樂場

To: 香港仔樹木廊

Date: 28 Jun 2020

Transportation:

• Take NWFB No. 15 and alight at Wan Chai Gap Road / Peak Road.
• Leave via Aberdeen Reservoir Road and walk down to Hoy Au Lau.

Walk along Mount Cameron Road and shortly turn right to Aberdeen Reservoir Road and walk downhill. 

At the junction where there is a smaller path branching out from the Aberdeen Reservoir Road, take that path and instead of concrete road this section is mainly dirt path and stone steps, with good shades so even in the midst of summer it is not too hot.

Soon the path rejoins the Aberdeen Reservoir Road and continue along the road towards Aberdeen Upper Reservoir. 

At the next junction where there is a signpost, taking the path towards Aberdeen, this section has less shades but still with the breeze it is still fairly comfortable. There are many fitness stations along the path which one can do some exercise as well. 

Very soon you will reach the end of the trail and one can walk down towards Hoy Au Lau to take the public transportation to leave. Overall it is a very easy walk and people of all ages can handle without problem. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Dong Lai Shun 東來順

This restaurant originates from Beijing, renown for its mutton hot pot, and this branch in HK is located in the basement of The Royal Garden in TST. Arriving on this Saturday evening we saw that the restaurant was almost full, and many of the VIP rooms were also occupied, clearly showing the popularity. 

Seated in the middle of the restaurant, the decor was fairly neat and modern, with some stylish lighting fixtures and a red backdrop at one end giving a nice touch of design reminding me of joy and happiness. 

Ordering the special menu to celebrate the restaurant's 4-star achievement in 2020 at Forbes ($690 per person), the first course was Jellyfish Tossed with Scallion, Chilled Green Bamboo Shoot, Crispy Eel in Honey, and Mutton Terrine 蔥油海蜇頭、涼拌烏筍、無錫脆鱔、水晶羊肉. The staff came to explain the dish and the recommended sequence of eating. The mutton terrine is good, pairing well with the aged vinegar provided. The jellyfish got a crunchy texture, marinated well and the addition of a bit of mustard helped to bring out the flavors even more. The green bamboo shoot, which I believe was celtuce, is tender and not having any grassy note, and the sesame oil helped to give an extra dimension of flavors while not masking the original taste of the celtuce. The last was the crispy eel which got the sweetness and savory matching perfectly, and the ginger shreds truly enhanced the overall culinary pleasure. 

The second course was Wok-fried Crabmeat and Rock Lobster with Salted Egg Yolk on Rice Crackers 鶴湖蟹影. Very beautifully plated, there was a sculpted crane in the middle of the plate. And after taking the photos, the staff then served it on a plate for us. The generous portion of crabmeat and rock lobster meat had been cooked together with the salted egg yolk, surprisingly retaining its delicate fresh taste and not dominated by the more intense salted egg. The chef also creatively prepared the ginger tea, which typically are provided in a cup, into a jelly format which also resembled a crab. This one was my favorite among all the dishes in the evening. 

The third course was Shredded Bean Curd Soup with Pan-fried Spring Onion Cake 文思豆腐羹配芝麻薄餅. This one was a good showcase of the skills of the chef, with the bean curd and other ingredients cut so thinly that it was just like hair. The broth was very tasty also, despite a bit salty on its own, but together with the spring onion cake it was just appropriate. 

The fourth course was Deep-fried Garoupa Fillet with Savory Crisbean and Stir-fried Garoupa Fillet with Wild Mushrooms 左右逢魚. The garoupa fillet was prepared in two styles, and while the the deep-fried version got more intense flavors, I preferred the stir-fried one with the truffle paste matching well with the wild mushrooms and asparagus, and the fillet also tender and seasoned well. 

The fifth course was Poached Shanghai Brassica with Bean Curd Sheets 百頁小唐菜. A more commonly seen dish, the vegetable was young and tender, and cooked perfectly to keep the crunchy texture while not too hard. The supreme broth used was able to impart great flavors to the vegetable and bean curd sheets. A nice way to also cleanse the palate for the next dish also. 

The sixth course was Braised Noodles with Yunnan Assorted Mushrooms 雲南野菌手擀麵. This is another of my favorite in the evening, with the hand-made noodle having a great chewy bite, and having absorbed the flavors from the braised mushrooms and the sauce. A good wrap up for the meal and I honestly would like to have more for my portion. 

The dessert was Steamed Peach Gum and Egg White with Young Coconut Juice 椰皇玉露蛋白燉桃膠. The peach gum is a natural, healthy food, which did not have much taste. But adding that to the steamed egg white, which was smooth and favored by the sweet young coconut juice, it created a nice combination and contrast of flavors and texture. 

The service was decent, with the staff attentive and friendly. The bill was $1,600 which was quite reasonable considering the venue, food and services. I would like to return to try out the mutton in hot pot, to see how great that is, maybe in the winter time. 

Wineshark Wine Tasting - Domaine du Bagnol

I visited this estate in the summer of 2018. After the really relaxing private cruise touring around the area of Calanques and a fantastic lunch at the Michelin 2-star La Villa Madie, we arrived at Domaine du Bagnol, to sample the famous rose from Provence.

The wine of Cassis has a long history. Archaeological excavations have dated its presence since Roman times and the first texts mentioning vines dated back to the Middle Ages. Originally, they grew in Courton, at the foot of Cap Canaille and the castle overlooking Cassis, near the beach of the Arena.

Domaine du Bagnol takes its name from the district where it is located, being one of the oldest in the Cassisden region. The municipal archives of 1430 mentioned vines in the Bagnol district and it was in 1867 that the first formal trace of the property of Marquis de Fesques, known as the Bagnol, appeared.

The modern history of the estate began in 1997 when Jean-Louis Genovesi bought it. In 2003, his son Sebastien, came to take over. Gradually he instilled his determination to preserve the authentic character of the Bagnol, both in terms of the terroir and the vinification of wines, in particular white wines. Today, his Marquis de Fesques cuvee is the flagship wine.

The motto of the domaine is to work in the most natural way possible. The first vintage labeled organic farming was produced in 2014, but the conversion was started three years earlier.

In Bagnol, all the soils are clay-limestone, a heritage from the colluviums and alluviums of limestone rocks which are variously marly depending on the location. They also benefit from an extreme brightness because of a strong natural sunshine, added by the reverberation born from the marriage of a circus of white cliffs and clear soils. The intense radiation promotes quality thanks to an even better photosynthesis.

Finally, the Bagnol takes advantage of sea breezes in the evening, with is quite cool accentuated by the depth of the Mediterranean in the cove of Cassis and by the coldness of underwater springs.

Visiting the winery we saw the estate was busy clearing up the space to get ready for the coming harvest. After that we were shown to the vineyard and looking at the different varieties grown, including Marsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault.

Returning to the tasting room I sampled all the wines in their range, and decided to buy a bottle of rose. The 2017 Rose has a light salmon color, with a light strawberry and cranberry, custard apple, iris and blossom, as well as stony and waxy aromas. The palate has nice refreshing acidity, with a lightness and toasty flavors supplementing the red fruit and apple characters, plus a fairly long length on the finish. 

Wineshark Wine Tasting - Bodegas Ordonez

Long ago, the town of Toro was famous for producing the finest red wine in Spain and was mentioned in the historic literature of Alfonso IX, Juan Ruiz the Archpriest of Hita, Quevedo, Luis de Gongora, and Miguel de Cervantes. In 14th century Sevilla, the sale of any foreign wine was prohibited, save the wines of Toro. These wines also accompanied Spanish explorers to the New World.

The legendary Duero River plays a very important role in the history of D.O. Toro. The Duero deposited Toro's characteristic sandy soils in this region thousands of years ago. These sandy soils allowed D.O. Toro to completely resist the phylloxera plague, and as a result, Toro was the only Spanish region that completely resisted the phylloxera, and is home to the highest concentration of ungrafted vines in Spain.

Jorge Ordonez is Toro's most important modern pioneer. When Jorge first traveled to Toro in 1991 he discovered no more than five cooperative wineries. He also found acres of incredible pre-phylloxera vineyards, planted on their original rootstock. In 1995, Jorge first traveled to Toro with the Eguren family of Rioja, in hopes of founding a winery with them.

In 1997, Bodegas Numanthia was founded by Jorge and the Eguren family, and become an icon for this historic region and the production of world class wines from authentic vineyards. By the time Jorge and his associates sold Numanthia to LVMH in 2007, there were 85 other wineries in D.O. Toro attempting to emulate the success of Numanthia.

After the sale of Numanthia, Jorge founded Bodegas Ordonez, his personal project in D.O. Toro. One of the wines produced by Bodegas Ordonez, Triton, is considered by many to be Toro's finest value. As Ordonez himself says, it is an honor and privilege to produce wines from the oldest clones of Tempranillo, planted and cared for with the most traditional methods of viticulture. At Bodegas Ordonez, Jorge pioneers and champions D.O. Toro as one of the world's finest red wine regions.

Vatan and Vatan Arena is the pure representation of the oldest clone of Tempranillo in Spain, from some of the oldest ungrafted vines in the country, located in the only Spanish D.O. that completely resisted the phylloxera plague.

The 2012 Vatan has intense aromas of blackberry, plum and dark cherries, with also nice notes of prune, vanilla and toast from the oak, and good earthy and some nutmeg characters. The palate is powerful, with good structure, lively acidity and good concentration of flavors and a fairly long length on the finish. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Amy's Kitchen 天樂餐廳

This traditional HK style western restaurant is located in Western District on HK Island, offering the famous 'soy sauce cuisine' which became a specialty style in town, with one of the most well known restaurant being Tai Ping Koon. Knowing that the late owner used to work there and brought with him the recipe, we came tonight to try out its different signature dishes.

The restaurant is pretty small in size, with a few tables but plenty of warmth, and actually by 7 pm it was already fully occupied, with many diners frequent customers, and Amy, the late owner's wife, and the other staff able to greet many of them by names, showing how popular this restaurant is, and also the relationships they are able to cultivate throughout the years.

The first one we tried was Stir-Fried Rice Noodle with Shredded Pork 乾炒肉絲河粉 ($88). Steaming hot, this is a fantastic example of how we would call 'wok steam'. The chef is able to stir fry the rice noodle and everything under high heat, with the rice noodle distinct and not sticking to each other. The bean sprout, spring onion and shredded pork providing contrast in texture and the seasoning was also spot on. If you prefer the sweeter soy sauce style one I think it would be equally good too. Good one!

Next we had the signature Swiss Sauce Chicken Wings 瑞士雞翼 ($68 for 4 pieces). Very good in taste, the use of the sweet soy sauce and other herbs to create this wonderful Swiss sauce obviously contributed to the great flavors, but the chicken wings I like those from Tai Ping Koon more because of the firmer meat texture. A bit subjective, yes. Nevertheless I would still rate this dish a good one because the sauce was so amazing.

Then it was another of their signature, Amy's Kitchen Deep-fried Stuffed Chicken Thigh with Dried Apricot 天樂甜心雞卷 ($148). The story goes that originally the chef used raisin for the stuffing but upon the recommendation by celebrity Cherie Chung, changed to apricot. The chef used a chicken thigh and removed the bone, then stuffed with dried apricot before deep-frying, to get a crispy skin and the apricot slightly jammy. There was also a special sauce from made from mustard and cream which also paired well with the chicken and the fettuccine. A creative and interesting dish worth trying.

Last we had the Souffle 焗梳乎厘 ($78). Yes, it took quite a while to prepare but I would say the wait is well-worth. Beautifully presented, the souffle is fluffy, with the outer part golden brown and so appealing, while the inside is airy on texture. The sweetness is also appropriate for me, and I could not resist scooping it non-stop, with my wife complaining I had eaten most of it in no time. Definitely worth ordering.

The bill on the night was $382, which was very reasonable and honestly I nearly asked Amy to check the bill when I first saw that. Yes, it was not located in the prime commercial or shopping area, but seeing how the restaurant decided to offer a much more fair price for customers and how the interactions go during my experience as a new customer coming, I can understand how the restaurant has built its loyal clientele over the years, and what made this restaurant special - the heart.