Wineshark Cooking Class - Deep-fried Chicken with Seaweed 胸肉磯邊炸雞

Ingredients (for 4):

• Chicken breast - 2 pieces (400 g)
• Seaweed - 2 tbsp
• Flour - 100 g
• Water - 100 ml
• Sesame oil - 4 tsp
• Ginger - 10 g
• Soy sauce - 2 tsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the chicken breast into pieces.

2. Mix the flour with seaweed, water and sesame oil.

3. Heat the oil to around 170 degree Celsius, then dip the chicken into the batter and deep fry.

4. Grate the ginger and then add soy sauce to prepare as dipping sauce.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Sushi Saito 鮨さいとう

This Japanese sushi restaurant is located in Four Seasons Hong Kong, the first overseas outlet of one of the famous sushi restaurants in Japan. Awarded Michelin 2-star, the supplies actually are hand-picked by Takashi Saito himself and flown from Tokyo daily. 

We came here for lunch as the dinner service is essentially not available for booking unless you have special connection, and of course currently it is also not available due to government restriction. There are only 8 seats around the sushi counter, and with the social distancing it means only 6 people can be seated anytime, the ambience is one you would find in high-end sushi restaurants in Japan. 

Ordering the lunch omakase menu ($1,780 per person) I also had the Isojiman Brewery Junmai Ginjo 磯自慢 純米吟醸 ($480 per carafe), with the premium sake having a mild taste and a good match for most sashimi and sushi. 

The first course is Monkfish Liver, or Ankimo 鮟肝, with the liver marinated in a fantastic sauce which presented a wonderful umami note. The liver essentially melts in the mouth, with rich flavors on a long length. Very good. 

Next is Scallop, or Hotategai 帆立貝. The chef prepared the scallop in the kitchen, lightly grilled and then served by wrapping a piece of seaweed on it. The size of the scallop is frankly one of the largest I have seen, and even at this size on the bite the scallop did not have any tough fiber. A clear indication of the great quality on the ingredients. 

Starting on the sushi, the first piece is Yellowtail, or Buri 鰤. The chef has marinated briefly the fish in a sauce to infuse with flavors before preparing the sushi. From the way he took just the amount of rice he will from the kitchen to the bucket to use for the pieces to ensure the right temperature, the techniques in putting the sushi together, it is testimony to the skills of the chef. It is a pure pleasure eating the sushi, with the fish very fresh and the sauce spot on to highlight the flavors of the fish. 

The second piece is Gizzard Shad, or Kohada 小鰭. This silver fish has many dark spots and is one of the seasonal fish as well as a signature for Edomae sushi. By itself the fish is quite fishy in taste but the chef has put in vinegar to neutralize it to make it enjoyable. A prized sushi one must try in winter season in my opinion.

Then we have the Tuna in a row, beginning with the Lean Tuna, or Akami 赤身. The deep red meat is marinated in the special sauce for a slightly longer period to allow more time to soak in the flavors, and the result is perfect. Typically this is not my favorite in most sushi restaurants but this one I like very much.

The second tuna is Medium-Fatty Tuna, or Chu-toro 中とろ. Having more fat in the flesh, it has more intense flavors from the fish oil. and a softer mouthfeel than the akami. For me this cut is generally what I would prefer when ordering tuna, as I found the best balance of fish oil and flesh, and this one certainly delivers that wonderful experience.

The third tuna is Fatty Tuna, or O-toro 大とろ. The most prime cut of the whole tuna, it fetches the highest price with the texture very tender and soft, virtually dissolving on biting. Sometimes I found it too oily for my liking, but the cut from this restaurant is so perfect that I could not find excessive fattiness and a truly phenomenal piece. 

Then we have another prized fish, Blackthroat Seaperch or Nodoguro 喉黒. This fish is named as there is a black coloration on the inside of the throat. The taste of the fish in my opinion is quite similar to Kinmedai but got more fat and so a richer flavor, and is another great piece of sushi I recommend if you have the opportunity to try.

Coming next is the Salmon Roes, or Ikura 筋子. The chef has marinated the salmon roes beforehand to give some savory and saltiness, and the most amazing thing happens when I bite into the roes. Not only the flavors are great, but there is seemingly no membrane of the roes, as there is no residue in the mouth biting. I do not know whether it is the quality or some special techniques in preparation, but this is the first time I had such experience. Truly wonderful.

Then we have Sea Urchin, or Uni. This one is of deep orange in color, and the chef has generously put two layers of the sea urchin on the sushi. With a nice sweet taste and not any hint of weird note, the quality of the sea urchin is definitely top-notch and another great one.

Another highly regarded piece follows, Sea Eel or Anago 穴子. The eel is grilled and after making into the sushi the chef brushed some of the homemade sauce which adds wonders to the taste. Eating the eel one would feel it melts in the mouth, as if it is a piece of marshmallow. Another must-try in my opinion.

Then it comes to one that I have been looking forward to, when I saw the chef laid out the different ingredients on the table. My first sushi experience started so many years ago with this piece, Futomaki or 太巻. Of course the ingredients then was much less premium. Seeing the chef put the ingredients on the mat and roll it up before cutting it to pieces, I quickly swallow it in one bite, and the pure joy prompted me the urge to immediately ask for one additional piece.

We are then served with the Miso Soup. The soup is flavorful and rich in umami taste. A very satisfying and fulfilling experience to complete the meal. 

But wait, the chef asked whether we would like to have anything more. I decided to have something else and ordered a Tiger Prawn or Kuruma-ebi 車海老 ($300). After grilling, the chef removed the shell of the prawn in front of us and then cut in half to remove also the intestine, then prepares the sushi. The prawn has a wonderful bouncy bite and a great sweet taste. I have to congratulate myself for making a good choice.

The chef then handed two pieces of Steamed Egg, or Tamago. It is very soft and delicate, but on the flavors it is robust with complexity, with the chef obviously using a nice broth to mix with the egg before steaming it. One of the best tamago I have tasted.

Finally it is dessert and we have a slice of nice Melon. Very sweet and juicy, it completes a great meal and also a wonderful dining experience for both of us. 

Service throughout is good, with the staff attentive and courteous, but in a way there may not be the friendliness one would experience for visiting some of the other 'local' omakase restaurants where the chef (and the staff) would interact with the customers more. 

The bill was $5,410 with two servings of the sake and overall the price is quite high, but considering the quality of the food, the specialty of the ingredients, and the overall experience, it is still one restaurant I believe you should visit at least once. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Spicy Clams Angel Hair 香辣蜆肉天使麵

Ingredients (for 4):

• Angel hair - 4 bowls
• Clams - 24 
• Cooked clams - 1 can
• Mushroom - 12
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Dried red chili - 4 tsp
• Oil - 4 tsp
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Coriander - 4 
• White wine - 4 tbsp
• White pepper powder - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Soak the clams in salty water to allow them to throw out the sands. Then clean it and drip dry.

2. Cut the mushroom into slices.

3. Peel the garlic and cut into slices.

4. Clean the coriander and cut finely.

5. Boil the water and put the angel hair in, cook according to the package instruction. Then remove. Retain two bowls of the cooking water.

6. Heat the wok and add 2 tsp of oil, then add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. 

7. Add the mushroom and cook thoroughly.

8. Add the clams and cooked clams, and then season with coriander, white wine, white pepper powder and two bowls of water.

9. When the clams open, add the angel hair and mix well. 

10. Serve with sparkling some dried red chili on top.

Wineshark HK Restsurant Review - Tate Dining Room

This French restaurant is located in Sheung Wan, part of the Relais & Chateaux network, with members from over 580 hotels and restaurants all over the world by independent owners offering some of the finest hospitality to customers. Opened since 2012 by Chef Vicky Lau, it has been awarded Michelin 1-star status. 

With no dinner service due to government's restriction, we came for lunch instead. After greeted warmly by the staff we were shown up the stairs to the main dining room, and then further led into the private room, where our table was set. The décor has a warm and comfortable pinkish tone, with soft lighting, chic and stylish decorations. Already we felt very cozy and relaxing in the intimate environment.

We had the Festive Lunch Menu ($1,500 each) and I also opting for the wine pairing ($680). We were first served the Petits Sales. One is a chopped Hokkaido dried oyster on puff, and the other is a deep-fried mashed yam. A clear cross-over of French techniques and Chinese ingredients and flavors, not only the taste are great, the presentation and the serve-wares used are also thoughtful. With that I got a good feeling that this meal would be a phenomenal one. 

The Amuse-Bouche is a chestnut soup added with some pieces of Chinese duck liver sausage. A creative dish but the flavors are surprisingly complementary, with the sweetness from the chestnut matches with the savory of the sausage. Very tasty also.

The first course is 'Ode to Mushroom'. It is a tart that contains fresh and dried shiitake mushroom, with pea sprout and fresh herbs. The familiar fragrance and taste of the dried shiitake mushroom enhanced the fresh ones which gives a nice texture, on top of some mushroom puree on the bottom and the crunchy tart base. The wine paired is Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV.

The second course is 'Ode to Scallop'. The large Hokkaido Scallop is lightly seared and then smoked to infuse with a nice aroma, and then added with a creamy scallop and caviar sauce, with some deep-fried Jerusalem Artichoke as garnish. The scallop is of good quality, tender and without any fiber, with the original taste already mind-blowingly good but further supplemented with the cream sauce and the savory notes from the caviar. Very delicious. 

The third course is 'Ode to Kumquat'. The grouper fish is wrapped in kataifi, a special dough of thin, thread-like strands, before deep-frying. The sauce is made with kumquat, in a grenobloise style, together with browned butter, capers, parsley and lemon. The acidity of the sauce is refreshing and livens the fish to another level. The wine paired is Jade Vineyard 'Jade Vintage' Chardonnay 2017. This wine is from Ningxia China, and is very good indeed. I talked to the sommelier for a while about the wine as apparently this is also one of his favorites.

I added the additional course 'Ode to Lobster' ($280). The lobster is from Brittany, cooked perfectly, with a firm texture and great umami sweetness. On the side the leek puree added some light fragrance but the interesting note is for sure the ginger and scallion Sauce, which on the first taste reminds me of the dip we normally have for Cantonese steamed chicken. An innovative way to merge a local flavor with a French ingredient. 

The fourth course is 'Ode to Chicken & Abalone'. The chef uses the chicken stock to cook the rice and mixed with some chopped abalone, with the flavors fully integrating together. The abalone is tender and not rubbery, and there are also some deep-fried chicken skin put on top for garnish, with everything served in a traditional Chinese tea-cup. Very good dish. The wine paired is Alain Chabanon 'Trelans Blanc' Chenin-Blanc-Vermentino 2014.

There are two choices for the fifth course, and both of us chose 'Ode to Venison'. The venison is from NZ, very tender by using spiced oil to cook in confit style. Accompanying are some peppercorn sauce and aubergine, with also some Sichuan peppercorns as garnish but also can be added to spice up the flavors but can create a numbing effect. The wine paired is Aurelien Chatagnier Saint-Joseph 'La Sybarite' 2018 which goes well with the venison.

Before dessert there is the Refreshing Osmanthus and Pear Delight. The thinly sliced pear is infused with osmanthus to give a floral and refreshing sensation. A delicate cleanser on the palate before transitioning to the dessert.

The sixth and final course is 'Ode to Walnut'. The soufflé is made with walnut and sesame, with a sweetness that is in good balance, and as the maître d' shared, it did reminiscent of glutinous rice ball with sesame fillings. There is also some raspberry coulis and blue cheese mousse to accompany, with the former adding sweetness, and the latter enhancing the fluffy mouthfeel. The wine paired is Domaine Plou & Fils Moelleux 2014.

Overall the meal was amazing, and I am really impressed by how the chef has some smartly integrated the Chinese ingredients and flavors into the French cuisine. The services are also very good, with everyone attentive, friendly and nice, also coming to introduce each course in details. I also like the sommelier coming to introduce the wines as well. 

The bill on the day was $4,444 which consider the food, wine, dining experience and service, I would say is reasonable. A good place to enjoy how the fusion of the two most established culinary countries in the world can create a wonderful occasion. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce 鮮茄肉醬意粉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork - 150 g
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 900 g
• Tomato paste - 170 g
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Mixed herbs - 1 tbsp
• Olive oil - 6 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Black pepper finely - 1/4 tsp
• Spaghetti - 500 g
• Parmesan cheese - 4 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the onion finely.

2. Cut the tomato finely.

3. Smash the garlic.

4. Mince the pork.

5. Cook the pork with some oil until well-done.

6. Add 4 tbsp of oil to the pot, and then use medium heat to saute the garlic.

7. Add the onion and cook until steaming.

8. Add the mixed herbs.

9. Add the tomato and cook until the juices start boiling. Turn to low heat and cover with lid to cook for one hour.

10. Add tomato paste and 1 cup of water. Mix well and turn up to medium heat and cook until boiling. Then reduce to low heat and cover with lid to cook for another hour. Stir well periodically to avoid burning.

11. Add the pork to the sauce, season with sugar, salt and black pepper finely. 

12. Cook the spaghetti according to the instruction on the package.

13. Put the spaghetti in the serving bowl. Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to loosen up.

14. Pour in the meat sauce.

15. Sparkle with Parmesan cheese on top.