Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Kona

This Japanese kappo style restaurant is located in Tai Hang, just outside of Lin Fa Temple. 

Coming sharp at 6pm, we were seated at the counter and able to see the chefs in action. The decor has a Japanese ambience with a cozy, using plenty of wood and stone to highlight the traditional elements while creating a hip and cool atmosphere.

I ordered a bottle of Hiwada Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo ($868) to start. And recommended by the staff, also the Raw Oyster from Nagasaki Konagai ($88). Very creamy and fat, the chef had added some shaved ice made from yuzu vinegar to further freshen up, and the briny and sweet taste of the oyster is really wonderful. In season and best in quality, I strongly recommend you to try it out. 

Next we had Chilled Oden-Marinated Momotarou Tomato ($78). The tomato has been soaked in broth for hours to infuse with flavors, and together with its own sweetness and refreshing acidity is a great salad. The yogurt sauce is also an innovative complement, instead of using mayonnaise. A signature of the restaurant and worth trying too. 

Hearing that there are fresh surf clam, we had the Seared, Herb Soy Surf Clam ($368). Seeing the chef opens the clam we can already feel how lively and fresh it is. After cleaning he cut into slices before serving. By adding a few drops of lime juice, the surf clam has a great bouncy texture, full of umami and sweetness. The chef also prepared a light soy sauce added with myoga, or Japanese ginger, which greatly complements with the taste. Very good indeed.

Continue on the starter comes Deep-fried Glass Shrimps ($88). The small shrimps are lightly coated with flour and then deep-fry to golden color, and then sprinkled with a bit of rock salt. Crunchy in texture, the shrimp is indeed rich in flavors and this is a wonderful side dish for beer. 

Trying the warm dish, we had the Lobster Simmered with White Miso with Turnips ($268). The lobster is small but tasty, with the miso broth not salty and infusing a nice taste to the turnips and burdock. I also like the idea of putting a few sansho leaves which adding a bit of spicy and good fragrance. In the end I also finished up the broth because of its good taste. 

The other warm dish is another signature - Zuwai Croquette ($88), which has crab meat and cream as fillings. The crust is thin and having an appealing golden brown color, and the fillings are rich with the creamy crab meat. A sense of warmth and comfort upon eating, no wonder this remains a popular choice for diners.

Switching to skewers, the first we tried is Kona Wings ($88 for two pieces), with the chicken wings deboned and sprinkled with Japanese salt and pepper. With the meat tender and juicy, what I suggest is to reduce the amount of salt by a bit and it would be perfect. 

Next is Shishitou Pepper with Crispy Soy ($40 each). The pepper is young and soft, not having the grassy note in the green bell pepper. The crispy soy is a nice condiment, with a bit of savory note added to the peppers. 

Continuing with Japanese Yam ($40 each), the chef had added some ume soy and shreds of shiso to add to the taste. The ume has its unique taste which together with the fragrance from the shiso is a good fit for the mild flavors of the yam. 

The last skewer we ordered is Kashiwa Chicken Thigh ($52 each), with sesame red miso for dipping. The staff reminded us to dip on the underside as the skin has been grilled to crispy texture and should not be affected by the sauce. A kind reminder to allow us to enjoy the chicken thigh to the full, it is very juicy and tender, perfectly seasoned and even without the sauce it is a great skewer.

Finishing with a noodle, my wife ordered the Inaniwa Udon ($88) while I opted for French Duck Breast Nanban, with cold green tea soba ($158). The hot dashi soup has a few leek which has been roasted to increase the flavors, and dipping the green tea soba soaked up the broth while not making the soba soggy. The duck breast is tender and flavorful, and is a great finale to a wonderful meal for me.

Service is very good, with the staff attentive, friendly and eager to explain each dish for us, making sure we can enjoy each dish to the best. Although the restaurant is small and located in a rather in a quiet neighborhood, it still draws in lots of customers, testimony to the quality. The bill was $2,688 which was reasonable considering the amount of food we had, as well as the sake I ordered.