Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Ryota Kappou Modern

This Japanese restaurant is led by Chef Ryota Kanesawa, striving to offer Japanese cuisine in kappou style, using seasonal ingredients, and integrating culinary techniques from his wide experience traveling around the world. Located in On Lan Street, it has been awarded Michelin 1-star status.

Having reserved our seats at the counter, we were fortunate to sit right in front of the stage kitchen, to enjoy the great theatre of Chef Ryota and his team preparing the dishes while savouring the meal. The décor is contemporary and chic, with marble counter and high chairs, in a dark-coloured setting. 

We had chosen the Re-Edition Premium Menu ($2,480 each), which included a small bottle of house sake, under the brand of Manotsuru from Obata Shuzo in Sado, Niigata. It was a nice sake to pair with the food, and so I did not order the sake pairing as a result.

The first course was Foie Gras Monaka with Pistachio, Raspberry and Cognac Jelly. It was simply a piece of art, with the presentation so nice and appealing. The foie gras was first piped onto a wrapping film and then the sous chef rolled it to cylindrical, before cutting into thick slices. She then piped a pistachio paste on top, and then decorate with some fresh and dried raspberry, and some edible flowers and petals. She then took out a monaka, or Japanese rice cracker, placed a cognac jelly peel on top, before placing the foie gras and dusting with a bit of shaved yuzu. Eating with one big bite, the feast of flavours and texture was fantastic, with the rich taste of the foie gras balanced with the sweetness from the raspberries, the pistachio giving a slight nutty note, and the cognac jelly miraculously reduced the fatty feeling. The monaka had a crunchy texture to contrast with the creamy foie gras. A perfect ten.

The second course was Abalone Chawanmushi. Before the course, the chef showed us the different types of mushroom he used to prepare the broth, which was amazing with intense flavours, permeating the steamed egg and the bamboo pith and maple oyster mushroom. The abalone also had good texture, with tender bite and original taste. Overall another great dish with the chef successfully illustrated the great flavours of the ingredients to the fullest.

The third course was Lobster White Miso Soup. A large piece of poached lobster meat was put in the bowl and then some steaming hot miso soup was poured, with some red and green chili adding a bit of complexity and bite. The white miso was less intense than the other type of miso, allowing the delicate flavours of the lobster to surface and not masked by the soup. Well-balanced and thoughtful. 

The fourth course was Nippon Seasonal Sashimi, and the chef brought us three assortments of delicacies. The Bluefin Tuna was added with some nori to bring out the umami flavours, and the chef also prepared mashed Japanese yam, delicate with unique texture. Very fresh and tasty. The Kazunoko, or herring roes, had a very crunchy texture. Together with the pickled seaweed, this one was good in taste and serving also as a refreshing transition, to the Botan-Ebi and Ikura. The salmon roes had been marinated with special soy sauce, not too salty but bringing good umami notes. The menegi added a nice fragrance too. The spot prawn was the only thing I had issue with, not particularly fresh with a mushy texture. It was a surprise as all other things were great so far. Knowing that my wife also had the same issue with hers, I wonder what had gone wrong here.

The fifth course was Mackerel Sushi, with the chef first putting a large piece of mackerel with the sushi rice to form a roll, and then he sprayed some oil on the fish and then lightly torched, to energize the fish oil and enhance fragrance. Adding some sesame and caviar on top, before wrapping with a piece of nori, the size of this roll was one of the largest I had eaten, and I also like the traditional Edomae style and the vinegar taste of the sushi.

The sixth course was Bowl of Wonder, and this again highlighted the seasonal ingredients from Japan, including Hokkaido Sea Urchin, Minced Omi Beef, and Squid. Mixing the three together with the sushi rice, with some nori and shiso flowers, the creamy texture and the complex flavours made this another highly enjoyable dish. 

The seventh course was Grilled Crispy Scale Amadai. This was my favorite in the evening, with the chef skilfully grilling the fish so that the scale turned all crispy and edible, while the flesh was still moist and tender. Together with the gingko and radish, and the very tasty dashi sauce, I would like to scoop up every last single drop in the process. 

The eighth course was Wagyu Katsu Sukiyaki Style. The chef had coated the beef with a crust and then seared to the perfect medium rare, and then added some shaved black truffle. The sauce was prepared with an egg yolk and the rich sauce, added some leek and mushroom to recreate the whole sukiyaki hotpot but in a grill version. 

The ninth course was a palate cleanser, with the chef putting some grapes and cherry tomatoes in the cup and adding some yuzu jelly, with a bit of dill and capers as well. Highly refreshing, the sweetness from the grapes and the acidity from the tomatoes integrated nicely with the jelly, which not only able to cleanse the palate, it also helped to remove the heaviness from the last course to prepare for the next.

The tenth course was Kinmedai Udon. The chef put a couple of the raw fish fillet on the udon, the staff then brought out a bowl of hot broth and pouring on top, slightly cooking the Kinmedai. The clear broth was intense in umami flavours, and another great highlight was the udon, with great texture and bite. When we complimented on the quality the chef proudly presented us the pack of udon from Nagasaki, hand made from 100% local grown wheat. Truly wonderful.

The eleventh course was Chestnut Puree with Ice-Cream. The vanilla ice-cream was of the appropriate sweetness, and the highlight certainly was the chestnut puree, which was intense in flavours. The deep-fried sweet potato chips further added a different texture to the dessert. The chef added a bit of aged mirin, and it was also my first time to see this type of prized mirin, bottled like a premium sake. 

The final course was Warabimochi, which was made from warabiko, a starch from warabi, and covered with some kinako, a sort of roasted soybean flour. The texture was nice, bouncy and chewy, and the staff told us that they were made from hotspring water coming from Japan. A good finale for a wonderful meal. 

The service was very good, with the staff attentive, courteous and helpful in explaining the dishes to us. While Chef Ryota might not be very talkative, he was very friendly and when we left, he came out to see us off. The bill on the night was $5,533 and while it was on the high-side, in terms of food quality, service and the overall dining experience, it is still a restaurant I strongly recommend. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Roasted Lobster 烤龍蝦

Ingredients (for 4):

• Lobster - 4 small tails
• Arborio rice - 1 cup
• Onion - 1/2
• Butter - 30 g
• Chicken stock - 300 ml
• Carrot - 20 g
• Brown mushroom - 30 g
• Ham - 20 g
• Butter - 20 g
• Lobster bisque - 200 ml
• Cream - 150 ml

Procedures:

1. Chop the onion finely.

2. Cut the carrot into small pieces.

3. Cut the ham into small pieces.

4. Cut the brown mushroom into small pieces.

5. Heat the pan to high temperature with oil, then put the lobster in the pan-fry until the meat turned white.

6. Turn the lobster over and continue to pan-fry until the shell turns red. Then put on a baking tray.

7. Put the lobster in pre-heated oven at 220 degrees for 3 minutes.

8. Remove the meat from the shell.

9. Heat the pot with butter, and then add the chopped onion.

10. Cook until the onion softened, then add the Arborio rice. 

11. Cook until the rice turns to semi-transparent, then add the chicken stock.

12. Cook until it boils again, then put the whole pot into oven, pre-heated at 200 degrees, to cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it continue to cook for another 3 minutes.

13. Boil some salted water and add the chopped carrot to cook for a short while.

14. Heat the pan with butter, then sauté the mushroom.

15. Add the ham in and continue to cook.

16. Add the carrot and continue to cook.

17. Add the Arborio rice and mix well. Season with salt and black pepper finely.

18. Heat the lobster bisque and reduce to thicken. Add cream and mix well.

19. Put the rice on the serving plate, add the sides, and put the lobster tails before putting some sauce on the side.

Wineshark Go Hiking - Wilson Trail Section 1 衛奕信徑(第一段) 赤柱峽道至黃泥涌水塘

Difficulty: 3/5

Distance: 4.74 km

From: Stanley Gap Road

To: Wong Nai Chung Reservoir

Transportation:

• Take CityBus No. 6 departing from Exchange Square heading to Stanley Market, alight at Wilson Trail station.
• Return by walking down Tai Tam Reservoir Road to take CityBus No. 6 back to Exchange Square.

Date: 26 Nov 2021

The beginning of Wilson Trail starts at Stanley Gap Road, with this section having the distance post from W001 to W008. The initial section is already a stamina-testing climb up Ma Kong Shan. Although the steps are well-paved concrete, the steep ascend means one to make multiple stops to take their breath.

On the way up, and taking a look back, you can see Stanley Bay and the peninsula. As there are no shades on this ascend, proper sun protection is essential. 

After 0.5 km you will reach Ma Kong Shan Viewing Compass, allowing a good grasp of the surrounding landscape and area.

Then the trail becomes a bit rough, so proper hiking shoes would help to transverse. Proceeding you will go through the twin peaks of The Twins. 

Next it is the steep descend. Similar to the way up, it is all concrete steps so the path is well-maintained, but again poses another stamina test to the hikers. Good that it is well-shaded offering a cool way down.

At the end of the steps is the famous Tze Kong Bridge, the intersecting point where one can go to Repulse Bay, Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, or Violet Hill, which is the way to continue.

Another tiring ascend on concrete steps, where one needs to walk for about 1 km. On the way, you can see the luxurious condos in Repulse Bay.

While on the other side in the distance, Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir.

After about 1.4 km of this challenging ascend, you will reach the top of Violet Hill, with the trigonometrical statue marking your success.

The way onward is mostly just descend. There are some sections with the rocky trail a bit difficult to walk. But seeing HK Parkview in the distance means you are also near the destination.

This last section is the most comfortable, and helps you to recharge before the next section. After many flight of steps you will reach Tai Tam Reservoir Road, the end of the trail.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Ho Hung Kee 何洪記

Started in 1974, I remember when I was still in school when first visited this small eatery. It was located near Lee Theatre in Causeway Bay then. But like so many local businesses, they were forced to close because of high rental cost. Fortunately, in 2012, they re-opened again at the current location in Hysan Place. 

Moving into a shopping mall has its pros and cons, and arriving on a Wednesday evening after 8pm we found there were not that many customers. Seated at a booth comfortably, I felt a big difference in the ambience, with a much more contemporary décor, white marble tables and chairs with tiffany blue cushion, and a wall mural reminiscent of branches with golden leaves. 

But to me, the reason for returning was to enjoy their traditional wonton noodles. I ordered a House Specialty Wonton Noodles in Soup 正斗鮮蝦雲呑麵 ($50), while my wife opted for Meatballs Congee 肉丸粥 ($68). The wonton noodles still met my expectation, with the soup intense and full of umami flavours, the noodles bouncy on texture, and the bite-sized wontons good in taste, with the fresh shrimp and pork in appropriate proportion. 

We also ordered Boiled Pork Liver and Pork Kidney 白灼豬腰豬潤 ($158). The overall portion size was good, though there were much more kidney than liver. What I like was that the kidney did not have any weird taste, showing that they were cleaned and processed properly. The liver was also cooked just right, still tender and not feeling chewy. The dipping sauce was good too, with a lot of scallions and some ginger shreds.

We also ordered Rice Noodle Rolls filled with Twisted Cruller 炸兩 ($53). The fried twisted cruller was able to maintain crispiness while the rice rolls was of sufficiently thin, making the whole bite balanced. The cooked soy sauce was a bit too salty for me, but if you are not dipping too much it was still ok. 

The service was decent, with the staff friendly and courteous. The bill on the night was $380 which was reasonable in my opinion. Happy to know that the wonton noodles are still quite good, and perhaps can come again to try their dim sum as well next time.