Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Octavium

To celebrate my wife’s birthday, I book this Michelin 2-star restaurant, located in One Chinachem Central. In my last visit two years ago, both of us have a wonderful time, with the fantastic white truffle dishes still giving us a mouth-watering memory till today. 

Tonight, we are seated at the L-shaped sofa at the corner, having nice space and intimacy, enjoying the full view of the restaurant, and looking out the window to the commercial buildings in Central. The same vibe with the familiar luxury comfort, the atmosphere remains as pleasant as I recall.

We take the 8-course Degustation Menu ($1980 each), with also the complete wine pairing ($860). There are two Amuse Bouche, with the first one a Puff with Cauliflower Fillings, on the surface is a thin slice of Guanciale Ham, a specialty made from pork jowl. The ham is very thin with a nice savoury taste, not too salty, and goes well with the puff with the creamy cauliflower puree.

The second Amuse Bouche is Tuna Tartare Tart, with the diced marinated raw tuna very tasty, nicely seasoned with a bit of fresh herbs, and on top are some caviars to increase the umami notes, supported by a crunchy tart base. Another good canape. 

The first course is Imperial Oscietra Caviar, with the chef using some thinly sliced red daikon to hold the fresh, diced scallop, then adding an abundance of caviar on top with some small greens. The burrata cheese dressing is rich and creamy, with a bit of chive oil to enhance the flavours. Very nice. The wine served is NV Charles Le Bel ‘1818’ Brut, a traditional blend Champagne with good acidity and vibrant freshness, with a nice toasty and citrus note. 

The second course is Foie Gras, very beautifully presented with a gold foil wrapping the creamy and tasty foie gras inside, which has steamed and cooked with sake and miso. On top are some elderflowers, Champagne jelly and Chasselas grapes, with the acidity of the grapes helps to balance the indulgence from the foie gras. There is a piece of brioche toast to go with the foie gras too. Delicious. The wine served is 2020 Fritz Haag Juffer Riesling Kabinett, a Mosel off-dry Riesling with a sweeter note to pair with the rich foie gras, with also its signature petrol aromas despite its young age.

The third course is Australian Blacklip Abalone ($280 addition to substitute the Hokkaido Abalone). The large abalone is meaty, with a good bite and flavourful. Together with artichoke and long pepper, the slight nutty and earthy tone is complementary with the umami taste of the abalone, while the black truffle does not dominate the flavours. Quite good. The wine served is 2020 Domaine du Pelican, a Chardonnay from Arbois. With bright citrus, there is also a rich almond note and mineral finish. 

The fourth course is Spaghetti Chitarra. The pasta is fantastic in texture, with a wonderful bite. Mixed together with some fresh and sweet sea urchin, deep-fried garlic pieces, some chives, and a creamy sauce made from scorpionfish stock, it is pure culinary delights with each ingredient harmonized and integrated. A must order. The wine served is 2021 Santiago Ruiz Albarino, having nice floral, minerality and white peach characters. 

The fifth course is the signature. The Spanish Red Prawn ($280 addition to replace the ravioli) is big in size, smoked, having some homemade dried scallop as condiments together with some bottarga butter. Not sure whether it has been cooked for quite some time, I found the prawn just lukewarm in temperature. Also, the piece of toast to scoop up the essence from the head is very greasy. Sadly, a big contrast to the good memories from my last visit, and perhaps we should just stick to the ravioli instead. The wine served is 2020 La Gibryotte Gevrey-Chambertin, and the Pinot Noir also did not go well with the prawn head, resulting in a fishy aftertaste. 

The sixth course is Aged Pigeon. Having been dry-aged for 28 days, the pigeon breast is beautifully seasoned, very delicious with some black truffle and hazelnut, further enhancing the fragrance with a bit of nutty notes. The wild radicchio is trimmed to a disc-shape, with the crunchy texture giving nice contrast to the tender pigeon. Very good. The wine served is 2018 Togni Rebaioli 1703, a Nebbiolo with nice earthy and savoury characters pairing well with the pigeon. 

The seventh course is Omi Beef. The cattle are raised in Shiga prefecture, considered the top three among Japanese beef. Very nicely seared and juicy, the beef has less marble fat, much to our liking. On the side is some deep-fried veal tendon, having a nice bite, together with some freshly shaved black truffle. Very good. The wine served is 2017 Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino, with a nice red fruit, oaky note, smoky and lots of herbs, pairing well with the beef. 

The eighth and final course is Japanese Strawberries. The strawberries have been cooked to a soft texture, in a nice strawberry juice dressing, with caramel crisps, meringue that is made to a flower shape, and on the side a nice mascarpone cream and rose geranium ice-cream. Nice finale. Not included in the wine pairing, I have an additional wine for this dessert. The 2021 Marco Capra Moscato d’Asti Bricco delle Merende ($80) has a slight fizzy mouthfeel and not too sweet, suitable for the pairing with the strawberries. 

The Petits Fours include Madeleine, Lemon Jelly, and Chocolate Praline. All delicious and with the right sweetness, pairing well with the Double Espresso ($70) to wrap up the meal. 

Service is good, with the staff friendly and attentive. While they all did explain each course to us, I would hope they can go a bit deeper into the details of the ingredients and cooking techniques. The bill on the night is $6,798 and is reasonable in my opinion. Overall, it is still a nice restaurant, but somehow, I do not have the same excitement or urge to return like my previous visit. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Tomato Sauce 番茄汁

Ingredients (for 4):

• Canned tomato - 1
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Carrot - 4 oz
• Onion - 4 oz
• Bacon - 4 oz
• Thyme - 1 tsp
• Bay leaves - 2 pieces
• Cayenne pepper - 1 pinch
• Salt - 1 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Procedures:

1. Peel the carrot and cut into small cubes.

2. Cut the onion finely.

3. Cut the bacon into small pieces.

4. Cut the canned tomato into small pieces.

5. Heat the saucepan with olive oil, then sautee the onion and carrot. 

6. Add the bacon.

7. Add in the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and turn to low heat to cook for 30 minutes.

8. Blend the mixture and then season with cayenne pepper, salt and white pepper powder.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Deep Fried Seafood Cake with Tomato Sauce 炸海鮮餅配茄汁

Ingredients (for 4):

• Shrimp - 4
• Fish fillet - 8 oz
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp
• Onion - 4 oz
• White bread - 2 slices
• Milk - 3 oz
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Parsley - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• White wine - 2 tsp
• Egg - 1
• Dill - 1/2
• Flour - 1 oz
• Egg - 1
• Bread crumbs - 1 oz

Procedures:

1. Soak the bread in milk, season with salt, until it disintegrates.

2. Remove the shell from the shrimps, and then mince. Mince the white fish fillet also.

3. Sautee the onion with oil until fragrant, then remove to cool down.

4. Mix the bread, minced shrimp and fish, onion with white pepper powder, parsley, lemon juice, white wine, egg and dill together. Knead and smash repeatedly. 

5. Form a cake shape and then coat with flour.

6. Dip into whisked egg and then coat with bread crumbs.

7. Heat up the pan with oil, then pan-fry the cake until each side is browned and well-cooked. 

8. Serve with the tomato sauce.

Wineshark Cooking Class - French Brejaude 法式椰菜煙肉湯

Ingredients (for 4):

• Lamb cubes - 8 oz
• Bacon - 2 oz
• Water - 2 lb 8 oz
• Carrot - 1/2
• Onion - 1/2
• Parsnip - 1
• Leek - 1
• White cabbage - 1/4
• Potatoes - 2
• Salt - 1.5 tsp
• Black pepper finely - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the bacon into small cubes.

2. Trim the fat off the lamb pieces, cut into cubes.

3. Peel the carrot and cut into slices.

4. Peel the parsnip and cut into slices.

5. Cut the leek into slices.

6. Cut the onion into strips.

7. Cut the white cabbage into slices.

8. Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters.

9. Blanch the lamb cubes in water. Then remove and clean.

10. Heat up the pot of water and then put in the lamb and bacon cubes. Cook for one hour.

11. Add in all the vegetables and continue to cook for 20 minutes.

12. Season with salt and black pepper finely. Then serve. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Morton's of Chicago

This is a classic American steakhouse, first started in Chicago in 1978, and has now grown to 63 outlets in US and overseas. The HK branch is located at Sheraton Hotel in TST, and my first visit was almost twenty years ago, joining a senior executive of my company who hosted a dinner with some guests here.

The night is the eve of Lunar New Year, and the restaurant is fully occupied. The ambience did not change much, with dim lighting, plush carpet and nice table size, offering comfortable seating. Though packed it is not that noisy, and for those fortunate to get the window seats there is also the fantastic Victoria Harbour view to accompany the meal.

After ordering a glass of Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs ($150) and a mocktail Passion Show ($70) as aperitif, we are served the signature onion bread, which is very soft, with a nice butter to go along. Even though it is quite big, we almost finish the whole in one go before the appetizers arrive.

The Jumbo Lump Crab Cake ($240 each) is very good, with the crab cake truly jumbo in size, the largest one I have eaten. Beautifully pan-fried with a brown crust, the crab cake is stuffed with delicate and sweet crab meat. Paired with a roasted lemon to give some acidity with a smoky touch, and a nice mayonnaise, this one is fantastic in taste and in my opinion one of the must order dish.

The Caesar Salad ($155) is more straight forward, with the Romaine lettuce crunchy and fresh. The dressing is also nicely done, sufficient to coat the lettuce and give a nice flavour while not excessive, with the crunchy croutons and plenty of shaved Parmesan cheese complementary. The portion size is also very large, allowing us to split to two and each of us still having a good serving.  

Ordering a glass of Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon ($350) to go with my steak, I have ordered the Signature Cut Prime New York Strip ($828), cooked to medium level. The large piece of steak is of 20oz, very juicy and tender with the right amount of lean and fat, and seasoned wonderfully. It will take a big stomach to eat the whole portion though, and recommend you to order the smaller serving or to share if possible. Might seem simple, but it is one of the best steaks I have tried. 

My wife has the leaner Center-Cut Filet Mignon ($698) instead. For the ladies this one also is a bit big in size, of a generous 12oz. The steak is very tender, and I would recommend having this one to medium rare to medium at most to ensure it does not get too dry, as otherwise that will significantly reduce the enjoyment. 

For the side dish we have Sauteed Spinach & Button Mushrooms ($120) and Lyonnaise Potatoes ($140). The spinach is young and not fibrous, and the mushrooms having a nice earthy taste which also goes well with the wine. 

The potatoes are sliced and deep-fried before cooking together with plenty of shredded onion and some bacon, very delicious. Both the side dishes are also big in size so I would suggest ordering just one for two persons. We ended up having to pack half of each back home.

For dessert I have Morton’s Coffee ($130), a signature beverage similar to Irish coffee, but instead of whisky, it uses Amaretto and Baileys Irish Cream, as well as dark crème de cacao, to mix with the coffee, then topped with a thick whipped cream, with some cinnamon on the glass rim. A nice dessert drink but quite strong in alcohol so need to be aware.

My wife has the Mixed Berries ($130) which has an abundance of fresh berries, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. Sweet and flavourful. 

Service is good, but there is not much explanation of the dishes. The bill is $3,692 and if you like steak, this is a good option to enjoy a nice one, and to experience the vibe of a classic American steakhouse.