Wineshark Cooking Class - Pan-Fried Onion Pork Chop 洋蔥豬排

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork chop - 4 (around 800g)
• Onion - 1
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Marinade
• Egg - 1
• Salt - 1/3 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• White pepper powder - 1/5 tsp
• Tapioca starch - 1 tbsp
• Flour - 1 tbsp
• Seasonings
• Shaoxing wine - 1 splash
• Salt - 1/3 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Ketchup - 3 tsp
• Worchestershire sauce - 1 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper finely - 1/5 tsp

Procedures:

1. Mix the pork chops with all the marinade (except soy sauce).

2. Add soy sauce to the pork chop and mix well. Then add 1 tbsp of oil to coat the pork chops. Put in fridge to marinate for 4 hours.

3. Cut the onion into shreds.

4. Mince the garlic finely.

5. Mix the seasonings (except Shaoxing wine).

6. Heat the pan with oil, then pan-fry the pork chop for about 30 seconds. 

7. Flip the pork chop over and continue to pan-fry for another 2 minutes.

8. Flip the pork chop over and continue to pan-fry for another 2 minutes. Then remove.

9. Leave some oil at the pan, then pour in the shredded onion to pan-fry.

10. Add in the minced garlic. Then splash with Shaoxing wine. 

11. Pour in the seasoning sauce and mix well. 

12. Put the pork chop on the serving plate, and then pour the onion shreds on top.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Duddell's

It was 2018 when I last visited, and this restaurant continues to win the prestigious Michelin award since its opening. Located on Shanghai Tang Mansion in Duddell Street, it has two floors, with the main dining area on the 3/F, where we are seated.

The restaurant has a nice cozy ambience, with comfortable sofa seats on the window side, smart use of brass frames on the window to allow the natural light to come in while creating a contemporary vibe. The western setting creates an interesting contrast with the authentic Cantonese cuisine. 

Ordering a bottle of Ministry of Clouds Tasmania Chardonnay 2019 ($920) to go with my dinner on the night, we started with Duddell’s Appetiser Selection ($168 per person), picking Honey-Glazed Barbequed Pork, Crispy Pork Belly, and Marinated Jellyfish with Cucumber and Vinegar. The crispy pork belly is very good, with a thin layer of crispy skin and well-marinated pork belly underneath. The best though is the barbequed pork, and I would rate it as one of the best in town, with very soft and juicy texture, marinated perfectly, glazed beautifully on the surface with a slight char but not excessive. On the other hand, the jellyfish was a bit disappointing, with the vinegar not really seeped through making them bland and tasteless, and the cucumber also has the same problem. Perhaps not having sufficient time to marinate?

For the soup, I have picked Minced Fish Broth with Fish Maw ($298) while my wife has Double-Boiled Chicken Soup with South African Abalone, Wolfberry and Yam ($388). My soup has a nice fragrance from the mandarin peel, but is under-seasoned. While I think perhaps the chef wants to highlight the delicate sweetness of the fish meat, with the fish maw already not having much taste on its own, the soup overall does not have enough flavour. Fortunately, the chicken soup helps to rescue some marks, as my wife love it very much. 

There are a few chef’s recommendations we have ordered, including Steamed Garoupa with Egg White and 20 Years Huadiao ($298 per person). The fillet of the fresh garoupa is steamed to perfection, fully cooked yet still soft and tender, with some chopped spring onion to add to fragrance and some gold foils to decorate. The wonders also come from the egg white, silky smooth with the right proportion of milk and supreme broth added, very tasty and delicious. The finishing touch of the huadiao sauce enhanced with amazing aromas. Very good and definitely worth trying out. 

Another recommendation is Deep-Fried Crab Shell stuffed with Fresh Crab Meat with Hokkaido Milk ($278 per person). Served on a nice crab-shaped holder, the nice golden-brown crust already starts my mouth watering. The stuffing was great in taste, with the onion adding a sweetness to the crab meat, and the clever splash of milk bringing forward the flavours further. A slight criticism is that the crab shell is a bit cool down, which I believe is because they are only served after we finished the prior dish. Otherwise, the overall taste will be even better. 

The Braised Bean Curd with Shrimp Roe and Bamboo Pith ($248) might seem an ordinary dish, but doing it right still requires a lot of skills. The bean curds have absorbed the flavours from the sauce, added with plenty of shrimp roe to enhance the umami note. The bamboo pith has been cooked well, with a clean taste and also taking the flavours from the sauce. The mushroom and choi sum are equally good too. 

For dessert, I picked Baked Sago Pudding with Chestnut Paste ($68) while my wife has Mixed Bean Sweet Soup ($68). The sago pudding is very good, freshly baked and steaming hot, with the chestnut paste rich in flavours. Even though a bit too sweet for me, with the balance of the sago pudding it does not feel excessive and I enjoy very much. The mixed bean sweet soup is decent as well. 

Service is good, but like virtually all Chinese restaurant the staff did not explain the dish to the diners, which to me is always the missing opportunity to build further connection with the chef, on the choice of ingredients and how the food is prepared and cooked. The bill on the night is $3,898 and considering the overall experience, a reasonable price. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - The Steak Room

This restaurant is located on 1/F FWD House 1881 in TST, the former marine police headquarter that has been redeveloped into a boutique hotel and several restaurants, but nicely maintaining the cultural heritage and different elements that revitalized the whole complex.

Featuring a high ceiling and slanted tile roof, chandeliers, wooden window frames and floor, with many old photos on the walls, the whole ambience offers a cozy, comfortable dining experience which we feel like going back to the 60s. 

We have chosen the 5-Course Dinner Tasting Menu ($1,118 each), plus the 4-glass wine pairing ($500). The first course was USDA Beef Steak Tartare, with the raw beef seasoned well, tender and delicious. The runny Mango Yolk in the middle adds sweetness and flavours to the tartare, with some thin crisps on the side to give a contrast in texture. A nice starter. The wine paired is Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits. 

My wife has chosen Hokkaido Scallop for her starter, with a crispy Applewood Bacon wrapping different Herbs in the middle. Nicely seared with caramelized surface, still moist and soft in the middle, the scallops are delicious, with a piece of roasted pineapple underneath to give a balancing acidity. 

We both picked ‘New Orleans’ Style Crab Cake for our second course. The large crab cake has a beautiful golden brown colour thin crust, with very delicious, plentiful crab meat fillings. The classic remoulade sauce further adds richness and flavours to the crab cake, with the edible flowers serving as a touch of genius visual appeal. My favourite dish in the evening. The wine paired was Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne.

For the soup, I have chosen TSR Signature Boston Lobster Bisque. The very rich lobster bisque has certainly abundance of flavours from the crustacean, with also the fragrance of cognac in the background, as well as a large piece of lobster meat in the soup to top up the whole enjoyment. 

My wife has the Traditional Baked Onion Soup, with the browned shredded onion cooked beautifully with the beef broth to make the delicious, highly aromatic and hearty soup, served in a casserole in the traditional style. It is difficult to pick which of the two soups are the better one. 

The main course for me is USDA Beef Striploin. The 10oz steak is grilled beautifully, seared with caramelization on the surface, with the flesh cooked to medium rare as per my request, juicy and flavourful. The staff provided a rack holding different types of salt for seasoning, introducing those which are best matched with the meat. With the roasted garlic and tomatoes on the side, the wine paired was Sarget de Gruaud Larose, second wine from Chateau Gruaud Larose of Saint-Julien. 

For my wife, she has taken the Jumbo Tiger Prawns. The two huge prawns are grilled nicely, though was a bit under-seasoned, paired with a butter sauce. Our main courses are served with French Fries and Baked Portobello Mushroom, good complements to the meat. 

Coming to dessert, I have picked Cow & Goat, which is Selection Cheese Platter, with Dried Apricot, Grapes, Water Cracker on the side. The cheese is decent but not particularly impressive for cheese fanatics. The wine paired was Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino, which to me was not that perfect in matching. 

My wife has chosen the Black Forest Cake, with Sour Cherry, Chocolate Sponge, and Kirsch Cream. A more artistic and creative presentation, the cake is not too sweet for her liking, and is a great finale to the nice dinner. Comparing the two, I would recommend choosing the cake over the cheese.

Finishing with a cup of coffee, the bill on the night was $3,245 which is reasonable. The service is decent, though the staff did not explain the dishes and missing that critical element to build better connection between the diner and the food. I hope the restaurant can look into this, but overall still a good place to enjoy some nice food in a historic location, a mini-haven in the middle of the busy TST area.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Cafe Siam

This Thai restaurant is located on Forbes Street in Kennedy Town, which has been opened since 1999, offering authentic Thai flavours to customers. On this Saturday evening we came early, and got a good seat at the corner. 

The décor has a bit of dated look, with a tuk tuk in the restaurant, right in front of the bar. On the other side is a semi-open kitchen where we can get a glimpse of the chef and his team preparing the dishes.

We have Chef Johnny’s Platter ($189) to start, which includes Fried Prawn Cake, Spring Roll, Grilled Chicken & Pork Satay, served with Achar, Tamarind and Sweet Chili Sauce. A large portion suitable for four persons, there are also some prawn crackers on the side. Each of the snacks are quite nice, with the satay being my favourite, marinated well and the meat was not dried after grilling.

If I have to pick, the Tom Yum Goong ($109) is the best among those we ordered. Asked to be less spicy, the soup has Jumbo Shrimp, Coconut Milk, Shallot, Chili, Cherry Tomato, Oyster Mushroom, Thai Herbs & Spices, with its rich and great complexity of the flavours really amazing. I believe the normal spiciness would make it even better. A definite must order.

We also have Bangkok Style Roasted Duck Red Curry ($149) with Pineapple, Cherry Tomato, Thai Eggplant, Long Bean, Basil, Coconut Milk. The curry is not spicy, with a nice sweetness and appealing for all ages. The duck breast was good, but in my opinion the pineapple pieces are the most delicious. The portion is very big so we ended up not able to finish all. To pair with the curry, we had two servings of Steamed Thai Rice ($44) but the rice was so wet it was like gluey lumps. A setback. 

Services are good, with the staff friendly. Together with a Fresh Young Coconut ($55) and a Tuk Tuk Draft Beer ($78), the bill on the night was $686. The dishes in fact are very reasonable in price, but the rice and drinks are a bit over. Still worth to come and try out, especially the Tom Yum. 

Wineshark Cooking Class - Sweet and Sour Pork 菠蘿咕噜肉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork rump - 300 g
• Salt - 1 tbsp
• Onion - 1/2
• Green bell pepper - 1/2
• Red bell pepper - 1/2
• Canned pineapple - 1
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Soy sauce - 1/2 tbsp
• Rice wine - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Egg - 1
• Flour - 2 tbsp
• Tapioca starch - 2 tbsp
• Red vinegar - 4 tbsp
• Red sugar - 4 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the pork rump into small pieces.

2. Soak the pork in 500ml of water, adding 1 tbsp of salt, for 30 minutes.

3. Cut the onion into petals.

4. Cut the green and red bell pepper into pieces.

5. Drain the water from the canned pineapple, and cut the pineapple into chunks.

6. Drain the water off the pork, then marinate with minced garlic, soy sauce, rice wine and sugar for 15 minutes.

7. Mix the red vinegar with red sugar, until the sugar fully dissolves.

8. Whisk the egg and add to the pork.

9. Coat the pork with the mixture of flour and tapioca starch. Heat 200ml of oil to 180 degree Celsius, then put the pork in to deep-fry for 3 minutes, under medium heat. Cover with lid. When steam comes out from the lid, turn to low heat.

10. Flip the pork over, raise to medium heat again and continue to deep fry for another 3 minutes.

11. Remove the pork, drip off the oil, and keep for later use.

12. Heat the wok with 1 tbsp of oil, then pour in the onion petals to stir-fry until softened.

13. Pour in the sauce and continue to stir-fry until it thickens.

14. Add in the red and green bell pepper. Continue to stir fry briefly.

15. Add in the pork pieces. Continue to stir fry until the sauce is stuck onto the meat, and no sauce is left at the bottom.

16. Add in the pineapple and mix well. 

17. Serve.