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.