Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Nobu Hong Kong

We have visited this restaurant back in 2018, before the hotel has closed down for renovation and returning to its former name. Today, knowing that their famous owner Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has come to HK and will be in the restaurant, we return to try out his fancy in this new space, looking for the surprises he has in weaving South American flavours into traditional Japanese cuisine.

Arriving at Regent Hong Kong, we come to the restaurant, located on the 2/F. The staff greets us warmly and shows us to our table, a comfortable banquette with the amazing night view of Victoria Harbour as backdrop. There are seats at the sushi counter on one side, but unless you are dying for conversation with the chef, there is not much reason to take those. The décor is neat but quite simplistic, more akin to a casual diner.

There is a special menu on the day, Nobu in Town Omakase Menu ($1,888). To pair with the food, I have ordered a bottle of Nobu Daiginjo YK-35 ($1,580) also. This house sake is served in all the Nobu restaurants in the world, smooth and with a good rice flavours. Versatile.

The first course is Sawara Pico de Gallo 鰆魚配番茄洋蔥莎莎. A very good example of the Peruvian influence, the chef has mixed an appetizing salsa, with tomato, onion, some finely chopped green and red bell peppers, coriander, with plenty of lime juice. The acidity is balanced with some sweet mango pieces. The Japanese Spanish mackerel has been torched briefly on the skin to give a bit of smokiness, while the flesh is still raw and soft. Highly appetizing and very delicious.

The second course is Nobu Style Sashimi – Yonten Mori 新派刺身 四點盛. The four sashimi includes the crunchy Tsubugai, with the chef adding a bit of dashi jelly as condiment to give richer umami flavours; the soft Kinmedai with some shredded pickled daikon on the side; an avocado nori taco, with some Uni on top; and the last one being a spicy Toro tartare with some caviar on top. Very different from what you would experience in Japanese restaurants, however the assortment and combination do not feel awkward, with the flavours a good match in fact.

The third course is Omakase Sushi Selection with Awabi Clear Soup 特選壽司配鮑魚清湯. The four sushi includes Maguro, Hirame, Aji, and Ikura. Though cannot compare with the sushi restaurants we frequently visit, they are not bad, with the ingredients fresh and the shari of good texture and appropriate sourness. There is a abalone clear soup on the side to help warm up the stomach, delicate yet flavourful. Still this is the dish I don’t think I will miss.

The fourth course is Seared Scallop Pear Salad Yuzu Dry Miso 帆立貝沙律配日本梨乾味噌. Sandwiched between are pieces of juicy and sweet pear, with the light taste helping to showcase the delicate scallops. With some dry miso and Parmesan cheese to complement with its savoury taste, and some deep-fried burdock shreds to give a contrast in texture, this is a creative dish but the stronger flavours of the miso and cheese has masked the scallops significantly. 

The fifth course is Lobster with Creamy Spicy Shiso Salsa 龍蝦配香辣忌廉紫蘇莎莎. My favourite dish in the evening, the lobster is grilled together with a very delicious and creamy spicy shiso salsa, with good acidity, nice spiciness that excite but not burn the palate, and the fragrance of the shiso permeating throughout. The lobster is very fresh, with firm and bouncy meat, and the sweetness is integrating well with the sauce, complementing each other. Though not exactly look like a typical Japanese dish, it is a must try.

The sixth course is A5 Wagyu Matsutake with Seasonal Mushroom Teriyaki Sauce A5和牛配松茸 時令蘑菇照燒汁. The Miyazaki beef has been cut into relatively thin slices, grilled perfectly with caramelized surface while juicy and pinkish on the inside, seasoned well. The teriyaki sauce is appealing, with good umami and sweetness, and the seasonal matsutake mushroom is also impeccable in quality. Another nice dish.

The seventh and final course is Yuzu Parfait with Shiso Lychee Sorbet 士多啤梨柚子芭菲配紫蘇荔枝雪葩. With plenty of fresh, sweet strawberries inside the white chocolate wrap, the parfait is sitting on a strawberry sauce while on top there is also a shiso lychee sorbet, with a refreshing touch of the herbal and fruit characters. A nice finale, with everything just right on sweetness so not feeling guilty or too indulgent at the end.

Service is good, and Chef Nobu has been walking around the restaurant to greet the customers and take photos. The bill on the night is $5,991 and while it is quite expensive, considering the opportunity to meet up with the legendary chef it is worth coming. For the food and experience, they are just different, and you should not compare with those traditional Japanese restaurants.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Cuisine Cuisine 國金軒

This high-end Cantonese restaurant has two branches, one in The Mira Hong Kong and one in IFC. Having visited a few years back with good memories on the quality of its food, on this Wednesday evening, we return again to TST, to explore whether they continue to keep up its quality and any new experience in offer.

The main dining area is spacious, neatly decorated with an upscale and contemporary design, featuring emerald colour in the chairs and carpet, with dark mahogany walls and the smart use of mirrors to increase the feeling of a high ceiling. We are seated at a circular banquette table on the side.

Instead of the set menu, we decide to go for a la carte, starting with Honey-glazed Barbecued Pork 蜜餞本地黑豚叉燒 ($178 half portion). Specially requested for leaner cut, the BBQ pork does not have much fat but is still juicy and tender. Roasted with a nice char on the edges, glistering on the surface from the honey, the meat is marinated well with a deep flavour. Quite nice.

Then we have for each of us a Deep-fried Crab Claw, Scallop, Minced Shrimp, Pear 梨香百花松葉蟹鉗 ($276 for two). The price should already give a hint that the crab claw is small, but the minced shrimp is at least tasty, with good bouncy texture. There are some scallops mixed with the shrimp meat to add a bit more sweetness, paired with a sweet and sour sauce, with a slice of pear at the bottom. Decent only.

Another appetizer we order is Pan-fried Frog Legs, Premium Light Soy Sauce 本地頭抽煎田雞腿 ($198). The frog legs are quite big and very meaty, pan-fried beautifully to golden brown colour, very good in taste. I cannot stop eating and even want to order another one because of how good it is. Definitely my favourite dish in the evening.

Then we have soups, with each of us ordering our own choice. My wife has picked Double-boiled Pork Lung Soup, Fish Maw, Snow Lotus Seed, Fresh Almond Cream 鮮杏汁花膠雪蓮子燉白肺湯 ($328). Having a very rich almond note, the soup is thick from the fish maw and very delicious, with the pork lung cleaned thoroughly and without any weird taste. The better of the two soups.

My choice is Hot and Sour Soup, Matsuba Crab Meat, Mushroom, Egg White 松葉蟹玉子酸辣羹 ($248). The chef has made a special touch in putting some egg white to the soup, making it smoother on the palate. The soup is certainly spicy, making me sweat profusely. The taste is quite nice but perhaps will not be suitable unless you are a big spicy fan.

The main course is Sauteed Spotted Garoupa Fillet, Morel Mushroom, Dried Flounder Fish, Honey-glazed Yunnan Ham 甫魚蜜餞雲腿羊肚菌炒東星斑球 ($568). On one side of the dish are some sliced Chinese ham that has a good balance of sweet and saltiness, steamed well so that they are not hard and easy to chew. The garoupa fillet is nicely sauteed, tender and moist, with some morel mushroom and asparagus. The dried flounder adds umami and also bridges the flavours of the ham and fish. A creative combination with good effect. Very nice.

For dessert, I have Chilled Mango Pudding, Champagne Gelee, Pomelo, Sago, Coconut Juice 香檳啫喱芒果布甸配椰汁柚子西米露 ($108). A fancy presentation, the pudding is placed on a glass bowl with dried ice, with mist continually seeping out in a surreal manner. Each of the component is nice, and the combination of the different texture of pudding, jelly and sago being the highlight.

My wife has the more traditional dessert of Sweetened Almond Cream, Egg White, Sesame Dumpling 生磨蛋白杏仁茶湯丸 ($78). A good serving of rich almond cream, not too sweet, with the dumpling chewy and delicious. Another good dessert.

The service is decent, with the staff attentive and courteous, and I appreciate they remind us about a credit card discount so that we can enjoy a 15% off, with the bill on the night being $1,949 which is reasonable. A good spot to enjoy some nice Chinese food in a comfortable setting, and they still deliver to my memory of good quality, with some innovative dishes as well.

Wineshark Weekend Cooking - Eggplant and Intestine Pot 茄腸煲

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork intestine - 180g
• Eggplant - 250g
• Pickled vegetables - 20g
• Water - 200ml
• Dried shrimp - 10g
• Ginger - 15g
• Garlic - 20g
• Red chili - 10g
• Chinese leek - 40g
• Basil - 20g
• Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp
• Rice wine - 2 tbsp
• Spicy bean paste - 2 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• White pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Tapioca starch - 1 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Put water into the pot to fully submerge the pork intestine, and then add 1 tbsp of rice vinegar. Heat to boiling and then cook for 10 minutes. 

2. Rinse and then cut into sections.

3. Cut the eggplant into chunks, then soak in water added with 1/2 tsp of rice vinegar to prevent it turning black.

4. Soak the dried shrimp in rice wine for 5 minutes, then drip dry.

5. Cut the pickled vegetables into sections. 

6. Cut the Chinese leek into sections, cut the ginger into slices, and cut the red chili into small pieces.

7. Mash the garlic into small pieces.

8. Heat the pot with oil, and when reaches 170 degree Celsius, add the eggplant in to deep fry for 30 seconds.

9. Remove and drip off the excess oil.

10. Pick the leaves from the basil for later use.

11. Mix spicy bean paste, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper powder together.

12. Heat the pot with a bit of oil, and then add in the dried shrimps to stir fry briefly.

13. Add in the ginger. Continue to stir fry.

14. Add in the mashed garlic and red chili. 

15. Add the mixed seasoning in. Stir well.

16. Add in the pork intestines. Mix well to ensure each piece is turning colour and absorbing the flavours.

17. Add in the eggplant and pickled vegetables, continue to cook.

18. Add 200ml of water in. 

19. When the sauce is boiling again, add in the Chinese leek. Stir well.

20. Prepare the tapioca starch and add in 1 tbsp of water. Then slowly pour in the pot to thicken the sauce.

21. Add basil into the pot. Mix well, turn off the heat, and serve.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Minato

This recently opened Japanese restaurant is located at Great Eagle Centre in Wanchai, offering customers a range of sushi, teppanyaki, and kaiseki cuisine. We come here on a Tuesday evening, with the shoji designs at the door and exterior walls, as well as the art on display, getting me to wonder whether this is another of those restaurants prioritizing environment over food. With some trepidation, we go up the few steps, open the door, and enter into the reception area.  

Here the staff welcomes us warmly and after checking our reservation, shows us through a side door into a room with a L-shaped hinoki sushi counter. The room is not very big and provides a cozy and intimate dining experience, with a familiar light wooden tone often adopted in sushi restaurants. There are two menus, and we have chosen Chef Premium Omakase ($1,588) which has more courses. We are served by Chef Kit on the day.

To pair with the food, I have ordered a bottle of Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute Yamahai Aiyama 農口尚彦研究所 山廃 愛山 無濾過生原酒 ($1,280). This sake from Ishikawa 石川県 has nice fruity notes, rich and also exhibiting nice acidity, making it vibrant and fresh, and suitable to pair with most of the food in the menu. I also applaud this restaurant for its reasonable markup so customers will feel more comfortable enjoying better quality sakes.

The menu starts with some appetizers. In the cup is Mozuku 水雲 with a nice texture and good acidity from the vinegar marinade, highly appetizing. On the spoon the Goma-Dofu ごま豆腐 has rich sesame flavours, with the salmon roes adding a bit of savoury taste. The Satsuma-Imo さつま芋 is very sweet and soft, while the Shirako 白子 has creamy texture, seasoned with a bit of momiji oroshi and shredded shiso leaf. A nice assortment of small bites with good flavours.

Following the appetizers are the sashimi. Chef Kit first takes out the Tai 鯛 which has been wrapped and marinated inside Sakura leaf, then rolling the thinly sliced seabream, one with menegi 芽葱, the other with Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹. The seabream is tender and with a delicate taste, with the flavours enhanced by the two additional ingredients in the roll. The other sashimi is Akagai 赤貝, with the ark shell very sweet and bouncy in texture.

The next course features Chu-Toro 中とろ, with the chef cutting a slice of the medium fatty tuna and then season with a bit of sea salt and wasabi, plus a shiso leaf, before wrapped inside a nori sheet. The tuna has rich flavours, with the fish oil seeping out on bite but not excessive. The shiso leaf helps to reduce the overall fattiness as well.

Then comes Tako 章魚, with the chef cutting sections of the tentacles of the octopus, which has been slow-cooked, resulting in great tenderness and easy to chew. The octopus has also been fully infused with the sauce. Good in taste. While the chef has provided a bit of yuzu sansho as condiment, I do not think it is necessary as the spiciness will over-dominate the whole dish.

The fourth serving is Sawara 鰆. The chef first torches the skin to vitalize the fish oil and also give a bit of smoky flavours to the taste, with some deep-fried garlic, scallion, and myoga 茗荷 to season. The stronger taste condiments might be a bit more tailored towards the local palate, but it is not excessive. Delicious.

The fifth course is the seasonal Sanma 秋刀, with the chef assembling the fillet into a flower shape, then adding shiso flowers, ginger, and scallion to complement. One of my favourite fish, the rich taste of the Pacific saury is memorable, and there are also a generous portion allowing me to enjoy to the full extent. This makes my day.

The hot dish of the day is Grilled Unagi 鰻. Served steaming hot straight from the kitchen, the eel has a crispy skin, with the meat thick but did not dry out. Brushed with a unagi sauce which enhances the umami flavours, it is quite nice. And to offset the heavy body and stronger tastes, the chef has put a pickled myoga on the side to cleanse the palate.

Coming to the part on sushi, there are 6 pieces overall, with the first being Shima-Aji 縞鯵. After kneading a sushi with the striped jack mackerel, the chef puts some finely chopped shallot marinated in yuzu vinegar on top to season. The more delicate taste is stimulated by the citrusy and acidity of the vinegar to wake up the palate again.

The second piece of sushi is Buri 鰤, with the chef adding a bit of 三星漬 as condiment to the matured Japanese yellowtail. The fish is getting fatty so there is a good richness, and the slight spiciness of the pickles, plus the umami, offers robust and all-rounded flavours in this sushi.

The third one is the prized Kuromutsu 黒鯥. The bluefish is a deep-water fish with good fattiness and rich flavours. The chef has torched the surface to vitalize the fish oil to enhance the fragrance further, and then add some grated karasumi 唐墨 on top, providing umami and a bit of saltiness as seasoning. Very good.

The fourth piece is Botan-Ebi 牡丹蝦. After cleaning up the spot prawn the chef has prepared a paste from the prawn head to put that back on the sushi as condiment, combining the sweetness and softness of the prawn meat with the umami and intense flavours of the prawn tomalley.

The fifth piece is O-Toro 大とろ, where the fatty tuna is tender and soft on the bite, having a good richness of fish oil. The chef shared that they do not put the tuna under a prolonged ageing process, and at most will only age for 3-4 days, to enrich the flavours but not to take the risk and also compromise the appearance.

Next comes a sushi roll, with the chef scooping up a generous amount of Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹 and together with some shari, wrapped inside a nori sheet, presenting like an ice-cream cone. The sea urchin is sweet and without any weird taste, and while some people might not want the seaweed to mask the flavours, I have no issue at all.

Before going to teppanyaki, I ask the chef for an additional Iwashi 鰯 sushi. Very rich in taste, the sardines take a lot of effort to remove the bones and might not be able to fetch a high price, so it is becoming less and less popular for restaurants to offer nowadays. This one certainly makes me satisfied and fulfilled.

The Teppanyaki is Wagyu Beef from Miyazaki, nicely grilled with a caramelized surface while pinkish on the inside, tender and juicy. The beef is paired with a bit of rock salt along with some deep-fried garlic pieces on the side as condiment. We like this one as the beef is not too fatty, yet flavourful. 

The Tamagoyaki 玉子焼 is a fluffy egg omelette, made from mixing eggs with shrimp and other seafood. Not too sweet and quite nice.

Instead of the usual miso soup, we are offered the soup in teapot. The clear dashi broth has an elegant fragrance, double-boiled together with maitake mushroom and some seafood. By adding a few drops of lime juice, the flavours are enhanced even further.

Finally for dessert, it features the seasonal Japanese fruit of melon and persimmon. The melon is sweet and juicy, while the persimmon offers a nice crunchy bite.

The overall experience is very casual and enjoyable, with the chef and staff interacting with us throughout the meal, and the food quality is also quite good. The bill on the night is a very reasonable $4,233 after a 15% discount as member of Brilliant by Langham. A nice place to enjoy Japanese cuisine, and next time will try out its teppanyaki.