Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Arcane

This Michelin 1-star is located on 3/F of 18 On Lan Street, the building with many other famous Michelin restaurants like Nagamoto, Zest, Mono, and RKM. My last visit was in 2020 in the midst of COVID, and today we come back to experience again this Shane Osborn’s restaurant.

Right after the reception on the left is the open kitchen with a number of seats serving as chef’s table for those who want to witness the actions and a closer interaction with the chef and team.  On the side are some high tables fit for enjoying some aperitif before the meal.

We are seated in the main dining area, on the window side looking out to other buildings. The wooden floor and the dimmer lighting creates a comfortable and relaxing ambience, with a bar on the other side. There is also an outdoor terrace reminiscent of a secret garden, but not for the current hot weather.

The Arcane Menu ($1,388) with 5-glass wine pairing ($788) starts with a champagne for the first two courses. Champagne Maison Mumm RSRV Cuvee 4+5 NV has a coded name representing four years of ageing in cellars, with the grapes from five historic grand cru terroirs. Clean, it has fresh citrus and white fruit notes supplemented with roasted almond and yeast.

The first course is Taiyouran Egg Chawanmushi. The egg custard has a silky soft texture, delicate in taste and supplemented with a layer of jelly made from mushroom stock, plus crème fraiche and ‘kaviari’ oscietra caviar on top, giving a bit of buttermilk and savoury taste. Some quinoas are also added to provide a contrast of a crunchy bite to the steamed egg. A nice starter.

The second course features some very sweet Japanese Fruit Tomato with rockets pesto to balance with some savoury and herbal notes. On the other side is a Tart in a strip form, with Macadamia Ricotta and black olive on top, and some Cevennes Onion puree underneath. Along with some fine herb salad, it has nicely combined different taste in a harmonious manner. Very good.

The second wine pairing is Domaine Gobelsburg Gruner Veltliner from Kamptal in Austria. It is an easy-drinking wine with fresh, zesty acidity and lime characters, with a bit of stone fruit of nectarine and spices. A lighter wine to pair with the delicate taste of the scallop in the next course.

The next course features Raw Hokkaido Scallop, sliced thinly to pair with a dressing made from grapefruit and ginger flower, providing good acidity to complement the sweet taste of the scallop. With some whipped cod roe to give a bit of salty flavours, and some sea asparagus as condiment with its crunchy texture, it is appetizing and delicious. Very good.

The third wine pairing is Stonier Chardonnay 2022, from Mornington Peninsula in Australia. Having a much richer palate, the white wine has seen some maturity in oak. With plenty of citrus and ripe pear in addition to the creamy and biscuit notes from malolactic fermentation, it is a good match with the richer sauce served with the gnocchi.

The fourth course is my favourite in the evening. Featuring Sauteed Potato Gnocchi, with a soft texture but also good bite, the pasta has a rich Yellow Wine Sauce together with Cep puree Vinaigrette, some Confit Pencil Mushrooms and Shaved Truffle. The earthy fragrance of the mushroom and truffle is a good match with the sauce and all together a wonderful feast of flavours. No wonder this is the signature of the restaurant.

To pair with the main course of beef, Colle Massari Montecucco Rosso Riserva 2018 from Tuscany is used. The Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon blend has a nice cherry note on top of the dark fruit, along with sweet spice, robust with good tannin to go well with the heavier sauce and meat.

The fifth course is Mayura Wagyu 7+ Rump Cap, with the beef cooked to the perfect medium rare, tender and juicy. On the side there are some Roasted Grelot Onions from Italy and Maitake, together with Yuzu Kosho Corn Puree to give a bit of peppery flavours supplemented with citrus, and Café de Paris Emulsion, a traditional flavoured buttery puree mixing herbs, spices and savoury ingredients to go with the steak. Another good dish.

For the desserts, the Oremus Tokaji Aszu 5-Puttonyos 2014 is paired. The Hungarian sweet wine has a rich honey and tropical fruit bouquet, along with fig and orange zest. While very sweet, it also has wonderful acidity to balance so the wine is fresh and not cloying, with a bit of mineral on the finish too. A nice complex wine to enjoy with a variety of desserts.

The sixth course is Yuzu and Lemon Posset, creamy and having nice citrus fragrance. With some White Chocolate Tuile to provide a contrast of texture, the Blood Orange and Yoghurt Ice Cream has a delicious mix of flavours while appropriate in sweetness. A nice dessert to wrap up the meal without going too heavy.

The petits fours include Mango Passion Fruit Pate de Fruit, Vanilla Canelé, and Miso Chocolate. The canelé has a caramel crunchy crust while soft on the inside and is one of the best I have in HK, very good indeed. The pate de fruit has a refreshing citrus acidity, serving well to stimulate the palate before enjoying the rich chocolate with interesting miso flavours supplemented with sesame. 

Service is good, with the staff friendly, joyful, and helpful. Apart from the tasting menu, the restaurant also offers a la carte menu to cater for different needs or occasions. The bill on the night is $3,997 and, in my opinion, quite reasonable. It might not have the sophistication or glamorous environment like some other Michelin restaurants in town but offers a solid dining experience. Happy to return again.