Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sushi Takeshi

Hearing that a Japanese sushi restaurant has just opened at The Mira Hong Kong, today we come to try it out. Sushi Takeshi is located on the G/F of the hotel, and the staff are already waiting at the entrance to greet customers. After a short wait, sharp at 7pm, we are led to one of the rooms, served by Chef Alvin Leung. 

The room has a sushi counter which can accommodate seven customers. Neat but without much fanfare, the counter allows two sushi chefs to work simultaneously but Chef Alvin has no problem handling all the seven customers by himself. After a short while all the seven customers have arrived, and the dinner promptly begins.

There is only one Omakase Menu ($2,380 per person), and I also have a bottle of IWA 5 Assemblage ($1,380). The famous sake is made in partnership with the former chef de cave of Dom Perignon, Richard Geoffroy, using a combination of different rice, yeast, and fermentation to create an assemblage of clean, floral and fruity sake with good balance.

The first course comprises of Madai 真鯛 and Hatsugatsuo 初鰹. The Japanese Sea Bream has a nice texture, with delicate and clean taste, best with a bit of wasabi and shoyu. The Skipjack Tuna is the first batch caught in the season and has been marinated briefly in shoyu. Matched with some shredded raw onion, it is very delicious. 

The second course is Kaki 牡蠣 with Caviar. The Oyster comes from Aioi 相生 in Hyogo, has a creamy texture and good sweetness. The chef has thoughtfully cut the oyster in half to make it easy to eat even for a lady. On top are some large, prized French caviar, like mini black pearls, to provide a delicate saline to serve as seasoning. 

The third course is the seasonal Hotaru-Ika 蛍烏賊. The Firefly Squids are large and grilled on skewer, served right after to retain the temperature. With a bit of shichimi to give a bit of spicy flavours, the rich taste of the squid is memorable. I can easily finish several skewers if we can encore. A must try.

The fourth course is Amadai 甘鯛 Tempura with turnip and water chestnut sauce. The chef has prepared the Tilefish using the method to deep-fry the scales to make it stand and edible. Very nicely done to make the scales crispy while the flesh is still tender and moist. The seasonal spring vegetable has a slight bitter taste and helps to freshen the palate. 

The fifth course is Ankimo 鮟肝, with the Monkfish Liver coming from Yoichi 余市 in Hokkaido. With a bit of wasabi to season, the chef has also arranged some Narazuke 奈良漬, the traditional pickled watermelon from Nara Prefecture, which is the perfect condiment for the creamy, rich taste of the monkfish liver.

The sixth course is Grilled Mehikari 目光魚. The fish is called Green Eyes because of their large, sparkling greenish blue eyes. The deep-sea fish has a rich taste, and after grilling the fish oil is very fragrant and delicious. With a bit of mashed radish that has been seasoned with a bit of plum sauce, it is another great Sakana.

The seventh course is Hamaguri 蛤, and the chef has blanched the Asia Hard Clam to perfection, cooked but not rubbery, with fantastic umami flavours. Paired with some seasonal Takenoko 筍, the young spring Bamboo Shoot is tender and has delicate flavours. There are some sansho flowers to give a bit of numb spiciness too. Really good.

Then it begins the sushi part of the dinner. The first piece is Kinmedai 金目鯛 Sushi. With its signature bright red skin, the Splendid Alfonsino has a tender texture, with delicate and refined taste which is rich in umami.

The second piece is Hokkigai 北寄貝 Sushi. The Surf Clam has a crunchy bite, and unlike most of the other sushiya here the chef has put the inner part of the clam facing up in making the sushi. The clam has a good, sweet taste and very delicious.

The third piece of sushi features the beautiful Shima-Ebi 縞海老 from Hokkaido. The Grey Prawn is a prized ingredient, best in season now, with a soft texture and very sweet. The chef has kept them alive just before preparing the sushi to ensure its freshness to the best.

The fourth piece is Aji 鯵 Sushi. With a shiny silvery skin, the chef has added a bit of scallions to the Japanese Horse Mackerel to bring out the flavours even further. Even though it is not the fattest yet, it is already super delicious. 

The fifth piece features Akamutsu 赤鯥. The Rosy Seabass is a deep-water fish with rich fattiness, and after grilling to vitalize the fish oil, the chef has used a nori sheet to hold the fish and shari, which has been mixed with sea urchin, to avoid making our hands greasy, adding some Japanese yam to balance.

The next trio comes from the same Maguro 鮪 caught in Nachikatsuura 那智勝浦 at Wakayama, weighing 133kg. Starting with Akami 赤身, the Lean Tuna has been briefly marinated in shoyu, with a shiny sheen and incredibly smooth, like sliding down the throat. Wonderful in umami.

The seventh piece is Chu-Toro 中とろ. The Medium Fatty Tuna has richer fish oil and flavours, a good mix between fatty and lean, allowing the best of the two to be experienced together. My favourite cut in general, this piece does not disappoint.

The eighth piece is O-Toro 大とろ, with the chef using Jabara 蛇腹 , the part behind the jaw of the tuna. There are no veins so the meat is soft and more refined than the normal Fatty Tuna, with a fantastic taste and essentially melts in the mouth. Very good.

The ninth piece features Kuruma-Ebi 車海老. The Japanese Tiger Prawn is alive and only blanched in hot water briefly before serving. With the outside cooked and inside still raw, it is served slightly warm, with great sweetness and full of umami.

The tenth piece of sushi features two types of sea urchin, Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹 and Shiro-Uni 白雲丹. The chef has prepared a gunkan roll, with the sweeter Bafun Sea Urchin in the middle and the stronger flavour White Sea Urchin on top. Both clean in taste, the ‘double-decker’ is a treat for all sea urchin lover.

The eleventh sushi is Futomaki 太巻. The Roll has many ingredients, including conger eel, tiger prawn, minced tuna, pickled radish, kanpyo, cucumber, and egg. A true feast of flavours and the colourful roll makes us happy and feel contented. The portion is also quite a lot so I do not need to order additional pieces.

The Miso Soup helps to warm our stomach, which has good umami taste and not overly salty while the Tamagoyaki 玉子焼 has fluffy texture, similar to a sponge cake. Made from a paste of fish, prawn, egg, and Japanese yam., the chef has baked it on water bath to create this nice Egg Omelette.

Dessert is Strawberry and Matcha Warabimochi 蕨餅. The strawberry is sweet while the homemade matcha dessert has a Q-texture and a nice chew, not being too sweet as well. A happy and highly enjoyable meal. Both of us are very satisfied. 

Service is good, with the staff friendly while the chef has nice chats with the customers. The bill on the night is $6,754 and considering the overall experience and food quality, it is worth to pay for the price. It is another of the in-town sushi restaurant that I would recommend, and will look forward to return again to try more of their seasonal delicacies. 

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Mandarin Grill & Bar

This steakhouse is in Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong and has been a Michelin-starred restaurant for many years. Unfortunately, in the recent 2025 edition it was taken out from the award list. Having visited a few times with good memories, today we returned to Mandarin Grill & Bar at the end of the long Easter weekend to see what had happened.

Arriving in the early evening the staff led us to our table on the window side. It was a quiet evening, and we were the first group of customers. The area still has the same décor, with neat white tablecloths, comfortable soft velvet chairs, as well as the see-through kitchen at the back, though it has a much slower business nowadays.

Taking the Sunset Tasting Menu ($1,888 per person, including one selected beverage), I also ordered a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs ($284). Two Amuse Bouche were served, one was Smoked Salmon Cone, with mashed salmon inside, topped with pike roe for poppy texture. The second one was a Green Peas Tartlet, with the small peas tender and sweet, together with peas puree inside. Among the two, the latter one was my preference.

The first course was Starter, with Ivy going for King Crab and Caviar Tin. Signature of the restaurant, inside a tin the chef had put the Alaska king crab meat, leek and green peas at the bottom, with a layer of prized oscietra caviar on top, surrounded by some green peas and squid ink puree. The savoury of the caviar added to the delicate sweetness of the crab meat to provide a nice combination of flavours. Very good.

I had the Homemade Smoked Salmon instead. Carved on tableside, the smoked salmon were thinly sliced, and there were different condiments available, where I picked capers, onions and chives. With a squeeze of lemon juice, it was delicious, with the smokiness just right and not overpowering the flavours. It could see a bit of additional salt to enhance the taste though.

The second course was Soup, with Ivy picking Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Oven Roasted Tomato. The gazpacho was rich with flavours, the tomatoes having sweet taste yet balanced well with the acidity, highly refreshing and a perfect soup for summer season. As she generally did not like cold soup, seeing her enjoying it indicated how good it was.

For me I chose Lobster Cappuccino and Crystal Caviar. On the cup was the hot lobster bisque with deep flavours and having a layer of foam on top, while on the side was lobster meat served with caviar in a small tin. The chef recommended me to enjoy the lobster meat first before drinking the soup, as if it was a cappuccino. Compared with the one I tried the week before, the bisque was not as rich and flavourful, but still good in taste.

The third course was the Main, and we opted for Beef Wellington ($488 supplement per person). The tender filet mignon was cooked medium rare, wrapped in bacon and a paste of mushroom, all encased in a beautifully baked puff. Together with a truffle sauce it was super tasty. On the plate there were also some caramelized onion and deep-fried local kale, together with mashed potatoes and sauteed beans on the side.

Before going to desserts there was a small glass of Digestif, which was made from a blend of healthy ingredients including apple, kale, ginger, and beetroot. Having refreshing acidity, but also balanced with sweetness, the drink helped to reduce the heaviness in stomach and got us ready for the desserts.

The fourth and final course was the Desserts, with me going for Basque Cheesecake. The cake had a nice, caramelized top, with the rich cream cheese lighter, looser and airier than the New York style cheesecake the hotel’s cake shop was famous for. On the side was some fig compote as condiment. Delicious.

As Ivy would like to go for some fruit, the staff helpfully arranged a Fruit Platter instead of the options on the menu. With an assortment of fresh fruit, there was also a raspberry sorbet on the side. Another interesting thing was the serving plate, which got fluid inside. I believed the plate was chilled to keep the food on top at a low temperature.

The Petits Fours were Pistachio Chocolate and Liqueur Chocolate. Both were nicely done, and pairing with a cup of espresso allowed me to finish the meal with content.

Service was very good, with the staff very professional and helpfully explaining the menu at the beginning and introducing the dishes throughout the meal. The bill on the night was $4,050 after deducting a $500 voucher and 25% discount from Central+ membership. While the food was good, it somehow did not feel as exciting from prior visits. Perhaps they might need to redesign the menu and find that special element to differentiate.  

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Epure

We would be moving to another apartment in two weeks, so I spent the whole Easter holidays busy packing. To reward ourselves for the hard work, I went to Epure to enjoy a decent meal. It was almost five years since my last visit to this Michelin 1-star restaurant, and today we returned to this French restaurant in Harbour City.

Through the glamorous entrance the staff took us to our table, on the window side looking at the terrace. The setting had not changed, with soft lighting creating a cozy ambience, comfortable seating, and a large walk-in cellar displaying many wines inside. We decided to go for the Full Set Menu ($1,888 each), and I also had the 6-Glass wine pairing ($1,380).

For the pairing of the three canapes, the first wine served was Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut NV. A refreshing champagne with a floral, fresh citrus nose supplemented with good buttery brioche and vanilla notes. Well-balanced with crisp acidity.

The first canape was Comte and Truffle Beignet, with the soft and airy puff made from bamboo charcoal and truffle, infused with some melted 24-month Comte cheese of rich and savoury taste, finishing with a Vin Jaune jelly on top to give an oxidative, nutty and cheesy touch. A nice starter.

The second canape was Ama Ebi with Shiitake and Guanciale. Served on a crunchy tartlet crust were the raw Japanese sweet shrimps with some charcoal grilled shiitake mushroom, plus some cured pork cheek to provide a touch of saltiness and savoury, along with a creamy Hollandaise sauce. On top were some crispy fried shreds for additional texture. This was our favourite one among the three starters.

The third canape was Sea Urchin with Jerusalem Artichoke and Nori. Also served on a crunchy tartlet crust, the chef had put the Niigata sea urchin on a shiso leaf with some shredded nori, together with a puree made from the artichoke, and then covered by a transparent shoyu ponzu jelly on top like a glass lid. Rich in umami and flavours.

The second wine was Domaine Valentin Zusslin Les Chapelles Riesling 2020 from Alsace. It had nice floral characters, with green apples and some peach notes. The nice minerality and good acidity matched well with the more delicate taste of the fish.

The first course was Shima Aji with Nashi Pear. The striped jack was served in sashimi style, covered with some fresh Japanese nashi pear that were beautifully cut into flower petals shape, with some prized ossietra caviar on top. The delicate taste of the fish and pear was complementary and did not mask each other, while the sauce, made from yuzu and green apple juice with shiso oil drizzled, was aromatic. Very good in both taste and presentation.

The second course was Landes White Asparagus with Egg Yolk and Pike Roe ‘Kimizu’. The seasonal French white asparagus were very tender, paired with the Japanese kimizu sauce made from egg yolk and rice vinegar, with some pike roe added for a poppy texture. On the side was poured some cold white asparagus soup for enhanced flavours and some small leaf-shaped crumbs for a crunchy mouthfeel. Very delicious and one of my favourites in the evening.

The third wine was Domaine Arnaud Baillot Saint-Aubin Premier Cru Le Charmois 2020. A fresh Chardonnay with refreshing citrus and floral notes, plus some almond characters. The palate had good structure and there was a hint of spiciness on the finish.

The third course was Maine Scallop with Vinaigrette Perle and Sauce Mariniere. The scallop was seared beautifully to golden brown, before slicing into three pieces, with the middle part still moist and soft. Underneath was a delicious white wine sauce with shallots, with some caviar and vinaigrette pearls to provide savoury and acidity for a perfect balance. The sauce was so good I almost asked for more bread to savour the last drop.

The fourth wine was Jean-Paul et Charly Thevenet Morgon 2022. This Beaujolais producer embraced organic farming for decades and the Morgon had bursting sweet red fruit characters, and the signature Gamay bubble gum characters. Its good acidity was essential to balance the richness of the chicken and the sauce.

The fourth course was Three-Yellow Chicken ‘cuit en croute de riz’ with Black Truffle and 30 years Aged Shaoxing Wine. The chicken breast was cooked in a rice crust to retain an amazing tenderness, with some crispy chicken skin on top, along with some prized black truffle for its fragrance. On the side was a Shaoxing wine sauce for additional aromas and flavours. A perfect combination of French techniques with local ingredients.

The fifth wine was Roblet-Monnot Pere et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Village 2013. A well-balanced Pinot Noir with nice red fruit and some spiciness, not too tannic, and was a good match with pigeon and veal. 

The fifth course was Pigeon with Beetroot and Maqaw Pepper Mignonette. A good portion with two pieces of Brittany pigeon breast slow cooked before grilling to perfect medium rare, with the thigh prepared in confit style. The chef had used the liver to prepare ravioli on the side, supplemented with beetroot jelly and pickled onion to provide acidity. The Taiwan pepper sauce gave a hint of comfortable spiciness, while the consommé was thoughtfully arranged to reduce the fattiness in stomach upon finish. Very delicious.

Before dessert was served Cucumber Sorbet with Bay Leaf Foam, plus some green apple and celery shaved ice at the bottom. The pre-dessert was very refreshing and helped to cleanse the palate.

The sixth wine was Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2017. The LBV was aromatic, with delicious ripe fruit and prune, some spiciness of liquorice and mint. Having good acidity and development, it was an appealing wine that was not too sweet and a good pairing with the tiramisu.

The sixth course was Tiramisu. Presented in a creative style but still staying true to the recipe and ingredients, wrapping the nutmeg jelly, mascarpone cheese and coffee-soaked lady-finger biscuits with a meringue, made of egg whites and sugar, as a casing, and then dusted with the chocolate powder on top. All flavours were in good balance, it was appropriate in sweetness too. A wonderful finale to a nice dinner.

The Mignardises was a traditional French pastry, Madeleine. Inside the chef had added some lemon verbena to provide a touch of fresh, citrus aromas. Perfect match with a nice cup of espresso.

Service was very good, with the staff all friendly and attentive, able to explain each course and wine in detail for us to appreciate better the dinner. The bill on the night is $5,835. Compared with my last visit, I felt that this time the food quality was even better, and we were satisfied in all the dishes. Well worth its Michelin 1-star status.