Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Skye Roofbar & Brasserie

On this Friday evening, we came to the rooftop of The Park Lane Hong Kong, to have dinner at Skye Roofbar & Brasserie. It brought back some memories as I used to come here often during childhood to enjoy the buffet. Its huge, slanted windows looking out to the gorgeous Victoria Harbour and Victoria Park has not changed.

After the reception we were led through the central walkway, to our table on the window side. It was early evening, with still plenty of daylight. Further down the walkway was the open-air bar, directly facing Victoria Harbour. While the restaurant was quite quiet, there were many customers at the bar.

I started with a glass of Granbazan Albarino Etiqueta Verde ($160). This white wine is from Rias Baixas in Spain, with nice fragrance of apple and white peach, lemon zest and fresh herbs. On the palate there is a touch of saline minerality with good acidity. An easy-drinking wine to pair with different seafood.

We ordered two starters to share. The first was Norwegian Smoked Salmon ($220), with the thinly sliced salmon having a nice touch of smokiness but not excessive, paired with some homemade shallot cream, with buckwheat crepes served on the side to complement. A good appetizer.

The other starter we had was Grilled Spanish Octopus Tentacles ($280). The large tentacle was delicious, tender and could be cut easily. Paired with smoked bell pepper sauce and some flamed local cherry tomatoes, the acidity helped to freshen up the palate. Personally, I preferred this one more than the smoked salmon.

Next was soup, with my wife going for French Onion Soup ($120). The onion was sufficiently stir-fried to bring forward the sweetness while not burning to make them bitter, with the soup tasty and rich. Originally there was also Comte cheese in the soup, but my wife had requested to skip that. On the side was sourdough toast too.

I had Lobster Bisque ($140) instead. The soup was creamy and full of flavours from the crustaceans, with a touch of cognac for fragrance. Drizzled with a few drops of Piqual olive oil, some crispy toasts were provided on the side too. Very rich and bursting with flavours, I would suggest adding some lobster meat to the soup to make it more premium.

Then I had another glass of wine, this time going for Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley ($240), to match the wagyu beef. Having concentrated flavours of blackberry and cassis, plenty of cocoa, vanilla oak and spices, the rich tannin combines with the fat of the beef for a nice mellow and soft texture.

For the main course, we had Australian Stockyard Beef Wagyu M6 Ribeye Cube Roll ($940) to share. It was a sizable portion, weighing 400g. The surface was caramelized nicely, while the flesh was medium per our preference. With simple seasoning it was already very delicious. The side dish of sauteed local mixed mushroom ($80) was equally wonderful.

As we were full, we just had one dessert to share, and decided to pick Colonel Lime Sorbet ($120), with some yuzu peels on the sorbet, it was refreshing and not too sweet, having good acidity to balance. A light, crispy tuile in the shape of a roll was placed on top to give contrast in texture.

Service was good, with the staff helpful in explaining the menu and recommended us not to over-order. The bill on the night is $2,607. The view was simply amazing, and the whole ambience made it a good place to enjoy a cozy dinner. Perhaps next time we could enjoy a drink at the bar beforehand as well?

Wineshark Home Cooking - Carbonara 卡波納拉義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Bacon - 100g
• Egg - 2
• Parmesan cheese - 4 tbsp
• Black pepper finely - dashes
• White dashi - 2 tbsp
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp
• Milk - 200ml

Procedures:

1. Boil a pot of water to boiling.

2. Add in the spaghetti and boil for 2 minutes less than the recommended time on the package.

3. Remove the spaghetti to the frying pan.

4. Add in bacon, milk, white dashi and olive oil. 

5. Turn up the heat and continue to stir. When the sauce boils, keep cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat and let it cool for one minute.

7. Add in the eggs and Parmesan cheese, stir the yolk thoroughly. 

8. Serve with sprinkling some black pepper finely on top.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Chiu Ka Banquet 潮家宴

Chiu Ka Banquet has recently been awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand 2025, offering traditional Chiu Chow cuisine at its club-house style space in Sheung Wan. Originally the private kitchen of a merchant association, it is now open to the public. Today, I brought my family here to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Located on 8/F of Champion Building, although the address indicates they are on Des Voeux Road Central, the entrance of the building is in fact on Cleverly Street. Normally the restaurant is closed on Sunday but will open on special occasions like today. It is not a big space, with simple decor.

While we have pre-ordered the Set Menu for 6 ($4,980), to start we have an additional Pu Ning Tofu 普寧豆腐 ($45). The tofu has a crispy surface while the inside remains soft. Paired with a saline chive sauce to give fragrance and taste, it is a simple but very nice starter.

The menu includes two large Chiu Chow Style Cold Crab 潮式凍紅蟹. The crab is good in quality, with firm, sweet tasting meat. The delicate flavours are very pleasant, and even without adding any sauce it is already delicious.

Next is Signature Chiu Chow Style Shark’s Fin Soup 紅燒潮州翅. Served on a bowl with tealight heating underneath, the shark’s fin soup are thick and of good portion. Depending on individual preference, one can add coriander and vinegar for more fragrance and taste.

Then it is the Marinated Goose 鹵水鵝拼盤. Using the famous African goose, the marinated goose meat is unstoppable, with complex flavours of the marinade infused into the meat. The pork belly, tofu, and eggs are equally good as well.

The fish we have is Chiu Chow Style Cold Threadfin 潮式凍馬友. The staff offers to remove the main bone of the fish, while the rich fish oil has added amazing flavours to the meat. The soya bean sauce is also wonderful, not too salty but intense in taste.

Continuing we have Chiu Chow Deep-Fried Shrimp Ball 潮式炸蝦棗. The minced shrimp meat has been added with some water chestnut to give additional texture to the bouncy bite. The deep-fried small shrimps on the side are also very good.

The vegetable dish is Radish and Mustard Greens Pot 蘿蔔春菜煲. A simple dish which shows solid cooking, the mustard greens are not soggy in the soup, while the radish is cooked sufficient to softness, with delicious, sweet taste.

The Pan-Fried Noodles 黃金糖醋麵 is also very nicely done, showing golden brown surface while the noodles do not feel dry or hard. Adding the right amount of sugar and vinegar, it is another dish that might look simple but takes experience and skills to perfect.

Dessert is Eight Treasure Dumplings 八寶甜湯圓. Instead of boiling, it is double-boiled, concentrating the flavours of the ingredients into the sweet soup. It is not too sweet, with the small dumplings having good chewiness.

Service is very good, with the staff very friendly, joyful, and checking with us throughout the meal. The bill on the night is $5,872 which is very reasonable. The food is authentic, good quality, and everything is no frill and solid. Will definitely return again.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Creamy Mushroom Spaghetti 鮮菇奶油義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Shimeji - 100g
• Black pepper - dashes
• White dashi - 4 tbsp
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp
• Milk - 200ml

Procedures:

1. Boil a pot of water to boiling.

2. Add in the spaghetti to cook under medium heat, follow the package instruction less 2 minutes.

3. Remove the spaghetti to the frying pan.

4. Pour 150ml of the boiling water to the spaghetti.

5. Add in the shimeji mushroom, milk, white aashi and olive oil. 

6. Turn on the heat and stir well. When the sauce boils, keep cooking for another 2 minutes.

7. Serve on a bowl, sprinkle with black pepper finely.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - The Legacy House 彤福軒

Time flies, and my last visit to this Michelin restaurant was almost five years ago. Located in The Rosewood Hong Kong, The Legacy House has got its name in tribute to the founder of New World Development, the owning company of the hotel, Dr. Cheng Yu-Tung. Today, we return to see what seasonal cuisine Chef Li has prepared.

Seated at a spacious round table looking out to the balcony and the Victoria Harbour, the décor has not changed since the last visit, with the nice wooden partitions, ceiling panels, and the wooden tables and chairs giving a nice traditional vibe, at the same time offering comfortable and cozy ambience for diners.

I ordered a bottle of Domaine Marcel Deiss, Engelgarten ($1,080) from Alsace tonight. This is a field blend of different varieties, including Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Beurot, Muscat, and Pinot Noir. A complex wine with good minerality, fruity and is versatile to match with food.

We decided to order a la carte, starting with Crispy Frog Leg, Ginger 脆薑酥炸田雞腿 ($200). The meaty frog legs are coated with a thin batter, deep-fried to appetizing golden brown colour, and seasoned well but not overly salty. The chef has added some deep-fried ginger too, providing a bit of spiciness. Nice appetizer and perfect with some icy beer.

Next comes one of the chef’s signature dishes, Pan-Fried Dace Fish, Preserved Meat, Dried Shrimp 家鄉煎釀鯪魚 ($520). The chef removes meat and bones from the dace fish while keeping the skin intact, before stuffing the minced meat with coriander and other ingredients back into the skin and pan-fry. With the homemade sauce using black pepper and green peppercorns, it is an amazing demonstration of artisanal skills and very tasty.

Then we have Stir-Fried Sakura Shrimp, Crabmeat, Vermicelli, Clay Pot 櫻花蝦蟹肉粉絲煲 ($388). Served in a sizzling hot clay pot, the vermicelli has a nice dry texture, not soggy or oily. The Sakura shrimps add umami flavours to the delicate sweet crab meat, when mixed the two complements very well on each other. Another wonderful dish.

The last dish we have is Poached Mantis Shrimp, Sponge Gourd, Fish Maw 水瓜魚鰾煮富貴蝦 ($580). The fish maw has a good bite, picking up the rich and delicious flavours from the stock. The sponge gourd and mantis shrimps are equally good. With finely shredded Chinese celery and red chili it is great in presentation and taste.

For dessert, we have Deep-Fried Milk Custard 脆皮炸鮮奶 ($60). Wrapped in the crispy skin is the soft milk custard, providing a contrast in texture. The milk custard is not too sweet as well.

The other dessert we have is Black Sesame Rolls 香滑芝麻卷 ($60). Very nicely done, the traditional dim sum has a smooth velvety texture, intense on the sesame flavours, and not too sweet.

The bill on the night is $3,278. Service is good, with the staff professional, attentive and friendly. While they introduce each dish upon serving, I hope they can elaborate more which will make the whole experience even more engaging and interesting. Overall it is a wonderful experience and well deserved its accolade.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Howard’s Gourmet 好酒好蔡

I have heard about Howard’s Gourmet for a while but did not get the opportunity to try. A few months ago, when visiting Kanesaka in CCB Tower I noticed that the restaurant is located on the same floor. Reigniting my interests, today we come to Central to experience what this Black Pearl 3-Diamond has to offer.

The staff leads us to a large dining room, with a gorgeously high ceiling with chandeliers, full height windows looking out to Victoria Harbour, spacious tables and plush leather seating, richly attired designs with a touch of colonial vibe. It is comfortable and neat, relaxing and luxurious without extravagant.

The Dinner Menu ($1,880 per person) starts with Chef’s Espresso 特色暖胃湯. The lotus seed, lily bulb, and red dates soup is rich in flavours, prepared using Western techniques to blend and thicken the soup and served in hot temperature, like espresso. Warming the stomach and getting us ready to start the meal.

The Chaozhou Snack 時令兩小碟 include garlic shoots with minced squid ball and pickled green carrot. The garlic shoots are tender, with small pieces of minced squid that are flavourful and bouncy. And as appetizers normally pickled radish and carrots will be used, but here they have green carrots instead, with a nice crunchy bite and sweeter taste.

The tapas is Crispy Crab Cake Cube, Seaweed 野生紫菜脆蟹肉粒. Apart from crab meat, there are pork in the cubes for additional flavours and texture. On both sides of the cube the chef has put seaweed, so that after deep-frying there is a great crispness. The taste is phenomenal even without dipping into sweet chili sauce.

Next is HG Signature Sea Cucumber 招牌脆皮婆參. Demonstrating amazing techniques, the large sea cucumber has a crisp surface while the inside remains soft. Along with a rich and delicious sauce to go with the sea cucumber, the staff suggests we having a bite with the sauce, then with custard, for the best enjoyment.

To cleanse the palate on the gluey mouthfeel of the sea cucumber, a tea from special old pu’er tea tree 古樹生普 is served to help remove the heaviness and get us ready for the next course.

Then comes Geoduck Clams, Chaozhou Rice Fermented Sour Soup 酸湯象拔蚌仔. Personally, my favourite dish in the evening, the chef has cut the geoduck into smaller pieces and served in the delicious sour soup, highlighting great tenderness and its umami taste. The soup also has a perfect balance of sourness and spiciness, so good that my mouth starts to water even when I think of it afterwards.

Next is Fried Crispy Horsehead Tilefish, Scale, Soya Bean Sauce 甘鯛立鱗燒配普寧豆醬. Using the Japanese techniques of uroko-yaki, the scales of the tilefish are deep-fried by pouring hot oil on top, making them crispy and edible, while the flesh remains soft and moist. It is paired with a sauce made with Pu Ning yellow bean sauce to compliment with a savoury taste. Delicious.

Continuing with Charcoal Roasted Chicken, Herbs 香草烤雞, it is perfectly roasted, with the chicken skin crispy, and the meat tender and juicy. Seasoned well with herbs, the chicken is nice and flavourful, but the special dipping sauce, made with lemongrass, shallot and garlic, adds further wonders to the already amazing chicken.

To cleanse the palate again after finishing the chicken, the second type of tea is served. This time it is the traditional Chaozhou tea 潮州雙髻娘山單叢, a type of Oolong with a nice honey aftertaste.

Then comes Wok-fried Mustard Green, Crispy Fatty Pork 香油渣炒芥菜苗. It might seem simple, but it takes great skill to stir-fry the mustard green to the perfect level, keeping them crunchy while not having any ‘green’ taste. The touch of fatty pork provides a savoury taste and fragrance to the vegetable in great harmony.

Next is Fried Rice, Diced Pork, Preserved Radish 潮州菜脯肉粒炒飯. The fried rice is nicely done, dry on the texture without feeling any greasiness. With a bit of diced pork and preserved radish to provide savoury and crunchy bite, it is rich in flavours. Even though I am quite full I quickly devour the whole serving and still want to ask for more.

The dessert is Pistachio Mousse, Resin, Sugar Cane Sponge Cake 開心果桃膠拼紅糖糕. The first one has the healthy peach resin served in a lightly sweet soup, with a creative mix of pistachio mousse to infuse with extra flavours. The sponge cake has a chewy bite, again not too sweet, completing our meal with high satisfaction.

The bill on the night is $4,910, with two glasses of wine. Service is good, but the staff can explain more about the dishes, which will bring much more interest and understanding on the ingredients and details the chef has taken to prepare. Still a great place I highly recommend to visit if you want nice Chinese cuisine, in a great ambience.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Parma Ham Spaghetti 生火腿番茄義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Parma Ham - 6 slices
• White Dashi - 2 tbsp
• Olive Oil - 4 tbsp
• Tomato Paste - 2 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Heat up a pot of water to boiling.

2. Add in the pasta, turn to medium heat and lightly swirl.

3. Cook for 2 minutes less than the required time shown on the package.

4. Remove the spaghetti and put on the pan, keeping 150ml of the water.

5. Add in the spaghetti water, white dashi, olive oil and tomato paste to the pasta.

6. Turn to medium heat to cook, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes after boiling.

7. Remove and put onto the serving plate, and add in the Parma ham.