Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Teppanyaki Tempura Shun

Today we visit Teppanyaki Tempura Shun, located on 45/F of Four Seasons Hotel in Central. Just adjacent to the famous Michelin-starred Sushi Saito, it is a relatively small space, with a bar counter that can accommodate 10 customers, with the two chefs busy preparing the dishes in front.

The décor has not changed from the days of Tempura Uchitsu, with the signature fish tank on the background, with the plants showing lush green while the small fishes and shrimps in the tanks swimming around. The dinner omakase menu costs $2,680 each, and upon booking one needs to pay 50% deposit to secure the reservation.

I order a bottle of Isojiman 磯自慢 雄町40 純米大吟醸 ($2,280). The sake has been fermented using extremely low temperature, allowing a more profound fruity note to present itself, with also a smooth and elegant taste. A good sake to match with the food on the night, though quite over-priced.

The first course includes four appetizers. Starting from the lower left corner, Green Peas Tofu has a soft texture, infused with umami flavours from the clam broth. The seasonal Firefly Squid is paired with some young Bamboo Shoot, having white miso to season. The Tomato Jelly provides a refreshing touch to the palate and finishing with Wagyu Sushi. Decent in taste but not impressive.

The second course features Wagyu Shabu Shabu. The lightly poached beef is placed in a clear dashi broth made with kombu and bonito, with also some finely shredded vegetables to provide the finesse and balance with the meat. The soup is elegant and rich in taste too. A nice combination and we both like this one.

The third course is the Kuruma-Ebi Head Tempura. The tiger prawn comes from Kagoshima and the chef has deep-fried the head making it crunchy and edible. The homemade sea salt adds to the flavours but not too salty. While able to keep the tempura without oiliness, it was not as well done as Tempura Utchitsu.

Then comes the body of the Kuruma-Ebi. The batter is thin, with the prawn having a good sweetness in taste. This remains one of the signature tempuras in the menu.

The fifth course is Sawara, with the thick fillet of the Spanish mackerel nicely grilled, remaining moist but well-cooked. The chef has paired a white sesame sauce to bring complexity to the fish while on top there are fried burdock and seasonal nanohana. Quite good and not feeling any greasiness on the palate.

Returning to tempura, the sixth course features Asparagus. Again, the batter is thin, wrapping the asparagus but did not create the feeling of eating just the crispy dough. The tenderness and sweetness of the asparagus is wonderful, without any fibre.

The seventh course is Tai Sashimi, with the sea bream having a firm texture and good sweetness in taste. Paired with shoyu the umami flavours are further highlighted. Very nice.

Then it is the Uni Tempura. Like what I recall from last visit, the chef uses shiso leaves to wrap the Hokkaido Bafun sea urchin before putting into batter and deep-fry. A test of the skills of the chef to make this in a good shape and not breaking up in the process. With a bit of sea salt to season, it is delicious.

Going back to the teppanyaki the chef prepares the Ise-Ebi. With each person served half the lobster, the good sweetness of the meat, and the lobster bisque sauce to go with, are very good. We also like the Maitake mushroom with its different texture and also an extra layer of fragrance.

The tenth course is my favourite in the evening. The Kasugo Tempura is great in taste and understandably requires effort to remove the bones. The tenderness of the flesh is really nice, and the delicate sweetness is also memorable.

Next is the Grilled Shiitake. Another of my choice in the evening, the mushroom is cooked well but not dried, juicy and delicious, with the chef already brushed with shoyu so is already flavourful and does not require further seasoning.

The twelfth course is Grilled Wagyu, with the beef cooked to our requested medium rare perfectly, having a beautifully caramelized surface while the inside showing a nice pinkish red and tender. Good in the balance of fattiness, there are different condiments to pair, including mashed radish with vinaigrette, black pepper sauce, sea salt, and wasabi, plus some crispy garlic pieces to add to the texture. Very nice.

Coming to the end of the menu, the chef prepares a Fried Rice with an Egg Yolk Tempura. The rice is nicely done with each grain distinct, seasoned with a bit of shoyu and garlic. The egg yolk tempura is interesting, after breaking the oozing egg yolk seeps into the rice, adding extra flavours. Together with the fried rice there are also the pickles and miso soup. Very good.

The dessert includes Fresh Strawberry, Matcha Macaron, and Hojicha Crème Brulee. The strawberry is sweet and juicy, while the macaron is nice in taste as well, not too sweet. The crème brulee has fragrant roasted tea aromas, while the egg yolk ice-cream adds a contrast of temperature. Quite good.

Service is good, though if the staff can spend more time to explain the dishes it will be better. The bill on the night is $8,404 and is mainly driven by the high price of the sake. Honestly in terms of quality I would rate Tempura Uchitsu higher. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Juno

Most Sundays I would go back home to have dinner with my parents, but this week as my mother is traveling, we decide to skip a week and dine outside instead, and picked this Italian restaurant located in Sheung Wan to explore.

The décor has a familiar design, reminding me of Medora with its modern, comfortable vibe and casual ambience, while the use of mint green and brass on the windows looking out to the street somehow gets me to think of Jee. Just wonder whether they are using the same designers.

We decide to go for the Tasting Menu ($538 each) and a bottle of Fillaboa Seleccion Finca Monte Alto 2021 ($660) from Rais Baixas, Spain. The Albarino has a nice ripe peach, with some citrus and apple, evolving to more toasty and minerality on the finish. A nice wine to go with seafood.

There are five starters to share. First to come is the Tuna Tartare, with the minced tuna seasoned with a lemon grapefruit mirin sauce, paired with some crispy rice crackers. The good acidity from the sauce makes this highly appetizing but the tuna is a bit bland in taste. Decent.

The second one is Iberico Ham 48 Months, with the ham placed on top of some freshly baked focaccia with rosemary. The ham is a bit dried up, and I believe it has been cut beforehand and left exposed for a while. The bread is good, and on its own it was already delicious. Decent overall.

The third one is Raw Oysters. On the menu it is supposed to be Egg Tonnato but was unavailable. I was disappointed because that was one of my favourite starters. Fortunately, the oysters are very fresh, and I also finish both as Ivy did not want to have raw ones.

The fourth one is Burrata Pugliese, which is my pick among the starters. The burrata is rich in taste, with the salad having some organic cherry tomatoes and curly endive, drizzled with some olive oil and pesto on top, with also baked hazelnuts to give nice nutty notes. Delicious.

The fifth and last starters is Padron Peppers. The Spanish green peppers are not spicy, but in fact has a slight sweetness on the taste. Deep-fried in olive oil, it is a nice complement with drinks, and I think it will be a great match with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

For the main course, we have chosen the Seafood Fideos ($160 supplement), which features two Spanish carabineros prawns. Mixing the miso from the prawn heads, the rich tomato sauce offers fantastic flavours, with the al dente short pasta absorbing the sauce to full extent. Amazing.

We have picked Tiramisu and Panna Cotta for desserts. The Tiramisu has the traditional recipe with the coffee-soaked ladyfinger at the bottom, followed by some mascarpone cheese in the middle, and topped with some Valrhona cocoa powder. Good taste and appropriate in sweetness.

The Panna Cotta combines the silky soft white chocolate pudding, with a pickled Amarena cherry. The chef has added some of the syrups of the cherry onto the pudding to provide additional flavours. Nicely done.

Service is good, with the staff friendly and attentive. The restaurant is fully occupied on the night, contrary to the current poor patronage we see in many restaurants. With the bill at $2,256 it will be much lower if we did not go for a bottle of wine. Looking at how this restaurant manages to balance quality, service and ambience, and price in such difficult time, perhaps it can give their peers a glimpse of the recipe for success.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Luk Yu Tea House 陸羽茶室

Talking about traditional Chinese restaurants, there are not that many remaining in town. One of the most famous is Luk Yu Tea House in Central. We have visited many years back, and today we return to Stanley Street to experience the historic vibe once again.

Seated at a small booth on the side, the décor is dated but give a good glimpse of the ambience of traditional tea house, with high ceiling and hanging fans, wooden chairs of hard surface, and also the large mirrors on the walls with Chinese calligraphy and paintings while at the same time there are some Western stained-glass panels. A true testimony of how different cultures are integrated in HK.

To start, we have Double Boiled Pig’s Lung & Almond Soup 杏汁白肺湯 ($150 small portion). The staff has helpfully recommended us to go for the small portion as it would be too much for the normal serving. The soup is their signature, really delicious with rich almond taste, while the pig’s lungs are washed thoroughly and without any weird taste. With also some dried pak choi and finely shredded mandarin peel to add sweetness and fragrance, it is a must order and no wonder we see almost all tables are having this.

Next comes Fried Sliced Pigeon with Ham 燒雲腿鴿片 ($420). The sliced pigeon is fantastic, seasoned well and cooked perfectly to preserve the tenderness. The ham on the side provides some savoury and sweetness, not salty in fact. I also like the straw mushroom and bell peppers added to give some contrast on the bite and making the dish even more delicious. Another dish I recommend.

The Braised Frog with Pomelo Skin 柚皮炆田雞 ($360) combines the two ingredients we like. The pomelo skin takes a lot of effort to prepare, and here it is done well, soft and good in taste, without any bitterness. The frog is a bit tough on the bite for me though. With also some shiitake mushroom, the overall taste is still very good but probably is not the most popular dish.

The final dish we have is Pan Fried Pork Patty with Lotus Roots 香煎蓮藕餅 ($280). A pleasant surprise, the pork patty is very good, with the lotus roots finely chopped to give a nice crunch on the bite while the patty is pan-fried beautifully to golden brown. Also, it has a milder seasoning than most restaurants, making the patty more refined and delicious. Even after the other dishes we manage to finish all eight pieces. Another must order in my opinion.

There are only two desserts available, Walnut Soup 合桃露 ($75) and Egg White Almond Soup 蛋白杏仁露 ($75). The walnut soup is rich in flavours, apparently made in-house from scratch. It is of appropriate sweetness to make us feel fulfilled but not excessively indulgent. The egg white almond soup is equally good, also of the right sweetness. Although we are full to almost bursting, we do not regret ordering these sweet soups.

I heard from social media there are some bad experiences on services, but I honestly feel the staff here are all friendly and helpful, serving us soup and refill water in the teapot diligently, answering our questions about lunch booking for dim sum, all without any hint of impatience or dark faces. The bill on the night is $1,637. It is not cheap but considering the quality of the food and the unique experience, it is worth a visit for both locals and foreigners.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Daai Zaak 大宅

Hearing that this restaurant is officially opened after a period of soft launch, I come to the Mira Moon Hotel in Wanchai tonight, after the first amber rainstorm signal of the year, to experience what Executive Chef Wu and his team has prepared to impress our palate.

Located on the third floor of the hotel, the setting of the restaurant is quite weird, with tables surrounding a core of stairs leading up to the hotel lobby. The décor is interesting, with some calligraphy of fun proverbs, and jars of Chinese spices and herbs displayed on one side.

We have picked the Yao Menu ($880 each). The first course Seasonal Fresh Fruits Skewer 冰鎮時令蔬果 is a fancy appetizer, served on a plate with mist seeping out. Opening the glass container is a Sicily cherry tomato, with amber walnut and cream cheese embedded inside. The acidity of the tomato is refreshing, with the walnut and cheese providing nutty and savoury flavours to complement. A nice starter.

The second starter is Pickled Raw Prawn with Hua Diao & Fermented Rice Wine 糟鹵花雕生醃蝦. The mix of the two types of wines is a clever technique, so the prawn is infused with the fragrant flavours but not the bitterness. The raw prawn is fresh and has nice texture. Very good indeed. As my wife does not want to eat raw prawn the chef has arranged a cooked version for her thoughtfully.

The third course is the soup, and we have both upgraded, with me going for Double Boiled Abalone Soup, Fish Maw, Sea Cucumber & Mushroom 大宅佛跳牆 ($388 additional). The soup is delicious in taste, with lots of premium ingredients including abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber, conpoy, vegetarian shark’s fin, bamboo pith and morel mushroom. The poached quail egg is a touch of genius as it adds flavours and bite to the soup. Nice.

My wife has picked Braised Shredded Snake Soup, Bamboo Shoot & Lemon Leaves 古法蛇羹 ($288 additional). The soup is served steaming hot, with the shredded meat, bamboo shoots and shiitake mushroom supplemented with mandarin peel and some chrysanthemum petals, with also the finely cut lemon leaves and crisps on the side. An equally tasty alternative.

The fourth course is the beginning of the mains, and we have both opted for another upgrade, Braised Crab Cream & Fresh Crab Claw, Vegetarian Shark’s Fin 蟹黃銀針燴蟹鉗 ($280 additional each). The large crab claw is meaty and sweet, enhanced in flavours by the thick sauce made from crab cream and crab meat, which also has some vegetarian shark’s fin for premium experience but avoid hunting real sharks. Pleasant in both taste and appearance.

The fifth course is Abalone with Fermented Rice Sauce & Pepper Oil 乾燒麻香鮮鮑魚. The abalones are cut into large wedges but is easy to chew and not rubbery, and has been stir-fried with cauliflower, spring onion, Sichuan pepper and dried chili, a with a bit of numb spiciness but not excessive. For me, the cauliflower is even better than the abalone because of its sweetness. And more intense flavours. Nice.

The sixth course is Slow Cooked Wagyu with Homemade Sauce 文火和牛. The wagyu beef is braised to good tenderness, easily picked apart by chopsticks. Paired with a rich homemade sauce, the flavours are deeply infused inside, delicious on each bite. The deep-fried rice rolls underneath help us to soak up all the sauce and provides a contrast on the bite. The best dish on the night in my opinion.

The seventh course is Pan Fried Marinated Fish 生煎一夜鮮. The fish fillet has been marinated and dried overnight to intensify the flavours and then pan-fried to a beautiful crispness on the skin, finishing with a soy sauce that has been adjusted to give a wonderful umami taste and not overly salty, with plenty of finely shredded spring onion to add to fragrance. Having removed all bones, this dish is good for those who might have difficulty picking fish bones. Really nice.

The eighth course is Noodle in Soup, Cabbage & Shredded Yunnan Ham 手功煨麵. The noodle has a great al dente texture, and is served in a rich, intensely flavourful soup that is made from chicken and Yunnan ham, with some cabbage to reduce any greasiness from the soup. Even though it might look ordinary, it is extremely tasty, and I end up finishing the whole portion including the soup. A must order in my opinion.

The ninth and final course is Double Boiled Milk with Mashed Taro 芋茸燉鮮奶. On the surface it is the double boiled milk while underneath it is the mashed taro, sweet but not overly indulgent. The taro is not in season, so the flavours are relatively mild, and as a result this dessert is more dominated by the milk in taste. Still a good attempt and would be interested on how it tastes when the taro is good.

Service is good, with the staff friendly and attentive. Apart from one or two dishes they have not elaborated much on the courses which is a miss, as I can visualize the diners would be much more engaged with the food if there are better understanding on the ingredients and the techniques used in cooking. The bill on the night is $3,377 and will be much lower in price if we do not opt for so many extras. A nice place to try it out.