Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - The Aubrey

This izakaya bar / restaurant is on 25/F of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, as is recognized as one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. Arriving in the early evening the staff shows us to our table, first passing through the drinking area with a large bar in the middle, before coming to the dining area.

Our table is on the window side, commanding a nice view from the rooftop of this historic hotel, looking out to the Victoria Harbour and Tsim Sha Tsui. While the construction in the Central harbour front may not be that appealing, with the sunset it is still a nice view to enjoy.

The design of the izakaya has a Southeast Asia vibe, featuring some plants hanging from the ceiling, and the use of wood and rattan furniture, reminded me a bit of Ming Pavilion we visited earlier. I decide to order the Signature Izakaya Menu ($1,300) and also the premium beverage pairing ($798).

To begin is a glass of Champagne Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Cuis 1er Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs, with good minerality and lively acidity, the champagne has a nice fizziness, refreshing citrus and green apple taste, and is both appetizing and good match with the starter and sushi.

The first course is Signature Oyster, with the raw oyster added with some sea urchin and salmon roes, served in a ponzu sauce. All the ingredients are very fresh, with the oyster creamy, the sea urchin sweet, and have a clean taste. The only improvement I want is on the sauce, which has been added with soy sauce and overly salty to go with the ikura and uni in my opinion.

Next comes the Sashimi and Sushi Platter. There are three sushi featuring Madai (sea bream), Ebi (prawn) and Engawa (flounder skirt), with also an assortment of sashimi including Kinmedai (Spendid Alfonsino), Hamachi (Japanese amberjack), Aji (Japanese horse mackerel), and Hotate (scallop). Frankly it cannot compare with the quality of sushi restaurants we normally visit, but still they are not bad, just perhaps not the best.

The second wine is an interesting one, from Diamond Shuzo in Yamanashi, Japan. The 2020 Chanter YA Muscat Bailey A Ycarre Cuvee K is made from indigenous grape, with low tannin but a good fragrance of delicious red fruit, candy and floral. An easy-drinking red wine.

The third course, A4 Miyazaki Wagyu Sando, is a signature of the restaurant. Sandwiched between a thick and nicely toasted bread is a thick wagyu, cooked to medium rare level, juicy and wonderful in taste. The delicious fat is absorbed by the toast, without making it messy when picking up by hand to enjoy. My favourite dish in the evening.

The third wine is a Japanese sake, from Kitanishi Shuzo in Saitama. The AGEO Junmai Daiginjo is an unfiltered, unpasteurized sake, made using rice from Saitama. It is a full-bodied sake with rich rice fragrance, fruity, having a clean aftertaste. Good pairing with the miso used in the next course.

The fourth course is Sustainable Miso Glazed Black Cod. The fish fillet has a nice umami taste from the miso, with the glazing process vitalizing the fish oil to add extra depth of flavours. On the side are some pickled plum and a miso dressing. Simple but delicious.

To enjoy with the fish there is also a Mushroom Fried Rice. The fried rice is cooked well, with each kernel distinct and separate, seasoned appropriately. There is a mushroom and poached egg on top. It is not bad in taste, but I would prefer it to be less oily.

There is also a Miso Glazed Eggplant included. The eggplant is grilled nicely, tender and do not feel dry-out, connecting with the miso glazed cod for good harmony in flavours. There are some crisps scattered on top to provide a contrast in texture. A good one.

The dessert is a White Miso Souffle, with some matcha sprinkled on top. The souffle is fluffy and even without adding the coconut ice-cream or yuzu sauce provided on the side it is of appropriate sweetness already. A yuzu shot is prepared to enjoy with the dessert. A nice finale.

The bill on the night is $3,804. Service is good, and the staff helpfully explains to us the difference between the two izakaya sets available. Food quality is reasonable, but perhaps not meeting my expectation in the context of Mandarin Oriental. The place has a very different vibe than the traditional izakaya also. So perhaps as an up-scale place to enjoy some nice drinks it is a good place, but for food there are better choices.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Calle Ocho

This Spanish restaurant is located at Fashion Walk in Causeway Bay on Cleveland Street. It is under the Pirata Group, and offer all-day dining, open throughout the day. We come on a Friday early evening, with the sun still shining brightly.

The restaurant has two floors and we are seated on the ground floor, at a small table in the corner. Inspired by the historic Madrid de Los Austrias neighbourhood, the walls are decorated with Spanish tiles. I start with a glass of Pazo de Senorans Albarino ($110). 

Deciding to order a la carte, we start with a few tapas. The first is Classic Espanola Tortilla with Chorizo Iberico ($95), a fluffy egg omelette with chorizo pieces. The sausages have a slight spiciness but not too much, with kimchi aioli and spring onion on top. Quite good. 

The Smoked Sardines ($150) has been added with some croutons on ajo blanco, a kind of cold almond and garlic soup, which has also been added with grapes, olive oil, and a hint of balsamic vinegar. Not sure whether we should enjoy the soup or not but no spoon is provided. Decent.

The last tapas we have is Iberico Ham ($230). The thinly-sliced 48 months Iberico ham has nice savoury flavours, with good balance of fat and lean meat. On the side is pan con tomate, or tomato toast, with the tartness goes well with ham. Quite good too.

For the main course, we have the small Arroz Negro ($140). It is a black paella with the colour coming from squid ink, and the rice is full of flavours from seafood stock. On top are some crispy calamari and alioli. The rice has a nice bite and crisp on the edge. Best dish in the evening.

The other main course is Iberico Pork Pluma ($260). The prized cut has been grilled and paired with a mustard and vermouth jus, with some apples puree at the bottom, and a charred chili on the side. While the pork is delicious, it is a bit fatty. But still a decent piece of meat.

For dessert Ivy has Burnt Cheesecake ($95), with cream cheese and raspberry coulis. I have Torched Torrija ($80), with the brioche bread soaked in milk and then torched to give a bit of char on the surface, plus a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and some mint leaves. A decent finale for the meal.

The bill on the night is $1,276 and reasonably priced. Service is good, with the staff friendly and attentive. Despite its location at the edge of Causeway Bay and the recent slowdown in economy, it is still very busy during our visit, a testimony to its popularity.

Wineshark Weekend Cooking - Braised Red Bean Curd Pig's Trotters with Peanuts 南乳花生炆豬手

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pig trotters - 2.5lb
• Peanut - 1 bowl
• Spring onion - 1 sprig
• Coriander - 2 sprigs
• Red bean curd - 4 tbsp
• Ginger - 8 slices
• Star anise - 2
• Bay leaves - 2
• Dried tangerine peel - 1/4
• Slab sugar - 1/2 
• Salt - 1/3 tsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Oyster sauce - 1 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Soak the peanuts in water for 30 minutes.

2. Blanch the peanuts in water for 10 minutes.

3. Sieve off the water and rinse in cold water. 

4. Boil the peanuts for 30 minutes. 

5. Remove the peanuts from the pot, and keep the peanut water.

6. Cut the spring onion and coriander into sections. Cut the ginger into slices.

7. Prepare the marinade including star anise, bay leaves, dried tangerine peel, and slab sugar.

8. Put the pig trotters in water, add 1 tbsp of coarse salt and soak for 10 minutes. Then wash and drip dry.

9. Put the pig trotter in pot and add in water to fully submerge. Add 1 tbsp of rice vinegar and 1 tbsp of rice wine in. Turn up the heat and cook for 10 minutes.

10. Remove and sieve off the water, rinse in cold water and drip dry.

11. Heat the pot with oil, then add in ginger, spring onion and coriander to stir-fry. 

12. Turn to low heat. Add in red bean curd to stir fry.

13. Add in the pig trotters. Stir fry briefly and then add in the marinade of star anise, bay leaves, dried tangerine peel, and slab sugar.

14. Add in the peanut and peanut water, add oyster sauce and stir well. Cover with lid and braise for 35 minutes. Then turn off the heat and continue to let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

15. Turn to low heat, and add in the seasoning of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and salt. Mix well. Cover the lid and braise for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

16. Serve.

17.

Wineshark Weekend Cooking - Scramble Eggs with Prawns and Rice Vermicelli 滑蛋蝦仁煎米粉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Guangdong rice noodle - 150g
• Egg - 5
• Shrimps - 300g
• Salt - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Remove the shell of the shrimps, and take out the intestines. 

2. Blanch the shrimps in boiling water until fully cooked. Remove and drip dry.

3. Boil about 1 litre of water and when boiling, add 1/2 tsp of salt and put in the rice noodle and turn off the heat. Cover with lid and let it soak for 10 minutes.

4. Remove and sieve off the water. Add 2 tbsp of oil and mix well.

5. Separate the egg white and egg yolk. 

6. Whisk the egg white until bubbles form. Then add in 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of oil. 

7. Add in the whisked egg yolk.

8. Add in the shrimps. Mix well.

9. Heat the pan with 2 tbsp of oil, then add in the rice noodle and turn to medium heat to pan-fry slowly on both sides.

10. Remove and put on the serving plate.

11. Add to the cold pan 2 tbsp of oil, and turn up to high heat until very hot. Turn off the heat and pour in the egg mixture. Scramble the egg and add in some chopped spring onion.

12. Put on top of the rice noodle to serve.