Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Carna by Dario Cecchini

This Italian steakhouse is located on 39/F of Mondrian Hong Kong in TST, developed by the famous butcher Dario Cecchini who originate from Chianti in Tuscany. He has a belief of sustainability and promotes the idea to use all cuts of meat in cooking. There is a separate lift lobby with direct access to the restaurant, one floor up from the popular bar Avoca in the hotel.

At the circular reception there is a nice tinted glass mural, with the staff pouring us a glass of Chianti (or mocktail) and inviting us to try some prosciutto while checking our reservation. They are very friendly and creating a great first impression about the hospitality of the restaurant.

Seated at a table facing the windows, we can enjoy a great view looking at the harbour at an angle. The design of the restaurant is chic, with pattern tiles, plenty of wood fixtures and arches, circular ceiling lights giving a warm and cozy ambience. The overall atmosphere is very comfortable and already wins me over.

To pair with the food on the evening, I have ordered a bottle of Agricola Querciabella Batar 2020 ($1,580). This iconic Italian white wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, reminiscent of a Burgundy white with some classic minerality, lemon peel and jasmine, as well as some spice and pear. The vanilla characters are quite strong too.

The breadbasket contains Focaccia and Charcoal Carasau, with the former having a crisp surface nicely seasoned with some sea salt, and an airy interior. Perfect to go with the Sicily olive oil I have chosen. The latter is black toasted flatbread, crunchy and with a bit of smoky flavours. Both delicious. There are also some pickled vegetables to go along too.

We start with Burrata E Pomodoro Cimelio ($248). Featuring a trio of tomatoes, with cherry tomatoes, some tomato tartare, and a tomato gazpacho on the side, a soft and creamy Apulian Burrata cheese is placed on top, drizzled with some olive oil and black peppers to season. There are also some aromatic bread crumbles and a refreshing basil sorbet, which gives complex and refreshing flavours after mixing together. A very good starter.

Next is Chianti Tartare ($298), with the staff pulling a cart to prepare the dish on tableside. Using a meat tenderizer, she processes a rump of beef, before adding some garlic, black pepper, and paprika, a bit of zesty lemon juice, chili, Chianti salt, and plenty of olive oil to season. The choice of the meat is great, offering more intense flavours than the traditional use of lean tenderloin, with the seasoning on a lesser level to highlight the original taste of the beef. With a bit of rosemary to add to the fragrance, and some egg yolk and yuzu puree on the side, some sourdough toasts are provided to enjoy with the tartare. Really nice.

Coming to the main course it is Bistecca Alla Fiorentina ($1,980). The Porterhouse steak comprises of a tenderloin and sirloin on the two sides of the bone, about 1.2kg in size. The black angus beef comes from the famous producer Rangers Valley in Australia, having dry-aged for 45 days. After showing us the steak, the staff helps to cut into cubes for us to enjoy. The charcoal grill has imparted the steak with nice smoky flavours, cooked to medium level, with the meat tender and juicy. The staff also arranges five sauces, including Bearnaise, Green peppercorn, Chimichurri, Truffle sauce, Red wine sauce, as well as some sea salt to go with the steak. It is very nice but because the portion is so big we cannot finish all. Best to order if you have three people or more.

For dessert, we have Tiramisu di Casa ($208). It is of sharing portion. Under the rich cholate powder with the name of the restaurant depicted are layers of Savoiardi biscuit, coffee, and mascarpone cream. The soaked ladyfingers have an aromatic coffee note, with the slight bitterness balances with the sweetness of the cream cheese. Very delicious and despite already very full, we manage to finish the whole serving.

There is an end dessert provided, kind of like petits fours and signature in Italy. The Lemon Zest Sponge Cake has a fluffy texture, not excessively sweet, with the lemon zest giving a refreshing note and I also like the drizzle of olive oil on top.

On the night it is the Doraemon drone show and the restaurant is a good spot to look at that. The service is certainly one of the highlights. At the beginning the staff asks us on the temperature and volume of the music, helping to tune it down based on our feedback. Apart from introducing the menu, they also come to check in throughout the meal on the food. The bill on the night is $4,832. Overall, it is a great venue to enjoy some nice meat, in a comfortable environment surrounded by impeccable services. Highly recommend for beef-lover.

Wineshark UK Restaurant Review - Great Court Restaurant

With the vast amounts of exhibits in British Museum, even for a quick tour a whole day is needed. To maximize the time in the museum, we decided to have lunch inside and made a reservation at Great Court Restaurant beforehand.

After finishing the tour at the lower-level galleries, we went to the restaurant to check whether we could be seated earlier than the original booking time. Although the restaurant was very busy, fortunately a table was available at the corner.

There was a lunch set but we have opted for a la carte. For the starters we had Yorkshire Grilled Asparagus, with Stracciatella cheese, hazelnuts, and burnt lemon dressing, as well as Portland Crab Cocktail, which includes also Quail’s eggs, spiced lime avocado, Marie Rose sauce, and caviar.

For the main course we had Pan-fried Wild Sea Bream, with Aubergine caponata, red pepper tapenade, and lemon gremolata. The other one we picked was Confit Duck Leg, which included Jersey Royal potatoes, young leeks, peas, ‘nduja butter fried egg, and smoked bacon.

Together with a bottle of water, a glass of white wine, a bottle of coke, and a cup of coffee, the bill is £92. The food was mediocre and probably no surprise as no sophisticated diners will come to a museum for food. But we still preferred this over the other cafes, as they were simply too busy and messy with too many customers. Perhaps the other alternative of eating outdoor will be the better option.

Wineshark UK Restaurant Review - Sea Containers Restaurant

Tired after the long flight from Hong Kong, we decided to stay inside the hotel for dinner. Located on the ground floor, inside Sea Containers London on South Bank, Sea Containers Restaurant is an all-day dining restaurant, with an American-British menu designed for sharing. It has an outdoor terrace looking out to River Thames.

The restaurant was busy on the night, but fortunately I had made a reservation. Seated at a table on the window side, looking out to the buildings on the opposite bank under the dimming sky, there was a relaxed and inclusive environment, with nice music playing in the background.

We ordered the Maryland Crab Cake and Bibb Lettuce to share as starters, followed by our individual main course. I picked Suffolk Pork Chop with Fries on the side, while my wife opted for Cornish Bone-In Lemon Sole. The food was generally quite good, just a bit salty.

Because I have joined the loyalty program of the hotel, there was a 10% discount on consumptions in the hotel. Together with bottled water, a mocktail and a glass of sparkling wine, the bill was £126. Overall a satisfactory dinner, reasonably priced with a decent ambience.

Wineshark Weekend Cooking - Ribbon Fish with Vinegar 醋香帶魚

Ingredients (for 4):

• Ribbon fish - 600g
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Spring onion - 2 sprigs
• Ginger - 4 slices
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Zhejiang vinegar - 3 tbsp
• Chinese yellow wine - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• Sichuan pepper oil - 1/2 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 500ml

Procedures:

1. Cut the head and tail off the ribbon fish. Wash thoroughly and cut into sections about 10cm long, and makes two cuts on both sides. 

2. Marinate with salt and white pepper powder for 30 minutes. Then wipe dry with kitchen paper.

3. Cut the spring onion into sections, the ginger into shreds, and the garlic into slices.

4. Mix soy sauce, Zhejiang vinegar, sugar and Sichuan pepper oil together.

5. Coat the ribbon fish with flour. Heat the wok with oil, turn to high heat, and add in the ribbon fish to fry. 

6. When the ribbon fish turns golden brown, remove for later use.

7. Heat the wok with a bit of oil, and add in the ginger and garlic to stir-fry until fragrant.

8. Add in the ribbon fish and sprinkle with Chinese yellow wine. 

9. Add in the spring onion and the sauce, let it simmer and wait for the sauce to dry up.

10. Serve.

Wineshark Weekend Cooking - Lobster in Kung Po Cheese Sauce with Udon Noodles 宮保芝士龍蝦焗烏冬麵

Ingredients (for 4):

• Lobster - 1 (around 900g)
• Udon - 2
• Bacon - 4 slices
• Kung Po Cheese Sauce
• Mozzarella cheese - 4 slices
• Butter - 60g
• Flour - 3 tbsp
• Sugar - 3 tsp
• Spicy bean paste - 1 tbsp
• Onion - 1/2
• Red and green bell pepper - 100g
• Water - 2 cup
• Chicken stock - 1 cup
• Salt - 1/3 tsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the lobster into pieces and wash thoroughly. Drip dry and add in 1 tbsp of tapioca starch. Mix well.

2. Cut the bacon into small pieces.

3. Cut the red and green bell pepper into small pieces.

4. Cut the onion into small pieces.

5. Heat the saucepan with butter until it fully melts.

6. Add in the onion and saute.

7. Add in the flour, mix well.

8. Pour in the water slowly, continue mixing in the process. 

9. Add the other seasoning and Mozzarella cheese in. Turn to low heat till the cheese melts.

10. Add in the bell peppers. Mix well. The Kung Po cheese sauce is ready.

11. Heat the wok with oil, and then stir-fry the lobster to almost fully cooked. Then remove.

12. Stir-fry the bacon, then remove.

13. Put the udon in boiling water and loosen them. Then remove.

14. Add the chicken stock and 1/2 cup of Kung Po cheese sauce in the wok. Season with salt.

15. Add in the udon and mix well. When the udon is cooked, remove.

16. Put the udon in the baking tray. 

17. Scatter the bacon on top of the udon.

18. Heat the Kung Po cheese sauce, and then add in the lobster. Mix well.

19. Put the lobster and sauce on top. Put in oven to bake for 10 minutes. Then serve.