Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Jean May

This small bistro is located on Gresson Street in Wanchai, helmed by the talented Chef Tiff Lo, who had quit her job in an investment bank to go to London and studied at Le Cordon Bleu, to live her dream of opening her own restaurant. After returning to HK to help open LPM, in 2020 she finally lived her dream and started Jean May, during COVID.

The soft green façade attracts our attention from a distance, and the restaurant is packed even in the early evening, testimony to its popularity. It has a neat and comfortable ambience, with some photos on the walls showing glimpses of Chef Tiff’s favorites, including her grandmother, in which the restaurant is named after. 

To pair with the food, I have a bottle of Clos des Centenaires Roussanne 2019 ($680). It is from a small winery in Nimes, focusing on organic practices. This Roussanne has nice floral notes, plenty of citrus, plus also minerality and some toasty aromas in good balance. A full-bodied white, it is a versatile wine to match food.

The first we have is Chicken Liver Parfait ($108). Incredibly smooth, the liver parfait is creamy and flavorful. On the side there are some red onion compotes to provide acidity to balance the richness of the spread, with some very crispy banquette toasts on the side to go with. A wonderful snack to begin with.

The second we have is Sea Bream Crudo ($218). The raw sea bream is cut to thin slices and served with an appetizing citrus dressing. The briny and minerality of the oyster cream adds umami and flavors, with the chive oil supplementing with a pleasant fragrance to enhance the overall dining experience.  

The third we have is Pink Prawn Crudo. After removing the shell of the prawns, they are dressed with an appealing bisque vinaigrette. The savory flavors of the vinaigrette are good match with the umami of the prawns, with also some avocado puree for a touch of richness, finishes with also come chive oil for fragrance.

The fourth and last appetizer is Steak Tartare ($208). A classic French dish, the high-quality raw beef has been finely chopped, mixed with onion and capers, together with some dressing, black pepper, and a raw egg yolk in the middle, to make a mouth-watering patty. With some crispy banquette toast to go with, it is another must-have.

For the main course, we have two items. Duck a l’orange ($378) is the signature of the restaurant, with the duck breast pan-seared perfectly, having crisp caramelized surface while keeping the flesh moist and pink, juicy and tender. On the side is the rich bitter orange sauce and a creamy puree. Really delicious. 

The other one features Venison ($458). The lean deer meat is flavorful, not having any strong musky note, impeccably cooked to medium rare with great tenderness. On the side are some Jerusalem artichoke made to a puree, together with some grilled beetroot, deep-fried kale, and a delicious jus. I like it even more than the duck. 

To go with the main courses, we also have the side dish of Hand-cut pommes frites ($88). The potato frites are freshly deep-fried on order, steaming out with a crisp surface and soft inside, wonderful in texture. Seasoned with salt, there are also ketchup provided on the side, and I was tempted to order an extra one because it was so good.

For dessert, we have two Honey Madeleine ($28 per piece). Freshly baked, the traditional French small cake has a nice spongy texture, with a nice honey taste but not too sweet, and goes perfect with a cup of coffee. If available, I would buy them separately and have them for afternoon tea. 

While I am typically not a big fan of bread pudding, the Cranberry & Orange Bread Pudding ($118) changes my perspective. With the addition of dried fruit to enhance the aromas and flavors, the pudding has a wonderful texture, having a good bite from the bread. It is also less sweet than the date pudding for those who want less sugar.

The final one we have is Sticky Date Pudding ($128). This is the most indulgent of the two puddings, with a higher sweetness level. But it is not just sweet, the pudding has rich date flavors. There is also a clotted cream on top to help balance the overall experience. Probably will be too much for an individual, it is best for sharing. 

Service is good, with the staff friendly and eager to help, and I am so happy that Chef Tiff comes to our table and chats with us. The bill on the night is $2,607 and considering the overall food quality, dining experience and ambience I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 78 points. Worth returning. 

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sushi Zinc

Continuing the holiday eating spree, on Boxing Day, with a festive mood and high energy, we come to Sushi Zinc in Shau Kei Wan, to see what new dishes Chef Zinc has created since our last visit. With us returning every three months or so, the team never fails to deliver an incredible experience every time we visit.

The Omakase Menu ($2,400 each) starts with Soup prepared with Hokkaido Nemuro Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹. The sea urchin is kept in brine to ensure its original and authentic taste, without any additives. Fantastic in sweetness and umami taste, it is good to have something warm to start in the winter season.

The first sake I have is あべ ブラック 純米 ($100). This Junmai has a rich yuzu and mochi fragrance, slight bitterness on the palate, refreshing with a touch of saline finish. A versatile sake to pair with food, also very good on its own. Frankly this sake has changed my perception of Junmai being generally of inferior quality.

Next comes Oita Kawahagi 本皮剥, with Chef Zinc cutting the fish meat into shreds, reminiscent of noodles, and mixed with its rich and delicious liver, before putting a paste made from the fish bones and menegi, sprinkling with some Italian red pepper on top. A big thumbs-up as this highlights the great taste of filefish and its liver to the max. 

A seasonal must-have is Hokkaido Sekogani 勢子蟹. Baking the female snow crab shell to prepare a fragrant broth, it is then mixed with whisked egg and crab miso, and steam to make the Chawanmushi. A crab roe sauce to add to the savoury taste, together with a piece of rolled crab meat in kombu, with a local fennel flower on top for fragrance.

Then comes a special ingredient. The Grilled Shirako 白子 comes from blowfish, with the membrane wrapping the creamy, delicious fish milt. The taste is pure and elegant, without any weird fishy notes often found in cod milt. Good in its original flavours, there is a wedge of sudachi on the side to give some citrus acidity if needed.

Coming to Sushi, the first piece features locally caught Madai 真鯛, from Po Toi Island. The red sea bream is featured in many celebrations in Japan because of its red colour, symbolizing good fortune. Having marinated in kombu to soften the firm texture, it has an elegant, delicate taste, rich in umami. 

The second Sushi features Sumi-Ika 墨烏賊 from Lamma Island. The cuttlefish is very large in size, weighing four and a half catties, with a good bite but not rubbery. Inside the sushi Chef Zinc has added some karashi mentaiko, the spicy pollock roe from Fukuoka, to replace wasabi as seasoning for better complementary flavours.

The third Sushi also comes from Po Toi Island, featuring a special fish called Hong Kong Grouper, or Kijihata 雉子羽太. Seasoned with just a pinch of salt, the soft texture and rich flavours are truly phenomenal, and well deserve to be named after our home. It is our first time enjoying this fish, and we are fortunate for this opportunity.

The second sake continues to be from Abe Shuzo. あべ 純米大吟醸 ($100) is the most premium sake of the brewery, with good aromas of lime, guava and some grassy herbaceous notes. It is richer than the last one and it is best to pair with also more heavy dishes, as well as sushi. 

The fourth Sushi also comes from Hong Kong. The local Spondylus is a rarity, only available in the winter season, and although the Cantonese name is 車蠔 it has nothing to do with oysters. Look like a yellowish scallop, the clam has amazing umami, and it is super fortune we get to try this one.

The fifth Sushi continues to feature local fish, this time is the signature Ma Yau 馬友 from Sai Kung. Weighing over twelve catties, the fish has good fattiness, with a soft texture. With a brush of shoyu to enhance the savoury flavours, it is another great example of how Chef Zinc successfully introduces local fish to sushi fans and change their perspective.

Returning to Japanese produce, next is Tempura Anko 鮟鱇. The batter is very thin, wrapping the white monkfish meat which has a clean and rich flavour. It is served with a creamy and smooth sauce made from the bones and liver of the monkfish, together with some fresh green sansho as seasoning.

Another of Chef Zinc’s signature dishes, next is Shirako Risotto. Using cod milt to prepare a creamy sauce to cook the rice in the traditional Italian fashion, the rice are perfectly done with a nice texture, having a good bite. Shaving some Alba white truffles on top to give extra fragrance, there are also small pieces of chestnut for additional flavours.

While the third sake 多賀治 純米大吟醸 朝日 無濾過生原酒 ($100) has a more mellow nose at the beginning, on deeper sip it shows good harmony and a more savoury palate, showcasing the sweetness of the Asahi rice in a smooth texture. It is a great match with the next dish, and I finish the whole serving with that one dish.

Featuring the homemade Karasumi 唐墨, with Chef Zinc using the plum wine to marinate the Hyogo salted mullet roe to give a nice fragrance and sweetness, before gently grilling the surface to give a nice smoky taste. On the side are Cured Himi Buri 鰤, and the yellowtail really tastes like ham. Some local dried small fish are provided on the side.

To clean and freshen the palate, Chef Zinc has prepared some Yunnan Yellow Ear Fungus 黃耳, which has been cooked in boiling homemade yuzu vinegar and then marinated for a week. The fungus has maintained its beautiful vibrant yellow colour, with also a pleasant glutinous texture. 

Coming to my fourth sake, 大典 白菊 大吟醸 金賞受賞酒 ($100) has a robust rice fragrance and sweetness, richer in taste and well-balanced, and is very good to match food with stronger flavours. This bottle has also won the Golden Award in the Annual Japan New Sake Appreciation Event for two consecutive years.

The sixth Sushi features the prized Botan-Ebi 牡丹蝦, with the spot prawn aged for three days before use, to intensify the sweet flavours and bring forth the umami taste of the prawn to the next level. I like this one more than shima-ebi, which also has similarly sweet taste, but botan-ebi has a firmer texture.

The seventh Sushi is Aka-Uni 赤海胆. Wrapped in a gunkan roll, the rare red sea urchin has a sweet taste, denser, and with creamy texture. The flavours are well-balanced. The reason why this type of sea urchin is pricier and rarer, is that they live in deeper waters, and often require free diving to catch.

The eighth Sushi features Akami 赤身. Coming from a bluefin tuna caught in Oma, the lean tuna has been marinated in shoyu for a brief while, infusing the meat with the savoury delicacy of the soy sauce, with the texture very smooth, sliding down the throat without effort. Often perceived as an inferior cut, but for good ones they are simply phenomenal.

The ninth Sushi continues to use cut from the bluefin tuna; this time it is O-Toro 大とろ. The fatty tuna has been hay-smoked briefly, also soften and vitalize the fish oil. Instead of using wasabi, Chef Zinc uses garlic paste for seasoning instead. Our second time trying this combination, we are still amazed by how good they match and are so delicious. 

Chef Zinc has made an Italian twist on the Tamagoyaki 玉子焼. Chef Zinc has prepared a shiitake broth, mixed with egg, then adding pieces of the mushroom and black truffle to make the omelette. Then he shaves more black truffles on top for even stronger fragrance and flavours. Another combination of Japanese and Italian cuisine of his background.

The Clear Soup is very delicious and rich in umami flavours, using Kabu 蕪菁 and local Okagagai 日月魚, with the Japanese turnip providing a delicate sweetness to the soup, while the local scallop, with a burgundy red left and white right shell, offers very nice sweetness. With a slice of sudachi for its citrus acidity it helps digestion as well.

For dessert Chef Zinc features rice, using different toast levels to make rice puffs before putting on top of a homemade Panna Cotta. The Italian pudding is not too sweet, silky soft in texture, and is made by infusing pan-fried rice into milk to enrich the flavours of the pudding. Very elegant and delicately done.

The final course includes White Strawberry and Panettone. The Italian sweet bread is a festive season specialty, with raisins and citrus peels added to the airy and buttery bread. The strawberry is another specialty, with a nice sweet taste but more juicy, having grown locally in Tai Tong and only harvested the night before.

Service is very good, with Chef Zinc explaining in detail all the food we have, and even the tricks of his cooking, not holding anything back. The bill on the night is $5,720. Overall, the quality of food, dining experience, and everything is impeccable, good value for money. I would rate it an Exceptional 85 points. Must try.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Ultimate Teriyaki Buri 終極照燒鰤魚

Ingredients (for 2):

• Yellowtail - 160g
• Salt - 1 pinch
• Flour - dashes
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Cooking wine - 1 tbsp
• Mirin - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1.5 tsp
• Oil - 1.5 tsp
• Ginger - 5g

Procedures:

1. Cut the ginger into shreds.

2. Mix soy sauce, cooking wine, mirin, sugar into the teriyaki sauce.

3. Season the yellowtail with salt, then coat with a thin layer of flour.

4. Heat the pan with oil, then put the yellowtail in to pan-fry until it turns brown.

5. Flip the yellowtail over and continue to pan-fry to brown color.

6. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and cook until it thickens.

7. Serve with the shredded ginger on top.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - The Merchants 嘗申滙

Having had a couple of great experiences visiting this restaurant before, we decided to pick this one again to celebrate Christmas Eve, coming up to Forty-Five Gloucester Tower in Landmark. Specializing in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, we have opted for the Hairy Crab Journey ($1,388 each) for the night.

The décor has not changed, offering a nice dining experience with cherrywood banquettes in the middle and tables on both sides. We are seated this time at a table on the window side, looking out to the gorgeous views of Central and Victoria Harbour. On the opposite side the wallpaper depicting traditional Chinese paintings are also beautifully done.

I have a bottle of Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aine Le Chevalier de Sterimberg 2019 ($1,620) to pair with the food. The Hermitage white is a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne, and has a nice flinty minerality, with plenty of ripe fruit including some pineapple, pear, white peach and melon. A full-bodied wine to match the food, it has an attractive palate. 

The first course is The Merchants Selection of Classic Appetizers, including three signature starters. Chilled Crystal Ham is nice with a bit of shredded ginger and vinegar. The chef has used pomfret to prepare Smoked Fish, so that we don’t need to worry about the small bones. And Braised Wheat Gluten has a rich taste and is not overly sweet.

The second course is Six-Tael Taihu Lake Hairy Crab. Serving in the traditional way by steaming, the crabs are of decent size, rich in crab roe. The restaurant also offers to help remove the meat on our behalf if we desire. A thoughtful approach for someone who do not want to get their hands dirty, but we are more into the fun of picking meat by ourselves.   

For the third course, we have changed to Shark’s Fin with Hairy Crab Roe for both ($488 additional) instead of the original tofu broth. The serving is generous, with plenty of shark’s fin and abundance mix of crab roe. It is also steaming hot for the best sensory enjoyment, delicious in taste, and after finishing one would be more than half-full already.

The fourth course is Stir-Fried Shrimp with Hairy Crab Roe. Another wonderful hot dish, the river shrimp have a nice, sweet taste, wonderfully bouncy in texture. The delicate taste is supplemented with the more intense crab roe but the two has good harmony in flavours, particularly when adding some Zhejiang vinegar. Not to be missed.

The fifth course is Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Hairy Crab Roe. The glass noodles have a chewy texture, picking up the intense umami flavours of the crab roe soup perfectly. There are also shredded bamboo shoots to provide a crunchy contrast in texture to the noodles. It is so good that I end up finishing all the soup as well.

To take a break of the crab roe, the sixth course is White Cabbage with Jinhua Ham. The white cabbage has been braised in a supreme broth, picking up a nice savoury taste on top of its original sweetness. With a few pieces of Chinese ham to add a touch of saltiness, it is another ‘simple’ dish but made with care to showcase amazing taste.

Another add-on we have is Stir-Fried Hairy Crab Roe with Clay Pot Rice ($1,388). The rice is served in a sizzling hot clay pot, and then the staff pours in the rich stir-fried crab roe, before mixing them well. Truly the highlight of the night in my opinion, the rice picks up all the flavours of the crab roe, and I cannot resist finishing every single grain.

The seventh course includes Xiao Long Bao infused with Hairy Crab Roe and Pan-Fried Juicy Pork Bun with Hairy Crab Roe. Both are fantastic dim sum I would order on its own, with the xiao long bao holding the delicious crab roe and minced pork with soup inside. The bun has a crispy bottom and bursts with the oil from the rich crab roe on the bite.

The eighth and final course is Glutinous Rice Dumplings in Warming Ginger Tea. To warm the stomach after having so much crab roe, the chef thoughtfully prepares the ginger tea, with pleasant, sweet spiciness, plus a couple of soft glutinous rice dumplings with sesame fillings. A filling and satisfying finale to a great feast of hairy crab.

Service is good but compared with the prior visits I feel the staff are not as welcoming as they were, without taking time connecting with us or explaining the food. The bill on the night is $7,562. Overall, the food still delivers our fond memories and expectation, and I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 83 points. Worth returning.