Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Sukiyaki Isekuma 壽喜燒 伊勢熊

This Japanese restaurant is located at Minden Avenue in TST, specializing in the preparation of prized wagyu beef in sukiyaki style. Coming on this Saturday evening, pushing open the noren at the entrance, we were greeted warmly by the staff, who showed us to our seats at the L-shaped counter.

Having pre-ordered the Omakase Menu Haruka ($1,480 each), I also had a bottle of Koshi no Kanabi 越乃寒梅 金無垢 純米大吟醸 ($1,680) from Ishimoto Brewery in Niigata. This was the pinnacle of the Junmai sake for brewery, with a refined taste that matched well with the different food on the night.

The starter was French Biscuits with Homemade Salty Beef and Porcini 自家製咸牛肉配牛肝菌法式脆餅. The minced beef and porcini were flavourful, and sandwiched between the biscuits, in the shape of a cow, with its rich buttery note of the biscuit matched well with the fillings, plus some edamame mousse as condiment on the side.

The other starter was Akagai with Mozuku and Tosazu Shaved Ice 赤貝刺身拌水雲醋配土佐醋冰沙. Together with sea asparagus, the raw ark shell was crunchy in texture, with nice umami. Mixing with the Okinawa algae and shaved ice got an additional layer of vinegar acidity and texture, with a refreshing coolness on the palate.

The Assorted Seasonal Sashimi 時令刺身 included Shima-Aji and Kinmedai. The striped jack had a balanced fattiness, having elegant mild flavours and a firm texture. The splendid alfonsino had a beautiful red skin which the chef had lightly torched, with good umami taste, with some soy sauce marinated kombu to accompany.

Next was Sea Urchin Chawanmushi with White Asparagus Puree 白蘆筍蓉海膽茶碗蒸. On top of the delicate and silky steamed egg custard there was a thin layer of white asparagus puree for additional texture. On top were some sea urchin, plus shredded spring onion, to enjoy together.

Today’s prime dish was Siphon Beef Consomme with Thin Slices of Beef 法式虹吸壺牛肉清湯配牛腿肉薄片. Using the siphon, which is typically used to brew coffee, the chef made a delicious consommé, infusing the stock with herbs and kombu, before using it for this one and the later shabu shabu. The beef was very tender and great in taste.

Then came the Grilled Wagyu Italian Style, with Sansho White Miso Sour Cream Sauce 意式和牛燒 配山椒白味噌酸奶油醬. The wagyu was juicy and wonderful in taste, with some asparagus in thin slices and cherry tomatoes mixed with olive oil for salad, together with the appetizing sour cream sauce to balance the fattiness.

The Sukiyaki Wagyu 特選和牛壽喜燒 used two different beef, with the first piece being the highest grade A5 Sendai Wagyu Ribeye 仙台和牛肉眼 with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Paired with egg yolk and egg white mousse, together with pickles and different condiments, it was truly irresistibly good.

To balance the diet, the chef also prepared an Assorted Seasonal Japanese Vegetables 季節日本野菜, which contained eggplant, tomato, bell peppers, enoki mushroom, and tofu. Flavoured by the sweetness and savory of the sukiyaki sauce, the vegetables were good in taste and were perfect to match with the wagyu.

The manager also treated for a serving of Tanada la Grace Junmai Daiginjo from Nagano Meijo 信州銘醸. The flagship of the brewery, this sake had delicate white peach and sweet melon, plus nice floral notes. With sufficient depth and strength to pair with sukiyaki, the label was also a collaboration with contemporary artist Chihiro Koshi.

Finishing the sukiyaki the other piece of beef was Yamaguchi Wagyu Kirameki sirloin 山口縣 “燦” 西冷 with a fine marbling and tender. The chef also added some sea urchin on the beef for extra flavours. Together with the vegetables, green chili, and zucchini, the second rice serving was also KO in no time.

To ensure we were full to the burst, the menu also got Seasonal Egg Cap Udon 季節究極蛋蓋烏冬. The scrambled egg was prepared using olive oil on the sukiyaki pan, to pick up the flavours from the beef essences and a nice sweetness, with the udon noodles wonderful in texture. A satisfying completion on the menu for the night.

For Dessert 甜品   there was a Stawberry Ice-Cream with Matcha underneath, with some grapefruit on the side. Refreshing and not too sweet, it helped to cleanse the palate and offered a comfortable wrap up the meal.

Service was very good, with the staff friendly and attentive, and the chef explaining the food and the details behind, making the dinner both enjoying and informative. The bill on the day was $5,167. Considering the food quality and overall experience I would rate them a Good 70 points. Worth Trying.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Congee with Winter Melon, Golden Thread Fish and Tragacanth Resin 冬瓜魚蓉雪燕粥

Ingredients (for 4):

• Golden thread fish - 3
• Winter melon - 200g
• Tragacanth resin - 2 small pieces
• Rice - 1 cup
• Thousand-year egg - 1/4
• Salted Cantonese kohlrabi - 1/2 slice
• Ginger - 1 piece
• Spring onion - 1 sprig
• Dried tangerine peel - 1 piece

Procedures:

1. Soak the tragacanth resin in water for overnight.

2. Drain the water from the soaked tragacanth resin.

3. Soak the dried tangerine peel in water till softened.

4. Soak the salted Cantonese kohlrabi in water.

5. Clean the golden thread fish.

6. Put the tragacanth resin in boiling water for a while then remove and drain.

7. Remove the skin of the winter melon and cut into strips.

8. Mix the winter melon with some tapioca starch. 

9. Cut the dried tangerine peel into thin shreds.

10. Add the winter melon into boiling water and cook for 5 minutes under low heat. Then turn off the heat and cover with lid to continue to cook until it becomes transparent.

11. Cut the ginger itno shreds.

12. Pan-fry the golden thread fish on both sides until golden brown.

13. Cut the salted Cantonese kohlrabi into small pieces.

14. Cut the spring onion into shreds.

15. Remove the meat from the fish. Taking great care to remove the small bones.

16. Drain the winter melon for later use.

17. Boil a small amount of water and then add in all the fish head and bones to prepare a fish stock. Use sieve to get the stock and avoid any bones.

18. Wash the rice.

19. Add in the thousand-year egg and crush it.

20. Add into the pot with sufficient water to prepare the congee. Keep stirring throughout.

21. Add in the fish stock to the appropriate thickness when the congee is done.

22. Add in the fish meat, tragacanth resin, dried tangerine peel and a pinch of salt.

23. Add in winter melon and mix well. Then serve.

24. Then add the ginger, spring onion, and salted Cantonese kohlrabi on top.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Tuna and Green Bell Pepper Japanese Style Yuzu Vinegar Spaghetti 鮪魚與青椒和風柚子醋義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Green bell pepper - 1
• Tuna - 100g
• White dashi - 2 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Yuzu vinegar soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 2 minutes less than the time recommended on the packaging.

2. Transfer the spaghetti to the frying pan. Keep 150ml of the water from the pasta.

3. Cut the green bell pepper into rings.

4. Cut the tuna into thin slices.

5. Add the green bell pepper and tuna into the spaghetti, then add in olive oil, white dashi, yuzu vinegar soy sauce and sugar, plus the water from the pasta.

6, Cook at medium heat until the sauce is absorbed by the spaghetti. 

7. Serve with some shaved bonito on top (if available).

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Farm House 農圃飯店

A few months ago, we met a Chinese businessman who shared his great experience dining at Farm House located on Sunning Road in Causeway Bay. Today, we came here to try out its authentic traditional Cantonese delicacies.

The décor is relatively simple, with traditional Cantonese restaurant design, including a number of private rooms to cater for bigger groups. The tables are quite close to each other, and on a busy day it could be a bit noisy.

We started with the signature Deep-Fried Chicken Wing Stuffed with Glutinous Rice 糯米釀鷄翼 ($176 for 2). Removing the bones, the chef then stuffed the chicken wing with stir-fried glutinous rice with Chinese sausages, before deep-frying it to a beautiful golden-brown for the crispy skin. Very good in taste, a must order in my opinion.

Next came Baked Stuffed Crab Shell 格蘭焗蟹蓋 ($276 for 2). The stuffed crab shell was nicely baked, with the slight char on the surface appealing. In a traditional style, the crab meat was cooked with onion and Portuguese sauce before stuffing back to the shell, delicious and fragrant in aromas. Another nice one.

For the soup, I had Mixed Seafood with Hot & Sour Soup 海鮮酸辣湯 ($108). The soup had a good balance of sour and spiciness, having sufficient heat to make me sweat. With different ingredients like tofu, wood-ear, sea cucumber, fish maw, scallop, prawn and other seafood, the soup was very nicely done.

My wife had Fish Maw with Sweet Corn Thick Soup 粟米魚肚羹 ($108), and again this nostalgic soup brought back a lot of memories, with the thick soup having the right level of viscosity, and the sweet corn and fish maw both having also its desired texture, showing the chef taking care when each component should be added.

The Premium Soya Sauce Chicken 頭抽豉油雞 ($290 for half) was served in a sizzling hot casserole, having the rich soy sauce not overly salty, infusing the chicken with nice flavours. The chicken was tender as well. Even having only half the chicken we could not finish and had to pack the remaining home.

The Salt-Fried East Star Spot 鹽煎東星斑 ($960) was another signature of this restaurant. Unlike the usual way to steam, the chef pan-fried the prized fish beautifully, intact and without broken skin, with a bit of spring onion scattered on top. Another way to enjoy the fish, and I strongly recommend trying this.

The last dish we had Steamed Egg White with Seafood 是但 ($168). The Chinese name was funny, meaning ‘whatever’, and probably came from the chef using the remaining seafood pieces to prepare this dish, adding to the steamed egg white that had mixed with supreme broth. Silky in texture with rich umami taste. Another must have.

There was also a complimentary dessert of Mung Bean Sweet Soup 綠豆沙, with a good amount of mung beans and other ingredients, as well as appropriate in sweetness. The quality was good, and the restaurant could sell the dessert separately indeed.

Service was good, with the staff attentive and giving good recommendations on the order, but they could do a better job in explaining the dishes in more details. The bill on the night was $2,217. Considering the food quality, overall dining experience, I would rate this restaurant a Good 70 points, worth trying for sure.