Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Jasmine 八月花

With the heavy rain in town, to avoid getting wet we decided to drive to nearby Tsuen Wan for dinner. Parking at Citywalk, we chose a restaurant in the mall and ended up going to Jasmine for Cantonese cuisine. While we used to go to the same restaurant in Central often many years ago, it was less frequent we went to this one despite being closer to home.

It was not too busy on this night, and the general impression was decent, brightly lit, clean and neat. The tables were a bit packed but that was understandable given the high rental. Picking from the menu and chef’s recommendations on the day, we had the following.

Starting from the Crispy Roasted Piglet with Salad 脆脆BB豬沙律 ($208), the roasted piglet had a nice crispy skin, with the meat marinated well and flavourful. On the side was the fresh vegetable salad drizzled with some balsamic vinegar, helping to balance the fattiness of the piglet. Nicely done and was my favourite dish in the evening.

Next came Poached Amaranth with Golden and Silver Egg 金銀蛋浸莧菜 ($128). A very common dish available in virtually every Cantonese restaurant, the vegetable was tender, with the broth not too salty, seasoned well from the deep-fried garlic. I would prefer the salted egg to be more cooked than the current runny format though.

The third dish was Fish Maw and Sea Cucumber in Casserole 薑蔥海參爆花膠煲 ($208). Quite generous in the amount of fish maw and sea cucumber used, it was fragrant from the ginger and spring onion, plus some garlic and shallot. Seasoned well, it was good value. The only improvement was to control the amount of oil in the casserole.

The final dish was Fish Fillet in Sour Broth Malay Style 馬來酸湯浸鮮魚柳 ($238). It was the most disappointing one, with the whole dish not reheated sufficiently, having many fish fillet pieces just lukewarm in temperature. The broth, with tomato and asparagus, was quite one-dimensional in flavour.

Despite that, we still ordered dessert to see whether that could help to rescue some marks. I went for Sweet Dumpling in Ginger Tea薑茶湯丸 ($36) while my wife opted for Sesame Roll 芝麻卷 ($36). The sweet dumplings had sesame fillings, decent in texture, while the ginger tea was nice, made with lots of ginger. The sesame roll was lackluster though, missing the nice sesame fragrance I would expect.

Service was decent, with the staff friendly but not very interactive, typical in more traditional Chinese restaurants. The bill on the day was $999. Considering the food quality and overall dining experience, I would rate this restaurant a Decent 63 points, can skip.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Stewed Beef Brisket 貴妃牛腩

Ingredients (for 4):

• Beef brisket - 500g
• Tomato - 300g
• Carrot - 100g
• Spring onion - 20g
• Ginger - 20g
• Star anise - 2
• Black cardamon - 1
• Water - 300ml
• Chili bean paste - 2 tbsp
• Sweet bean sauce - 1 tbsp
• Tomato ketchup - 4 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Rice wine - 2 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the beef brisket into chunks of about 4cm wide.

2. Cut the tomato into pieces.

3. Cut the ginger into slices, cut the spring onion into sections. Wash the star anise and black cardamon.

4. Peel the carrot and roll cut into pieces.

5. Mix chili bean paste, sweet bean sauce, tomato ketchup and sugar together.

6. Heat the pot on medium level and then add in the beef brisket. Sear on both sides until it is browned.

7. Add in ginger, spring onion, star anise and black cardamon. Stir-fry until fragrant.

8. Add in the mixed sauce, and stir well.

9. Add in soy sauce and mix well.

10. Add in tomato, carrot, water and rice wine. Stir well and cover with lid to cook for 30 minutes under low heat.

11. Open the lid and turn to medium heat to reduce the sauce. Continue to cook for 15 minutes.

12. Serve.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Locanda

This Italian restaurant is located at Yuen Yuen Street in Happy Valley, a small street off the main Sing Woo Road. The entrance can easily be missed, and only the display of a whole ham leg and the pasta roller hinting of the specialty of this restaurant. Greeted by the staff warmly, we are seated at a table at the back.

The décor inside is similar in style as the entrance, having a no-frill, neighbourhood design which is modest. Frankly for us as first-timers it might be perceived as low-end and ‘just another local pretend’. But knowing better to judge before eating, we order a few of the signature and daily special dishes for our dinner tonight.

I have a bottle of Petrolo Boggina B 2022 ($1,250) to pair with the food on the night. It is an organic Italian white wine from Tuscany, made from 100% Trebbiano, with a nice mineral, citrus and apple characters, also nice toasty flavours from the ageing in French oak barrels. A versatile and easy to drink white which goes well with food.

For starter, we have White Asparagus ($330), with the asparagus coming from France, and after poaching, they are dressed in a citrus mayonnaise. On the side are pieces of 48-month Iberico ham, together with toasted Rocca Parmigiano Reggiano to give a nice crisp and savoury addition to combine with delicate sweetness of the asparagus.

The other starter is the daily special Butterfly Clam ($330), fresh from South Africa, which are sauteed with garlic and white wine in a traditional and simple style. The clams are large, meaty, very sweet and rich in umami while not tough on texture. The jus remaining is also wonderful in taste, with me scooping us all of them with sourdough.

For pasta we have picked ‘Mancini’ Linguine ($1,280 for two). A luxurious treat with two large Spanish carabinero, deep in flavours and amazing in taste, the prawn miso is used to cook the pasta together with tomato and green zucchini. The linguine has al dente texture, picking up the sauce perfectly, no wonder the signature of the restaurant.

On the main course we have chosen the daily special Grilled Whole Bay Lobster ($820). On the bay lobster is a tomato sauce that has also added with finely chopped chorizo, to give a bit of spicy kick and increasing the complexity in taste. With some kale underneath, it is another wonderful dish which might look simple but has a lot of depth.

For dessert, we have Locanda Tiramisu ($158) to share. Served in a coffee cup, the chef has prepared this traditional Italian dessert in an authentic recipe, with the ladyfinger soaked in coffee at the bottom, a layer of mascarpone cheese on top, finishing with the cocoa powder on the surface. Rich and flavourful, a treat to finish a delicious meal.

Service is nice, with the staff attentive and checking in repeatedly on food quality, calling my name in the process to illustrate they are paying attention to the customers.  The bill on the night is $4,660. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant a Good 70 points, worth trying.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Kuke Shokudo 玖鉞食堂

There are many Japanese restaurants in HK, from sushi, teppanyaki, kappo, izakaya and others, but one that is not so common is oden. After experiencing one in Tokyo many years back, I got a good impression and knowing that one has recently opened in HK, today we come to Gough Street in Central to try it out.

With a neat signage and blue noren showing, we come inside and are seated on the counter, facing the open kitchen where the chef is preparing oden on the stove. There are also a number of booth seats to cater for group of four. Very soon all the counter seats are occupied, testimony to the popularity of the place.

We order a few items on the menu as well as those special ones available on the day written on the board. The first round includes Radish ($38 each), Chikuwa ($20 each), Minced Chicken ($35 each) and Mochi Kinchaku ($18 each). The food has absorbed the flavours from the broth in a subtle and tasty way, with the radish my favourite, fantastic in sweetness balanced with the umami from the broth. The others are also nice.

The second round includes Minced Fish Meat Tofu ($28 each) and Sardines Yamaimo Cake ($28 each). The tofu is good in taste, with the fish meat mixed in, like the Chinese style fish tofu. The other one has a nice texture, with yamaimo cake mixed with sardines for the rich taste of the fish, seasoned with some soy sauce and bit of spring onion.

Then comes Deep-Fried Squid Ball ($68). The squid balls have wonderful texture, bouncy but not to the same degree as the Cantonese ones. With a thin batter on the skin, it is not oily and paired with a bit of mayonnaise it is a good complement to go with icy beer.

The Garlic-Flavoured Wagyu Beef Tendon Simmered in Miso Set ($138) is served in a cast iron pan, with the soft tendon very delicious, absorbing the flavours from the rich miso sauce, as well as the large amounts of garlic slices. The yellow cabbage is sweet in taste and helps to balance the richer flavours overall.

Another snack we added post the initial orders is Mirin-Marinated Dried Fish ($108). The dried cod fish is cut into strips and marinated in mirin before toasting on grill. With a bit of shichimi and mayonnaise on the side as seasoning, it is unstoppable once you start to eat them.

To finish off we have Onigiri with Cod Roe ($38), with my wife going for the grilled version ($48). Quite big in size, it is certainly filling even for a big eater. The grilled one is a bit too dry and salty from the shoyu, so my recommendation would be to go for the simple one instead.

The bill on the night is $966. Service is decent, and while it might look simple, everything is cooked per order to retain its texture without getting too soggy. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant a Good 65 points, worth trying.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Yuen Long Si Kee 元朗泗記

Hearing that there is a small eatery in Yuen Long with the owner 琼姐still meticulously prepared steamed rice and dim sum to offer at an inexpensive price to customers, all by herself, we come to Yuen Long Kin Yip Street to learn more.

It took us a while to find the small eatery, and once inside, we are pleasantly surprised by the interesting traditional décor, including the small round tables and stools, traditional booth seats, iron shutter gate and small tiles floor. Clean and neat, with wonderful warm familiarity.

While 琼姐 is preparing our steamed rice, she serves us 足料老火湯 ($52). The soup is very nicely done, without any MSG, and we can tell it has been boiled for a long time, extracting the essences of the ingredients with a natural sweetness. It is just like having the soup prepared by my mother.

For the steamed rice, I have 梅菜肉片飯 ($48) while my wife has鹹魚肉片飯 ($48). The rice is separately steamed and only put together on serving, keeping the rice not soggy. The preserved vegetables are not overly salty, with good fragrance, and the meat slices are marinated well and tender. With a bit of homemade soy sauce, I finish the whole portion in no time.

The bill on the day is $148. 琼姐 shares with us her story about this eatery and the difficulty to keep it running. It is only because she wants to retain the flavours passed from her father, she works so hard to maintain the business. It is another HK story that I believe we must do our best to protect, showcasing the great quality and heart of this beautiful place we called our home.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Garlic-scented Crispy Roast Pork 蒜香脆皮腩仔

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork belly - 2 catty
• Ginger - 80g
• Spring onion - 80g
• Marinade
• Salt - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Chinese five spice - 1/2 tsp
• Deep-fried garlic - 2 tbsp
• Garlic - 1 tbsp
• Skin Water
• White vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Chinese Rose wine - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tbsp (add later)
• Garlic sauce
• Mustard - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Hoi sin sauce - 3tsp
• Ground bean sauce - 3tsp
• Oyster sauce - 1 tsp
• Soy sauce - 3 tsp
• Shaoxing wine - 1 tsp
• Chinese Rose wine - 1 tsp
• Red taro curd - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 4 tsp
• Sesame paste - 1 tsp
• Deep-fried garlic - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Cut the spring onion into sections, and cut the ginger into slices.

2. Wash the pork belly.

3. Heat the pot of water to boiling, then add in spring onion and ginger, as well as the pork belly, bring the water to boiling again and cook for 20 minutes under low heat.

4. Remove the pork belly and flush in water to cool it down. Drip dry and cut on the meat side every 1.5 cm to ensure the meat is marinated well.

5. Mix the marinade ingredients together. Then rub on the pork belly and marinate for 1.5 hours.

6.Mix hot sin sauce, ground bean sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, Chinese Rose wine, red taro curd, and sugar well.

7. Heat the saucepan with oil, then add in the sauce mixture. Cook at low heat, then add in sesame paste.

8. Put the special sauce in a bowl for later use.

9. Mix mustard, special sauce, and deep-fried garlic for dipping suace.

10. Remove the marinade from the pork belly. Use the needle to poke the skin repeatedly. Brush the skin water and let it dry for 30 minutes.

11. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Put the pork belly in, skin up, for 10 minutes to dry it up.

12. Use the needles to poke the pork skin again. Put back into oven and cook for 30 minutes.

13. Wrap the pork with tin foil, leaving only the skin. And put in oven to grill at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.

14. Chop it up and serve with the dipping sauce.