Wineshark Home Cooking - Sichuan Boiled Beef 水煮牛肉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Thinly sliced beef - 300g
• Bean sprouts - 200g
• Spring onion - 15g
• Chinese celery - 50g
• Young garlic - 30g
• Coriander - 10g
• Sesame - 5g
• Chicken stock - 500ml
• Dried chili - 15g
• Sichuan peppers - 5g
• Grated ginger - 20g
• Minced garlic - 30g
• Spicy bean paste - 2 tbsp
• Rice wine - 2 tnsp
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• White pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Procedures:

1. Remove the root of the bean sprouts and clean thoroughly.

2. Cut the spring onion, young garlic, Chinese celery, and coriander into sections.

3. Chop the ginger and garlic finely.

4. Prepare the thin slices of beef.

5. Prepare dried chili and Sichuan peppers.

6. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in the Staub pot, then add in dried chili and Sichuan peppers to stir-fry at low heat until fragrant.

7. Add in the minced ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant.

8. Add in bean sprouts, spicy bean paste, and chicken stock. Mix well.

9. Add in rice wine, soy sauce, and white pepper powder. Heat to boiling.

10. Place the beef on top of the bean sprouts.

11. Put the spring onion, young garlic, Chinese celery, and some of the coriander on top. Cover with lid and let it simmer until the beef turns brown.

12. Sprinkle with sesame and put the remaining coriander on top to serve.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Zozzona

Recently opened, this restaurant has already received good attention, with an interesting concept of combining fresh hand-made pasta with Japanese flavours, known in Japan as ‘Itameshi’, in a casual bar setting. Today, we came to Hillwood Road in TST to try it out.

With cool weather and nice breeze, the restaurant opened its windows to the street for fresh air. It has cozy and relaxing ambience, with a row of dining tables, some highchairs and counter seating to create different experiences, served by an open kitchen at the back.

Both of us had Yakult Fizz ($68) to start, which is a non-alcohol drink made from house-made strawberry cordial, mixed with Yakult, soda water, and lime juice. Pleasant in look and refreshing in taste, it was nicely balanced and not too sweet.

There is an Omakase Menu ($458 each) which includes three appetizers and three pastas, plus one dessert. The first starter was Burrata Cheese on Japanese Grapes, with some candied hazelnuts and dressed with balsamic. Nice combination of flavours, the contrast of crunchiness of grape skin with the soft burrata cheese was also appealing.

The second one was Akami Tuna Tataki. Cut into pieces, the tuna was raw on the inside and lightly seared on the surface, with some Sicilian pistachio and Calabrian chili as condiments, and a bit of orange puree to give acidity. Another wonderfully created starter.

The third one was Okinawa Seaweed Zeppole. My favourite among the three, the zeppole was a sort of deep-fried dough ball with nice chewy texture, dusted with Parmesan cheese and seaweed, to give a nice savoury taste. A must try in my opinion.

Transitioning to pasta, first was Tagliolini Freddi, a cold pasta dish. The al dente tagliolini was mixed with a fragrant shiso and walnut pesto, with some marinated squid on top, cut into shreds and very tender, dusted with some lemon zest to freshen the palate.

Next was Bucatini Wagyu Beef Ragu, with the long macaroni having great texture, picking up the flavourful ragu and the sauce. There was subtle spiciness in the ragu, with additional dried chili on the side to supplement if needed. My favourite among the three pastas.

The last one was Botan-Ebi Spaghetti AOP, with the texture of the spaghetti al dente, prepared with extra virgin olive oil and garlic. The wild spot prawns were good in taste, seasoned with some pepperoncino and nori for heat and savoury.

For dessert we could choose among two, and we picked Matcha Gelato instead of Tiramisu. The creamy gelato was rich in matcha flavour, served in a glass cup for sharing. Nice in taste, it was also not too sweet.

Service was good, with the whole team very friendly and engaging with customers. And there was also a sake pairing if desired. The bill on the night was $1,157. The overall dining experience was very good, no wonder it had become so popular.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Imperial Treasure (CWB)

This Chinese restaurant originates from Singapore and is now part of a big group with over 20 outlets in different cities in the world. Having visited their Michelin 1-star outlet in TST a few years back, today we came to their newer one in CWB to try it out.

Located on 2/F of Crowne Plaza Hotel, the décor here has a glamorous vibe, with the use of brass and golden colour on the wall and ceiling. The comfortable chairs and circular tables, with also some booth seats, and all decorations create a nice dining environment.

We ordered Chilled Pig’s Shank ($98) to start. The pig’s shank has been marinated well, rich in flavours but not excessive. However, they were just taken out from the fridge and was too cold to enjoy and would be ideal to serve at room temperature.

The Barbecue Pork Belly with Honey Sauce ($198), from its appearance, was tempting, with thick cut, glistering with honey on the surface. The meat was unfortunately a bit too soft in texture; not sure it had been marinated with tenderizer or not.

For the soup, Ivy had Double-boiled Pig’s Lung with Almond Soup ($128), while I went for Hot & Sour Soup in Sichuan Style ($118). The almond soup was sweet and tasty, intense on almond notes while the pig’s lung did not have any weird flavour.

The hot and sour soup was also good, having a good balance of spicy and sourness. The soup had plenty of ingredients, from tofu shreds, shiitake and wood-ear mushroom, to bamboo shoots and fish maw. It had the kick of spiciness but not excessive.

The manager had recommended us to try the Pan-fried Live Prawns ($288), and the prawns were indeed beautifully done, infused with the savoury delicacy of the soy sauce to complement with the sweetness of the prawns.

Next was Frog Cooked in Two Ways: Deep-fried Frog Leg with Pepper & Salt, Sauteed Frog with Shallots & Preserved Black Olives ($268). The frog legs were meaty, and the batter was thin and not oily, very nicely done. The sauteed frog was also delicious but the black olives were too salty, affecting the overall enjoyment.

For dessert, I had Chinese Almond Cream ($78). Fairly standard in quality, it had nice almond flavours but nothing particularly stood out to reflect an exceptional offering.

Ivy had Double-boiled Pear with Chuan Bei ($45) instead. What she liked most was that the soup was not too sweet, with plenty pear pieces. We also had Deep-fried Sesame Ball with Custard ($60) to share. The sesame ball were freshly deep-fried to an appealing golden brown colour, with a runny custard inside.

Service was decent, and the bill on the night was $1,454, which was very reasonable. Considering the overall food quality, I would say this outlet was of a lower level than its TST counterpart, with some of the dishes not meeting the expectations.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sunset Grill

This steakhouse is located at the rooftop of Sheraton Tung Chung Hotel. Apart from the dining room, there is also an outdoor balcony looking out to the airport and Tung Mun in the distance. While we drive on the day, there is also a shuttle from Tung Chung to the hotel.

The dim lighting, dark brown leather sofa and wooden floor created an atmosphere reminded me of the traditional American steakhouse. With the open kitchen on one end, and full-height windows on another side providing a nice view to accompany diners.

We started with Chicken Caesar Salad ($175). The chopped Romaine was mixed with tender grilled chicken pieces and a delicious dressing, with some anchovy and Pancetta added to supplement with a salty and savoury taste. The croutons provide a complementary crunchy texture. A nice Caesar salad.

My wife went for the Daily Soup ($105), which was a creamy pumpkin soup, with the sweetness of the pumpkin enhancing the flavours of the vegetable broth. A hearty soup which could easily fill one’s stomach to full.

The other appetizer was Pan-fried Crab Cake ($238). The jumbo lump crab cake had a beautiful, breaded crust, with the crab meat delicate in taste. Together with some mango salsa and a tamarind dressing, the acidity provided the balance to make this a good dish.

For the main, as the restaurant was promoting some aged striploin, I decided to go for 48Hrs Talisker Whisky Striploin ($528), while my wife had 14Days Coffee & Cacao Striploin ($528). The steak was grilled to a nice medium rare, not too fatty to our liking, with good flavours. I personally preferred the coffee than the whisky, with a better match of taste. We could also choose the sauce and sides as well. A good deal based on this price.

Coming to dessert, Dalgona Tiramisu ($95), featuring a whipped coffee foam on top, with only a small section using the traditional cocoa powder to cover. Rich in coffee and mascarpone flavours, it is sweet but not indulgent, a good way to finish the meal with satisfaction.

Service was good, with the staff attentive, courteous and friendly. Together with beverages, the bill on the night, after a 10% discount from Bonvoy membership, is $1,779 which was very good value for money. With nice environment, a nice piece of steak, it is a good spot for dinner, albeit a bit far from town.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Falcone

After going to Water Parade, we returned to IFC to have lunch, and decided to try out Falcone, a Napolean pizza restaurant. The yellow signage of red characters certainly is eye-catching. They also have another outlet at The Peak.

Seated at the comfortable sofa in the dining area, the décor here is neat, with a fun and casual vibe, using some bright colours in the furniture. Even the staff uniform has a cute design reminding me of ice-cream parlour.

After a refreshing BioPlose Pink Grapefruit ($68), the staff served us Insalata Mista ($208). The salad had plenty of lettuce dressed in a anchovy vinaigrette with nice combination of savoury and acidity. Together with caper breadcrumbs and grated pecorino, it was simple but good in taste.

Next came Diavola Pizza ($268). A standard 12-inch size, the pizza had a crisp crust on the edge, a thin dough with tomato paste. The toppings included fior di latte, a fresh Italian cheese of mild taste, salame piccante, a spicy cured Italian salami, and some black olives. The pizza was delicious.

The Linguine al Granchio e Gamberi ($308) was honestly a bit too much after the pizza. The pasta was al dente in texture though, cooked with prawns, crab and tomato, plus a thick sauce with chilli and vino branco. The pasta was nicely seasoned and flavourful.

Service was good, though I was surprised and a bit upset when I saw another table served with mussels when I was told it was not available during my order. Since we were already midway through, I did not ask them to explain. The bill on the day was $1,024. Nice pizza.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Akira Back

Today we came to Akira Back, under the famous Korean chef and restaurateur of the same name, which was recently opened in the iconic The Henderson at Admiralty, for its fusion Korean Japanese cuisine. Stepping out of the elevator, the artistic design of the chocolate-brown entrance, and the contrasting white marble floor already drew a gasp of awe.

We were seated at a table on the window side, looking down to the building lobby one floor below. The décor here is truly sensational, with every single element, from the ceiling, lighting, and wall panels to tabletop and tiles on the floor, all creating a special ambience which is comfortable and chic at the same time.

As I was driving on the day, instead of trying out their wine selection, I ordered a mocktail to start, picking Spumoni ($138). Made with Lyre’s red bitter, grapefruit, Fever-Tree tonic, and saline, it is a refreshing beverage, with the different components harmonized in taste. My wife had a simple Ginger Ale ($48) as well.

We had two appetizers. AB Tuna Pizza ($168) had a thin crisp crust at the bottom, spread with umami aioli and some micro shiso, drizzled with white truffle oil, before coated with a layer of tuna hammered to paper thin, plus rings of onion, tomato, and green pepper to decorate. The contrast in taste and texture was interesting, also delicious.

The other appetizer was Truffle Bomb ($238). On the smoked potato truffle foam were three beautifully deep-fried croquette balls, with raw marinated sweet shrimp jang, sea urchin, and caviar on top, decorated with some chopped spring onion, giving complex savoury and umami taste to the croquettes, further enhanced by flavours of truffle in the foam.

For the main, Filet Tobanyaki ($488) was served on a sizzling hot stone plate, with an umami soy sauce poured on top of the prime filet and mixed mushrooms. The filet was of great quality, very tender and juicy, while the mushrooms got a good bite on texture and complementing with its earthy taste.

The Bibimbap ($258) is the traditional anchor food in stone bowl, with different sauteed vegetables, mixed with gochujang, the signature Korean fermented chili sauce, with a twist of using job’s tear instead of rice, to take advantage of the grain’s chewy texture and earthy taste. Both delicious and healthy.

We had also ordered the signature Brother From Another Mother ($268). Strangely it only came after we had finished the bibimbap. The roll got its name as it featured two types of eels. Wrapped inside the roll were the freshwater eel unagi kabayaki, with sea eel anago tempura on top, plus some shaved foie gras torchon, and paired with ponzu aioli. Creative but not my favourite.

For dessert I had Chocolate in a Cup ($118). Served in a coffee cup was Nutella together with vanilla bean ice-cream and a banana foam, and a chocolate film on top with the restaurant’s logos. Rich and flavourful. My wife had Yuzu Shiso ($108) featuring confit citrus fruit, lime madeleine, yuko yuzu sorbet, and green shiso cream. Refreshing and nice.

Service was good, with the staff attentive and friendly, eager to help. Food quality was very good and delicious, with the dining environment impeccable. The bill on the night is $2,112. On checking my receipt, I found the restaurant charged me $168 for the Tuna Pizza but according to the menu it should be $148. Something the restaurant needed to investigate and correct, but we were very happy about the overall experience. No wonder it had become a hot spot in town.