Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Xing South Beauty

This high-end Chinese restaurant is located at Nan Fung Place in Sheung Wan, focus on contemporary Shandong and Sichuan cuisine, with the menu designed by the famous Lu Shang Lu and Qiao Jiang Nan, plus some select dishes from other Michelin restaurants in China.

The restaurant is spacious, with the tables in the main dining hall nicely separated to ensure privacy and comfort. The décor has plenty of cultural elements, like using a traditional drum as the table base and lantern-like lamps on the ceiling. But there is also a strong sense of mainland Chinese restaurant design.

For starter we had Smoked Chicken Shreds with Crispy Scallion 脆葱手撕諸城燻雞 ($298). The traditional Shandong Zhucheng smoked chicken was flavourful and delicious, hand-shredded to remove the meat from the bones, to combine with some deep-fried crispy scallions to add an extra layer of fragrance. Very good.

Next, we had Mashed Chicken Ball with Egg White and Matsutake in Chicken Soup 松茸清湯雞豆花 ($198 each). The chicken soup was clear and without any oil, but intense in wonderful flavours. In the middle was a white mashed chicken ball that was mixed with egg white, soft and fluffy, plus some matsutake mushroom to enhance the smell.

The other starter was Mixed Pork Ears with Scallion 章丘葱白雲脆耳 ($238). A pleasant snowy white presentation, the finely shredded Zhangqiu scallion white was mixed with shredded pork ears, with a good crunchy texture. Compared with the smoked chicken this dish was much lighter in taste and would ideally be served first for better effect.

For the main dish we had Stir-Fried Pork Kidney 魯上魯爆炒腰花 ($298). This was a signature dish of Lu Shang Lu in Beijing, with the stir-fried pork kidney beautifully carved on the surface, tender and easy to chew, infused with the dark sauce for a wealth of wonderful flavours.

Lastly, we had Braised Hairtail with Scallion 葱燒渤海灣帶魚 ($498). The meaty hairtail from Bohai Sea was braised in a thick sauce, together with plenty of scallion, with rich flavours, having a mix of savoury and sweetness. The fish meat was tender, while it had been pan-seared to bring forward the delicious fish oil.

Service was good, with the staff attentive and friendly. Together with the aged pu’er to enjoy throughout, the bill on the night was $1,967. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 75 points, worth returning.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - YuSang

Hearing that a new restaurant has recently opened in Prince’s Building in Central, offering contemporary Korean cuisine under the concept of yusang goksu, the traditional poetry-and-drink game in Korea, we came today to try it out.

Passing through the dark brown wooden shutters at the entrance, the staff led us to our table on the window side, looking out to Statue Square. The soft lighting, subdued color and neat patterns created a cozy and comfortable dining ambience.

Like in all Korean restaurants, we were served an array of small dishes to start. The six involved kimchi, pickled cucumber and carrot, seaweed, fresh vegetables, and white baits. They were good and we finished all before the arrival of the first course.

For appetizers, we started with Yukhoe 宮廷生牛肉 ($225). The raw yukhwe was seasoned well, lean yet tender, and upon mixing with quail egg, minced garlic and onion, pine nuts, was truly phenomenal in taste, with the shaved black truffle adding some earthy tones. On the side was seaweed rice crisps to enjoy the beef tartar together.

Next came Seonggeal Gimbap 海膽魚子御卷 ($280). While they looked like Japanese sushi, no vinegar was added to the rice. Instead, an abalone liver paste was used to enhance the flavours of the sea urchin roe kimbap. The sea urchin and caviar topping were both premium and of wonderful quality.

The third appetizer was Baekgimchi Oi 白泡菜 ($122). Made in two styles, the shredded carrot and burdock were wrapped in either cucumber or white cabbage, with the vegetables lightly fermented with a bit of sourness. The clear white kimchi cucumber was a signature of the restaurant, great in texture and taste.                                                                    

Then we had Modeum Buchimgae 韓式綜合煎餅 ($350). The assorted Korean pancake was my favourite dish in the evening, dry and not oily, with a crispy texture, and plenty of seafood toppings like clams, white baits, red bell pepper, prawns. The dipping sauce had a wealth of flavours and enhanced the pancake tremendously.

For the main course we had Dubu Hansang 白切肉配手工豆腐 ($365). Each poached sliced pork belly was enjoyed together with homemade tofu, with a bit of either salty shrimp paste, white bait sauce, or gochujang to pair. On the side there was also some kimchi to go with the pork too, offering different tastes and experience.

The last dish we had Byeongeo Gui 辣醬炙燒馬友魚 ($280). The large fish fillet was charcoal grilled beautifully, brushed with Korean chili paste gochujang to add a bit of spiciness. Drizzled with some lemon juice on top to freshen up the palate, this would a good alternative if you did not want to go for the usual Korean BBQ beef or pork.

Service was good, with the staff attentive and doing a bit of explanation of the dishes, though they could probably go a bit deeper. The bill on the night was $2,266. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate them an Excellent 80 points, worth returning.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Mala Mia

This restaurant offers Polynesian-Caribbean cuisine, aiming to bring customers to the tropical islands with its relaxing, fun, and vibrant energy, through its casual dining ambience, from the ceiling fans, wood and hemp furniture, and an outdoor terrace offering a nice view of Victoria Harbour.

Located at Wing On Plaza in Tsim Sha Tsui East, we came on a Tuesday early evening to try it out. The weather was still very hot, and we opted to sit inside to enjoy the air conditioning. The restaurant offered Happy Hour, with discount prices on beverages and some snacks, so we started with Young Coconut ($58) and Lime Kombucha ($58).

For starters, we had Ahi Tuna ($138). The pan-seared ahi tuna was crusted with sesame seeds to give additional layer of fragrance, while the fish was predominantly raw and tender. On the side the dish was served with pineapple salsa, with good acidity to wake up the palate and get the appetite rolling.

Another starter was Garlic Beef Skewers ($98). The succulent, tender beef cubes were grilled to perfection and topped with crispy garlic chips, giving a nice contrast in texture, with the beef marinated well and flavourful. The portion was quite generous, with three skewers included in the serving.

For the mains, we opted for Spiced Cauliflower Steak ($0). It was a complimentary dish because of the current promotion, with the paprika-spiced grilled cauliflower steak served on a bed of creamy, smooth hummus. The cauliflower was good in taste, with the hummus having rich chickpeas flavours.

The other main was Caribbean Jerk Chicken ($228 for full chicken). The fiery Caribbean-spiced grilled chicken was not sufficiently spicy in my opinion and was quite dry too. Rather disappointing, we could not finish the whole portion. The chicken was served with house-made pickles to balance.

Service was good, but the food was not introduced and as a result had missed the opportunity to engage with the customers on a deeper level. The bill on the night was $654 which was very reasonably priced. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate them a Decent 60 points, can probably skip.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Wenger Noodles 雲家小鍋米線

This family-run Yunnan rice noodle restaurant is in Tsuen Wan, with another branch in Yuen Long. Known for its large portion and less oily style. Located at 328 Plaza on Sha Tsui Road, we came today to try it out during the lunch hours of this Sunday.

The small restaurant is packed with customers, and we had to wait a short while before getting our seats, apparently having to share with others. The décor is simple and without any frill, catering to the neighbourhood with a focus on value.

We ordered a couple of starters to share. Cold Cloud Ear ($24) was quite large, with the cloud ear crunchy in texture and marinated well with the vinegar to give an appetizing sourness. There were also some lettuces underneath too.

The other starter was Plain Boiled Pork with Minced Garlic ($45). With a generous amount of minced garlic, the pork slices were very delicious, with the spiciness and strong flavours pleasant, especially for someone who liked garlic.

We both had the signature Yunnan Rice Vermicelli ($69), which included ten toppings of fried tofu skin, shiitake mushroom, shredded chicken, chicken wings, fish spring roll, blue-green algae, red sausage, bean’s sprout, pig’s blood, pickled vegetables, chives, spring onion, coriander. The soup was delicious and not oily, while the abundance toppings and noodles could satisfy even the hungriest customer.

Though they were not known for best service, the staff were nice, hard-working and chatted with regular customers. The bill on the day was $237. Considering the overall experience, I would rate them a Decent 63 points.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Marmo Bistro

This French bistro is located at Rosewood Hotel, on the same floor and adjacent to BluHouse, and in fact had to be accessed through the Italian casual diner. Offering classic French cuisine at a very reasonable price range, it is very popular and reservations had to be made well in advance to secure a table.

After a warm greeting by the staff, we were shown to our table at the corner of the restaurant. With the open kitchen on the other side, the bistro had a cozy and relaxing ambience, with dim lighting and comfortable banquette and sears, and the posters on the walls offered a touch of French classic on more casual dining.

We ordered the Degustation Menu ($988 each), and I also went for Premium French wine pairing ($398). To start, we were offered some baguette toast, with salami and homemade salted butter together with some pickles and radish. Simple but delicious, we quickly devoured the whole basket before the starters were served.

The first wine served with the starters was Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve NV. A Champagne of elegance, from a renown house of tradition, it is a blend of the three classic grapes, with fresh citrus, green apple and pear, white flowers and biscuit aromas, and fine bubbles, with good acidity and crispness.

There were three starters included, with the first being Salade Lyonnaise. A famous salad from the city of Lyon, the Frisee lettuce was mixed with crispy pork rillon, chicken liver, and a poached egg in the middle. When broken, the egg yolk then mixed with the black pepper vinaigrette for an appetizing dressing for the salad.

The second starter was Foie Gras Torchon. With a pinch of salt to season, the homemade duck liver terrine was rich and fragrant, and on the side the chef provided some dried figs and chutney, to put on the terrine and eaten together with the crunchy toasted sourdough, adding a bit of fruit to balance the richness.

The third starter was Sardines Fumees. On a piece of crunchy sourdough bread the chef had applied a layer of rich tomato butter, then having a tail of delicious smoked Spanish sardines on top, further enhanced with the dill for its herbal freshness. It was a wonderful combination of umami with smoky flavours.

The second wine served was Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis Vent d’Ange 2022. From the biodynamic producer Thomas Pico, the wine had an intense citrus and chalk minerality, good acidity, with a pleasant saline note on the palate, finishing in a crisp, clean and refreshing style to contrast with the flavourful onion soup, but in good harmony.

The soup was Gratinee a l’Oignon, the classic French gratinated onion soup, with two types of cheese, Gruyere & Comte, used to cover the soup before putting into oven, forming a rich and savoury cheese lid adding flavours and texture to the delicious broth, highlighting the sweetness of the sauteed onion.

The third wine served was Domaine Armand Heitz Bourgogne Rouge 2023. An up-and-rising producer, Armand focused a lot on growing grapes in sustainable and biodynamic fashion, with this wine showing nice floral notes on top of the cherries and red fruit, earth and spice, while the palate was elegant and fresh.

For the main course we had both chosen Filet de Boeuf au Poivre, with the beef tenderloin beautifully grilled to medium rare, nicely seasoned, and paired with a rich sauce made with black peppercorn, Cognac, and natural jus. On the side were some salad and hand-cut potato fries.

The fourth wine served was Henri Giraud Ratafia Champenois. This fortified wine was made by adding grape spirits into the fresh grape must before the completion of fermentation. With the Solera system, this wine had incorporated vintages back to 1990, with nice apricot, orange peel, toffee and hazelnut flavours.

For dessert we had Crème Brulee, with the burnt vanilla custard very nicely done, the thin crisp caramelized sugar on the surface able to be cracked open by knocking with a spoon, while the custard underneath silky and sweet, combining for a perfect match in flavours, and a rewarding and satisfying finish of the dinner.

Service was very good, with the staff friendly and helpful, in proactively asking whether we would prefer to switch one of the side dishes to salad instead of having two servings of fries. Together with a mocktail Zero Tonic ($100), the bill on the night was $2,746. I would rate them a Good 73 point, worth trying.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - JOYN 醉雍樓

The Landmark is a fine dining hub in Central, with restaurants like L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon and China Tang that had been on the pinnacle of local dining for many years. Recently there was a new restaurant JOYN, offering contemporary Chinese cuisine and today we came to see whether they were up to the same level as these other big names.

The décor of the restaurant was elegant, with soft lighting and elements of Chinese design to offer a luxury premium experience and smartly using partitions to divide tables to give a good space in-between for privacy but strangely contradicted by the glass wall looking out to the mall. We were seated at a circular booth of comfort.

Going for Supreme Dinner Menu ($998 each), the starter was a trio of small bites, including Crunchy White Jade Melon爽口玉女瓜, Passion Fruit Compote 糖漬百香果, Black Barbecued Pork with Kumquat and Aged Tangerine Peel 金柑陳皮黑叉燒. The jade melon had been soaked in pepper water to get a spicy kick while the passion fruit had an appetizing sweet and sour balance. The char siu was brushed with a marinade made from kumquat and tangerine peel so there was a nice citrus fragrance. Nice starters of different flavours and textures.   

The second dish was Double-Wine Marinated Half Virgin Mud Crab 雙酒微醺熟醉奄仔蟹. With each person having half a crab, the seasonal virgin mud crab was bursting with paste, delicious and indulgently good, absorbing the flavours from the marinade Chinese yellow wine to also have an enriched savoury and oxidative sherry notes. The half crab was also thoughtful in portion to ensure it was not too much for the diners.

The third course was Baked Half Baby Rose Lobster with Laksa Cream Sauce 喇沙忌廉汁焗玫瑰乳龍蝦. This lobster species was known for its sweetness and tenderness, with the chef putting a laksa cream sauce on top after baking. The herbs and hints of spiciness stimulated the appetite and brought an interesting fusion of the signature Singaporean flavours to the table.

The fourth dish was Braised Dried Abalone with Prawn Mousse Stuffed Sea Cucumber 煎釀遼參扣溏心乾鮑. Unlike the traditional dish, here the chef made a twist, stuffing the prawn mousse to the sea cucumber to give additional umami and texture, while the abalone had a gooey interior and deep in umami flavours. The abalone oyster sauce was flavourful and also not too salty.

The fifth course was Steamed Leopard Coral Garoupa Slice with Ginger and Preserved Vegetable 薑蓉雪裡紅蒸東星斑塊. The large, prized leopard garoupa fillet was meaty, steamed nicely to retain a nice tenderness, with the ginger and preserved vegetables giving a unique combination of aromas more subtle than the traditional way of using spring onion.  

The sixth course was Rice Vermicelli in Fresh Crab Soup with Crab Meat and Fish Tofu 鮮蟹湯拆蟹肉魚腐米粉. It was a surprisingly good dish, with the delicious soup steaming hot in temperature, paired with some fresh crab meat and the fish tofu, and the rice vermicelli picking up the flavours from the soup for good effect. A good way to complete the meal, rich in umami.

The dessert and final course was Mango Pomelo Sago with Coconut Ice Cream 楊枝甘露 椰子雪糕. Apart from the traditional pomelo sago with a rich mango cream, the chef added a scoop of coconut ice cream, lowering the temperature of the dessert and at the same time giving an extra layer of coconut flavours, matching well with the mango and pomelo without feeling out of place.

Service was good, though the staff did not explain the dishes and had missed an opportunity to provide a more engaging and better dining experience. Together with a bottle of Anicca Sparkling Tea, the bill on the night was $2,807. Considering the overall impression on the dinner, its food quality and ambience, I would rate the restaurant a Good 73 points, worth trying.