Wineshark Cooking Class - Parma Ham Spaghetti 生火腿番茄義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Parma Ham - 6 slices
• White Dashi - 2 tbsp
• Olive Oil - 4 tbsp
• Tomato Paste - 2 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Heat up a pot of water to boiling.

2. Add in the pasta, turn to medium heat and lightly swirl.

3. Cook for 2 minutes less than the required time shown on the package.

4. Remove the spaghetti and put on the pan, keeping 150ml of the water.

5. Add in the spaghetti water, white dashi, olive oil and tomato paste to the pasta.

6. Turn to medium heat to cook, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes after boiling.

7. Remove and put onto the serving plate, and add in the Parma ham.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Tuna Spaghetti 橄欖香鮪魚義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Canned tuna - 1
• Basil leaves - 6 pieces
• White dashi - 3 tbsp
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp

Procedures:

1. Heat up a pot of water to boiling.

2. Add in the pasta, turn to medium heat and lightly swirl.

3. Cook for 2 minutes less than the required time shown on the package.

4. Remove the spaghetti and put on the pan, keeping 150ml of the water.

5. Add in the spaghetti water, white dashi, olive oil and canned tuna to the pasta.

6. Turn to medium heat to cook, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes after boiling.

7. Remove and put onto serving plate, and add in the basil leaves.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Ankoma

Ever since I heard about their chef Frankie Wong winning Young Chef Award in the 2025 Michelin Guide, I have planned to visit this French-Japanese restaurant, and so, on the Labour Day holiday, we come to Hart Avenue in TST, to experience why Ankoma has become such a hotspot for local foodies.

The restaurant is not big, with only an 8-seat counter looking into the open kitchen, where the chefs are busy preparing the dishes. There is also a terrace offering a la carte. After settling down in front of the chef, I order a bottle of Planeta Chardonnay Sicilia Menfi DOC 2022 ($1,100), exhibiting ripe yellow fruit and toasted nuts, to go with the Dinner Tasting Menu ($1,488 each). 

The first course is a tartlet featuring Amaebi, underneath the sweet shrimps the chef has added some green papaya, with also citrus zest on top to give acidity and freshness. The shell of the shrimps is toasted and grounded to powder, sprinkle on top for additional umami and flavours. This canape might look simple, but it imparts great flavours and gets us off with a wonderful start.

The second snack highlights Unagi, with the smoked eel put on top of a brioche French toast, sandwiched with a layer of creamy foie gras mousse. In contrast to the refreshing taste of the tartlet, this canape has a richer, more indulgent mouthfeel, having stronger flavours. The savoury of the foie gras matches well with the smokiness of the eel, plus the buttery brioche toast it is a delightful treat.

The third course features the seasonal Hyogo Samurai Gold Oyster, with a nice crisp texture and a clean saline taste. The chef has made some shaved ice from virgin Mojito, together with finely diced kiwi, and seasoned with a few drops of mint oil, to provide additional freshness to complement and highlight the flavours of the oyster even further. A creative, smart idea executed with good effect.

The fourth course features Hokkigai. The chef has lightly blanched the Hokkaido Surf Clam with sake to bring forward its sweetness, and having the Skirt immersed further in iced water to give a crunchy bite. Together with slices of Chitpolata sausages and mozuku, it is served in rataouille extraction and seasoned with coriander oil. The overall presentation is also very beautiful, winning us over on both visual and taste.

There are two choices on the fifth course, in which Ivy has picked Chawanmushi. The steamed egg has been added with snow crab meat, as well as some crab roes to increase flavours. On top there is a rich chicken consommé, with some yamacha-take mushroom, together with a drizzle of bannonegi spring onion oil for additional fragrance. This one is the more delicate option among the two.

I have chosen Pasta ($180 additional) instead. The angel hair is cooked in dashi to infuse the pasta with umami taste, before chilling them down for al dente texture. Added with white truffle paste and tsukudani wakame, as well as sturgeon caviar and hanaho flowers on top, when mixed the pasta becomes a true feast of flavours, with the various components reinforcing, and has the stronger taste of the two choices.

The sixth course features Amadai in uroko-yaki style, with the scales of the tilefish deep-dried to crispy and edible, while the flesh of the fish remains moist and tender. To go with the fish the chef has made a rich and creamy, very delicious clam sauce, full of umami flavours. Underneath the fish is local-style Stir-fried King offering additional savoury flavours and texture, and the two dill flowers on top is another source of fragrance.

The seventh course features Lobster, with the chef using butter to cover the Canadian lobster tail and aged for three days, before grilled on lava stone to mimic a charcoal grill effect, with a touch of lemon juice and peel to freshen up. The sauce is made from dried sakura-ebi and kabocha, drizzled with a few drops of homemade chilli oil to give a hint of spiciness. On the side are oden daikon and oxalis to balance the palate. Very flavourful.

There are three options on the eighth course, and we both have picked Pigeon. The Racan pigeon is roasted in yakitori style, with the breast filleted, together with the grilled viscera and thighs on skewers. The chef has used the bones of the pigeon to prepare a yakitori pigeon jus to match, and on the side are some raspberry and jam, giving acidity to balance the taste of the pigeon. Wonderfully delicious.

The ninth course is a pleasantly presented Petit Gateau. The soft cream cheese mousse on top wraps the mixed berries jelly inside and sitting on top of a spongy red velvet cake, with a crunchy almond sable crust at the bottom. A honey tuille that looks like twigs, with some small flowers, serves as further decoration, reminding us of cherry blossoms. The dessert is appropriate in sweetness and highly enjoyable.

The final course is Mignardise, showcasing a Passionfruit Chocolate, with the dark chocolate encasing some passionfruit puree. The acidity of the passionfruit gives a nice balance to the sweetness of the chocolate, and I would hope to have a cup of espresso together to maximize the overall experience. Consider the whole dining experience, this dinner is truly amazing and deserves a round of applause. 

The service is good, with the staff friendly and attentive. The chefs are all busy and cannot afford the time to chat with the customers but have explained each course when served. The bill on the night is $4,728 and very reasonable in my opinion. Highly satisfied by the quality and quantity of the food, and seeing all the actions close up, I look forward to returning and try out their signature roasted three yellow chickens next time.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sushi Takeshi

Hearing that a Japanese sushi restaurant has just opened at The Mira Hong Kong, today we come to try it out. Sushi Takeshi is located on the G/F of the hotel, and the staff are already waiting at the entrance to greet customers. After a short wait, sharp at 7pm, we are led to one of the rooms, served by Chef Alvin Leung. 

The room has a sushi counter which can accommodate seven customers. Neat but without much fanfare, the counter allows two sushi chefs to work simultaneously but Chef Alvin has no problem handling all the seven customers by himself. After a short while all the seven customers have arrived, and the dinner promptly begins.

There is only one Omakase Menu ($2,380 per person), and I also have a bottle of IWA 5 Assemblage ($1,380). The famous sake is made in partnership with the former chef de cave of Dom Perignon, Richard Geoffroy, using a combination of different rice, yeast, and fermentation to create an assemblage of clean, floral and fruity sake with good balance.

The first course comprises of Madai 真鯛 and Hatsugatsuo 初鰹. The Japanese Sea Bream has a nice texture, with delicate and clean taste, best with a bit of wasabi and shoyu. The Skipjack Tuna is the first batch caught in the season and has been marinated briefly in shoyu. Matched with some shredded raw onion, it is very delicious. 

The second course is Kaki 牡蠣 with Caviar. The Oyster comes from Aioi 相生 in Hyogo, has a creamy texture and good sweetness. The chef has thoughtfully cut the oyster in half to make it easy to eat even for a lady. On top are some large, prized French caviar, like mini black pearls, to provide a delicate saline to serve as seasoning. 

The third course is the seasonal Hotaru-Ika 蛍烏賊. The Firefly Squids are large and grilled on skewer, served right after to retain the temperature. With a bit of shichimi to give a bit of spicy flavours, the rich taste of the squid is memorable. I can easily finish several skewers if we can encore. A must try.

The fourth course is Amadai 甘鯛 Tempura with turnip and water chestnut sauce. The chef has prepared the Tilefish using the method to deep-fry the scales to make it stand and edible. Very nicely done to make the scales crispy while the flesh is still tender and moist. The seasonal spring vegetable has a slight bitter taste and helps to freshen the palate. 

The fifth course is Ankimo 鮟肝, with the Monkfish Liver coming from Yoichi 余市 in Hokkaido. With a bit of wasabi to season, the chef has also arranged some Narazuke 奈良漬, the traditional pickled watermelon from Nara Prefecture, which is the perfect condiment for the creamy, rich taste of the monkfish liver.

The sixth course is Grilled Mehikari 目光魚. The fish is called Green Eyes because of their large, sparkling greenish blue eyes. The deep-sea fish has a rich taste, and after grilling the fish oil is very fragrant and delicious. With a bit of mashed radish that has been seasoned with a bit of plum sauce, it is another great Sakana.

The seventh course is Hamaguri 蛤, and the chef has blanched the Asia Hard Clam to perfection, cooked but not rubbery, with fantastic umami flavours. Paired with some seasonal Takenoko 筍, the young spring Bamboo Shoot is tender and has delicate flavours. There are some sansho flowers to give a bit of numb spiciness too. Really good.

Then it begins the sushi part of the dinner. The first piece is Kinmedai 金目鯛 Sushi. With its signature bright red skin, the Splendid Alfonsino has a tender texture, with delicate and refined taste which is rich in umami.

The second piece is Hokkigai 北寄貝 Sushi. The Surf Clam has a crunchy bite, and unlike most of the other sushiya here the chef has put the inner part of the clam facing up in making the sushi. The clam has a good, sweet taste and very delicious.

The third piece of sushi features the beautiful Shima-Ebi 縞海老 from Hokkaido. The Grey Prawn is a prized ingredient, best in season now, with a soft texture and very sweet. The chef has kept them alive just before preparing the sushi to ensure its freshness to the best.

The fourth piece is Aji 鯵 Sushi. With a shiny silvery skin, the chef has added a bit of scallions to the Japanese Horse Mackerel to bring out the flavours even further. Even though it is not the fattest yet, it is already super delicious. 

The fifth piece features Akamutsu 赤鯥. The Rosy Seabass is a deep-water fish with rich fattiness, and after grilling to vitalize the fish oil, the chef has used a nori sheet to hold the fish and shari, which has been mixed with sea urchin, to avoid making our hands greasy, adding some Japanese yam to balance.

The next trio comes from the same Maguro 鮪 caught in Nachikatsuura 那智勝浦 at Wakayama, weighing 133kg. Starting with Akami 赤身, the Lean Tuna has been briefly marinated in shoyu, with a shiny sheen and incredibly smooth, like sliding down the throat. Wonderful in umami.

The seventh piece is Chu-Toro 中とろ. The Medium Fatty Tuna has richer fish oil and flavours, a good mix between fatty and lean, allowing the best of the two to be experienced together. My favourite cut in general, this piece does not disappoint.

The eighth piece is O-Toro 大とろ, with the chef using Jabara 蛇腹 , the part behind the jaw of the tuna. There are no veins so the meat is soft and more refined than the normal Fatty Tuna, with a fantastic taste and essentially melts in the mouth. Very good.

The ninth piece features Kuruma-Ebi 車海老. The Japanese Tiger Prawn is alive and only blanched in hot water briefly before serving. With the outside cooked and inside still raw, it is served slightly warm, with great sweetness and full of umami.

The tenth piece of sushi features two types of sea urchin, Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹 and Shiro-Uni 白雲丹. The chef has prepared a gunkan roll, with the sweeter Bafun Sea Urchin in the middle and the stronger flavour White Sea Urchin on top. Both clean in taste, the ‘double-decker’ is a treat for all sea urchin lover.

The eleventh sushi is Futomaki 太巻. The Roll has many ingredients, including conger eel, tiger prawn, minced tuna, pickled radish, kanpyo, cucumber, and egg. A true feast of flavours and the colourful roll makes us happy and feel contented. The portion is also quite a lot so I do not need to order additional pieces.

The Miso Soup helps to warm our stomach, which has good umami taste and not overly salty while the Tamagoyaki 玉子焼 has fluffy texture, similar to a sponge cake. Made from a paste of fish, prawn, egg, and Japanese yam., the chef has baked it on water bath to create this nice Egg Omelette.

Dessert is Strawberry and Matcha Warabimochi 蕨餅. The strawberry is sweet while the homemade matcha dessert has a Q-texture and a nice chew, not being too sweet as well. A happy and highly enjoyable meal. Both of us are very satisfied. 

Service is good, with the staff friendly while the chef has nice chats with the customers. The bill on the night is $6,754 and considering the overall experience and food quality, it is worth to pay for the price. It is another of the in-town sushi restaurant that I would recommend, and will look forward to return again to try more of their seasonal delicacies. 

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Mandarin Grill & Bar

This steakhouse is in Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong and has been a Michelin-starred restaurant for many years. Unfortunately, in the recent 2025 edition it was taken out from the award list. Having visited a few times with good memories, today we returned to Mandarin Grill & Bar at the end of the long Easter weekend to see what had happened.

Arriving in the early evening the staff led us to our table on the window side. It was a quiet evening, and we were the first group of customers. The area still has the same décor, with neat white tablecloths, comfortable soft velvet chairs, as well as the see-through kitchen at the back, though it has a much slower business nowadays.

Taking the Sunset Tasting Menu ($1,888 per person, including one selected beverage), I also ordered a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs ($284). Two Amuse Bouche were served, one was Smoked Salmon Cone, with mashed salmon inside, topped with pike roe for poppy texture. The second one was a Green Peas Tartlet, with the small peas tender and sweet, together with peas puree inside. Among the two, the latter one was my preference.

The first course was Starter, with Ivy going for King Crab and Caviar Tin. Signature of the restaurant, inside a tin the chef had put the Alaska king crab meat, leek and green peas at the bottom, with a layer of prized oscietra caviar on top, surrounded by some green peas and squid ink puree. The savoury of the caviar added to the delicate sweetness of the crab meat to provide a nice combination of flavours. Very good.

I had the Homemade Smoked Salmon instead. Carved on tableside, the smoked salmon were thinly sliced, and there were different condiments available, where I picked capers, onions and chives. With a squeeze of lemon juice, it was delicious, with the smokiness just right and not overpowering the flavours. It could see a bit of additional salt to enhance the taste though.

The second course was Soup, with Ivy picking Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Oven Roasted Tomato. The gazpacho was rich with flavours, the tomatoes having sweet taste yet balanced well with the acidity, highly refreshing and a perfect soup for summer season. As she generally did not like cold soup, seeing her enjoying it indicated how good it was.

For me I chose Lobster Cappuccino and Crystal Caviar. On the cup was the hot lobster bisque with deep flavours and having a layer of foam on top, while on the side was lobster meat served with caviar in a small tin. The chef recommended me to enjoy the lobster meat first before drinking the soup, as if it was a cappuccino. Compared with the one I tried the week before, the bisque was not as rich and flavourful, but still good in taste.

The third course was the Main, and we opted for Beef Wellington ($488 supplement per person). The tender filet mignon was cooked medium rare, wrapped in bacon and a paste of mushroom, all encased in a beautifully baked puff. Together with a truffle sauce it was super tasty. On the plate there were also some caramelized onion and deep-fried local kale, together with mashed potatoes and sauteed beans on the side.

Before going to desserts there was a small glass of Digestif, which was made from a blend of healthy ingredients including apple, kale, ginger, and beetroot. Having refreshing acidity, but also balanced with sweetness, the drink helped to reduce the heaviness in stomach and got us ready for the desserts.

The fourth and final course was the Desserts, with me going for Basque Cheesecake. The cake had a nice, caramelized top, with the rich cream cheese lighter, looser and airier than the New York style cheesecake the hotel’s cake shop was famous for. On the side was some fig compote as condiment. Delicious.

As Ivy would like to go for some fruit, the staff helpfully arranged a Fruit Platter instead of the options on the menu. With an assortment of fresh fruit, there was also a raspberry sorbet on the side. Another interesting thing was the serving plate, which got fluid inside. I believed the plate was chilled to keep the food on top at a low temperature.

The Petits Fours were Pistachio Chocolate and Liqueur Chocolate. Both were nicely done, and pairing with a cup of espresso allowed me to finish the meal with content.

Service was very good, with the staff very professional and helpfully explaining the menu at the beginning and introducing the dishes throughout the meal. The bill on the night was $4,050 after deducting a $500 voucher and 25% discount from Central+ membership. While the food was good, it somehow did not feel as exciting from prior visits. Perhaps they might need to redesign the menu and find that special element to differentiate.