Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Kinmokusei 金木犀

This recently opened Japanese sushi restaurant is located at The Loop on Wellington Street in Central, offering omakase menu together with a la carte to allow customers the option to pick their own. We came on Thursday evening to try it out.

The décor is neat, with a long sushi counter managed by three chefs, plus a few tables at the back. On the night we were served by Executive Chef Yin, who had many years of experience and was the protégé of the famous Chef Shunji Kenjo.

Decided to go for a bottle of 鍋島 純米大吟醸 吉川産 山田錦 ($980), this sake from my favorite brewery in Saga had a rich fruity note, with plenty of banana and peach, and was a versatile sake to pair with most of the food on the night.

Not wanting to pick by ourselves, we decided to let Chef Yin manage for us with the Special Omakase Menu ($1,340 each). The first course featured Mahata 真羽太. This Japanese Seven Band Grouper was thinly sliced, with Chef Yin using different condiments of salt, wasabi, yuzu to showcase its delicate sweetness.

The second course featured Kisu 鱚. The Japanese Whiting was right in season, with Chef Yin lightly blanched the skin to soften it while keeping the flesh raw and crunchy. Paired with yuzu, shiso flowers and ponzu, it was another very nice piece with delicate sweetness.

The third course featured Hotategai 帆立貝. The meaty Scallop was served in two ways, one piece was enjoyed raw, together with a bit of salt, lime and wasabi, for freshness and crunchy texture. The other piece had been marinated in soy sauce, air-dried, then smoked, to give more savoury and richer flavours.

The fourth course was Kasugo 春子鯛 Sushi. The Young Sea Bream had a nice tender texture with also a clean taste.

The fifth course was Amadai 甘鯛 Sushi. Instead of preparing Matsukasa-yaki by pouring hot oil on its scales, this Yamaguchi Tilefish was served raw. Typically, the flesh would be too soft, but Chef Yin had aged the fish to dehydrate, making it firmer in texture. The first time I had this sushi. A very refined piece.

The sixth course featured Namigai 波貝, with Chef Yin serving the Geoduck in three ways. The skirt, brushed with soy sauce before grilling, was crunchy in texture and juicy on the bite. The middle body was thinly sliced, had a firmer bite and was seasoned with salt. The remaining piece was the ‘heart’ of the body which got the best crunchiness and matched a bit of wasabi.

The seventh course used the thinly sliced Hirame 平目 to wrap the grilled skirt, with the fish oil adding rich flavours to the delicate taste of the Olive Flounder, serving with ponzu which provided the acidity to freshen.

The eighth course was Donchichi Aji どんちっちアジ Sushi. This branded Horse Mackerel from Shimane was famous for its exceptional high fat content and amazing flavors.

The ninth course was Sanma 秋刀魚 Sushi. The Pacific Saury season had just started, and while the fish was not very fatty, the flavors were richer and more forthcoming.

The tenth course was Ama-Ebi 甘海老 Sushi. The Sweet Shrimps had been chopped up and mixed with the unique fermented sea bream guts, providing an intense savory umami and an extra layer of wonderful flavors.

The eleventh course featured Hokkigai 北寄貝, the fresh Ark Shell was large, with a thick body even after trimming. With a bit of wasabi to season, the umami and sweetness was mind-blowing.

The twelfth course was Saba 鯖 Maki. The Mackerel had been marinated in vinegar before putting inside the nori sheet, together with shredded sushi ginger and dried gourd. On top there were some shaved cheeses, smoked by the restaurant, to add an extra layer of flavors.

The thirteenth course was O-Toro 大とろ Sushi. The Tuna weighed 238kg and the Fatty-Cut was from the softest belly area with rich fish oil. Very delicious.

The fourteenth course featured Ibo-dai 疣鯛. This was only the second time I tried Butterfish in a sushi restaurant, with the texture like local silver pomfret.

The fifteen course was Uni 海胆 Sushi. The Hokkaido Purple Sea Urchin was large, with beautiful sheen and a delicate sweetness.

The sixteenth course featured Takebe 高部, and the Yellow-Striped Butterfish was a prized summer fish, having fatty and delicate flesh. After grilling briefly on the skin, the fish oil was re-vitalized and seeped out, while the flesh remained tender and raw.

The seventeenth course was Iwashi 鰯 Sushi. The Sardines had a very tender, virtually melting-in-the-mouth softness. The chopped menegi added a nice fragrance to the rich flavors of the fish for good effect.

Two additional I had ordered included Gindara 銀鱈, with Chef Yin smoking the Black Cod after drying the fish. On the bite the fish oil seeped out with a nice fragrance. This again demonstrated the skills of Chef Yin in smoking the ingredients.

The other addition was Akami 赤身 Sushi. The Lean Tuna had great tenderness, with some chopped onion added to enrich the flavors of the marinated tuna.

Finishing with a Fish Soup that was intense in flavors and very delicious, the dessert was Monaka with Homemade Yuzu Ice-Cream and Matcha Confection. Enjoying in big bites, the crunchy monaka combining with the creamy ice-cream and chewy confection was a nice way to wrap up this wonderful dinner.

Service was good, with the staff checking in regularly on the quality of the food and sake, The bill on the night was $4,154. A really great value for money dinner considering the food quality and overall experience, I would rate them an Excellent 80 points, worth returning.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Hugo’s

Hugo’s was a fine-dining restaurant located in the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Asia, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong on Nathan Road, originally opened in 1969. With the closure of the hotel in 2006, the restaurant re-opened later in the new Hyatt Regency in Hanoi Road, continued to offer classic Western cuisine to diners.

The restaurant was named after a fictional Bavarian character, with his armour in display at the entrance. Together with medieval European décor like coat-of-arms, shields, chandeliers, and wooden beam ceiling, the dining experience presents a unique and classic atmosphere.

We ordered Hugo’s Classic Set Menu ($1,498 each), plus wine pairing ($798) for me. After a welcome aperitif, a non-alcohol sparkling rose, the first wine was Champagne Lamiable Souffle d’Etoiles Grand Cru Extra Brut NV. It was a good match with seafood in general, having good citrus and minerality, very dry in body.

The first course was Freshly Shucked Oysters with Mignonette Dressing. Even though the two raw oysters were not plump, they had nice creaminess and flavours. Paired with Mignonette dressing, the classic French vinegar with shallot and white peppers, it was a typical way to enjoy with oysters.

The second wine was Lucien Crochet Sancerre Les Calcaires 2021, with the Sauvignon Blanc varietal having a nice, rounded texture, demonstrating good structure and minerality. Its freshness and herbaceous characters are a good match with the garlic butter stuffed inside the escargots.

The second course was Escargots a la Bourguignonne. Served on a traditional metal baking dish, which got indents to hold the snails in shells in place, each of these French delicacies had been stuffed with garlic butter to give an extra layer of richness in fragrance and taste.

The third wine served was Anselmann Riesling Kabinett 2022. It was an off-dry German Riesling, with a good balance on acidity and sweetness, making it pleasant and very easy to drink. Citrus with elegant white flowers, plus steely minerality, the wine was a surprisingly good match with lobster soup.

The third course was Lobster Bisque. Prepared on table side, the lobster bisque was heated up and then ‘flambe’ with the added brandy, for the fragrance of the spirit but burning off the alcohol in it. With a dash of cream in the middle, some freshly crushed black pepper to season, it was delicious.

The fourth wine served was Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, an Australian red from Margaret River. The full-bodied wine had ripe black fruit, plenty of spices and oak, plus an integrated tannin that went well with red meat, in particular the peppery notes was good match with the seasoning of the steak.

The fourth course was Steak au Poivre, with the meat cooked to medium rare, having good tenderness and remaining juicy. Having plenty of black pepper on the surface, the steak was a bit spicy though, but I liked it a lot. On the side was mashed potato and some glazed seasonal organic vegetables.

For the fifth and final wine pairing, it was Mas Amiel 1969, a fortified wine from the Roussillon region in France. The dried fruit of fig and walnut was pronounced, while the balance of cocoa and warm spices provided a wonderful match with the likes of chocolate or blue cheese. The bottle was a special edition for Hugo’s as well.

For dessert, I had chosen French Cheese Selection. The staff pushed the cheese cart to our table, and I ended trying all four types available. On the side there were fresh grapes, raisins, and fruit chutney to go with the cheese. My wife had chosen Hugo’s Chocolate Souffle, which was paired with a custard brandy sauce.

The Petits Fours was a Chocolate Cherry, with the staff dipping the cherries in melted chocolate before putting them in the liquid nitrogen to freeze the coating. A fancy way to wrap up the dinner, with the menu also included Coffee or Tea, and I finished the meal with a nice cup of Espresso to my satisfaction.

Service was good, with the staff attentive and friendly. But the restaurant was quite strict on dress code, and I saw a guest having some issue because of that. The bill on the night was $3,443. Considering the food quality and overall dining experience, I would rate them a Good 70 points. Worth trying.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Warm Bread 溫飽

On this sunny Sunday, we went for a walk in Sai Kung and decided to have a light lunch at a café, choosing Warm Bread at See Cheung Street. Occupying the ground floor of the building, there was already a queue outside. After registering with my phone number, we could walk around the neighborhood at leisure while waiting.

It took almost 45 minutes but finally we got a table. It was a small café, with simple but neat décor, and an open kitchen on the side. I had a Brazil Daterra Cold Brew, a medium roast coffee, having nice dark chocolate, dried fruit, and hazelnut notes. My wife had a simple Hot Brewed Coffee instead.

I went for Warm Bread All-Day 溫飽全日早餐 ($128). Large in portion, the all-day breakfast came with a choice of half bagel or sourdough, featuring smoked salmon, Parma ham, half avocado, scrambled eggs, and greens. Satisfying and fulfilling, the ingredients were all good in quality.

My wife went for Mentaiko Linguine 辛口明太子蟹肉扁意粉 ($128). The linguine was al dente in texture, topped with some crab meat, crab roe, dill, seaweed powder and dried chili flakes, in mentaiko sauce, giving a nice combination of spicy and savoury flavours. It was another popular choice among the customers.

Since the bagel was so good, we had an additional half to share. Service was decent, but I like them taking the effort to call in customers on the waiting list, instead of just requiring them to wait outside under the sun. The bill on the day was $377. Considering the food quality and experience I would rate them a Good 70 points. Worth trying.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Three Colour Eggs 三色混蛋

Ingredients (for 4):

• Salted egg - 1
• Thousand years egg - 2
• Egg - 3
• Chicken stock - 1 cup
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. On the inside of the rectangular baking tray brush with sesame oil.

2. Peel the shell off the thousand years egg and cut into small pieces. Put inside the tray.

3. Separate the egg white from the salted egg, then brush some oil on the chopping block and put the egg yolk on it. Press the egg yolk flat. 

4. Add the salted egg white to the whisked egg. Mix well.

5. Gradually add chicken stock into the whisked egg. Mix well.

6. Pour the whisked egg into the tray. Put the flattened egg yolk on top. 

7. Cover the tray with tinfoil, then put in a larger baking tray and immerse with boiling water up to half height.

8. Put the tray in a wok to steam for 18 minutes under medium-low heat.

9. When the egg is formed, remove and let it cool down. Cover with kitchen wrap and put in fridge.

10. Use a spatula to remove the egg from the tray, then flip it over on the dish, cut into slices to serve.