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.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Lucky Indonesia 好運印尼餐廳

After going for a hike in Sai Kung, we returned to Kwun Tong for lunch. Craving for curry, and hearing about this Indonesian restaurant in the neighbourhood, we decided to try it out despite being quite tired, walking all the way from MTR station to Tung Ming Street.

With wood panel walls and bright and clean glass windows, the most eye-catching thing at the entrance is probably the number of Michelin Bib Gourmand labels on the door, with this year being the thirteen years they have won the award.

Walking in and seated at a table on one side, the space is not big, but neat and clean, having some Indonesian cultural decorations on the walls, and a small station at the entrance serving both as a cashier and a bar in preparation of drinks.

The Kare Ayam ($95) with its watery curry sauce is exactly the way it should be, bringing back good memories when I enjoyed the curry chicken in other Indonesian restaurants in HK when I was young. The chicken is decent, but the highlight is the sauce, and I finished the whole serving of the rice with that.

The salad Gado-Gado ($75) is another classic Indonesian dish. Mixing some blanched vegetables, sliced cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, tempeh, plus the crunchy prawn crackers, with the rich and delicious peanut sauce added, it is a happy, colourful, and tasty sharing dish good for 3-4 people.

Hearing this restaurant has the best satay, we also have Sate Kambing ($110 for half dozen), picking our less-eaten lamb skewers. Made to order and simmering hot from the grill, the meat is tender and juicy, marinated nicely, with the satay sauce also very well-made. No wonder this is the star and next time we should try the others too.

We do order our drinks, including Ice Cendol ($40) and Ice Tiga Dara ($38). But they only came when we had almost finished all the dishes. I noticed the lady was busy collecting money, handling takeaways, and receiving customers, so probably had missed our order originally. A slight hiccup affecting an otherwise nice dining experience.

Service is decent, and there is a good neighbourhood vibe seeing the staff greeting some regulars and it is happy to see families bringing their old and young members to have lunch. The bill on the day is $388. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant a Good 68 points, worth trying.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Man Ho Restaurant 萬豪金殿

This Michelin 1-star restaurant is located inside JW Marriott Hotel in Admiralty, offering traditional Cantonese cuisine infused with contemporary elements. It has been five years since my last visit, and today we return to see what has changed.

Greeted by the staff warming at the entrance, she led us to the spacious main dining room, seated at a comfortable table near the tea bar. The décor has not changed much, still creating a neat, elegant yet high-end ambience that is relaxing.

I have a bottle of Devo MV03 Brut Nature ($1,080) to pair with the food tonight. A nice sparkling wine from Ningxia in China, it has red apple, lemon peel, white peach over some yeasty notes of brioche and biscuit. There is also a hint of sweet corn in the aroma. Great value for money.

The complimentary amuse bouche is Marinated Green Papaya with Abalone, serving in a passionfruit sauce. The abalone, although small, has intense flavours and a good bite, contrasting with the soft papaya. The sweet and sour taste helps to stimulate the appetite.

For starters, we have Signature BBQ Pork with Honey Sauce ($188 for 4 pieces). The Spanish Iberico pork is very tender, even with the thick cut it is not tough on the bite, with a nice glaze of honey sauce. The smaller portion also allows us to sample this without having to take the full serving, a thoughtful arrangement.

Next, we have Stir-Fried Frog Legs with Soy Sauce ($208). The meaty frog legs have caramelized surface, seasoned well from the high-quality soy sauce used, keeping the umami and savoury but not salty. Adding the spring onion white for fragrance, we both like this dish a lot.

Moving to soups, my wife has Double-Boiled Fish Maw Soup ($288), with the clear soup rich in umami flavours, having plenty of ingredients including conch, conpoy and preserved citrus. The ingredients are premium and high quality, and the touch of citrus helps to bring forth a nice fragrance plus smoothen the throat.

I have the usual pick of Hot and Sour Soup ($248). The soup has a lot of ingredients, including an oyster, finely shredded fish maw, fungus, bean curd and bamboo shoot. The taste of peppercorn is apparent with the spiciness kicking in but not over-dominating. The soup is full of flavours and wonderful in taste.

For the main courses, trying something new we have Sauteed Garoupa Fillets with Chinese Chive Flowers ($688). Elevating the traditional low-end dish, the preserved vegetables, dried white bait and dried shrimps are still the spotlights, with the chive flowers and shredded taro also amazing. My favourite in the evening.

The other one is Tea-Smoked Marinated Chicken with Soy Sauce ($428 for half). Served in casserole, the chicken is tender and juicy, absorbing the smoky fragrance. A lot of preparation must be done for the flavours of the soy sauce to lightly embed into the meat and skin, without making it salty.

The Braised Pomelo Peel ($288) with dried shrimp roe is a dish many restaurants no longer offer because of the effort required, but they cannot charge a high price. Here the pomelo skin is nicely done, not bitter or having any strange taste. The shrimp roe adds umami, with the abalone sauce delicious.

We both take Dessert of the Day ($88 each) which is Red Bean Soup with Aged Tangerine Peel. Appropriate in sweetness, the red beans have been boiled to the right degree, bursting and getting the soup to be ‘sandy’. The tangerine peel was also very fragrant, bringing the common dessert to an extra level.

The complimentary Petits Fours include Yuzu Cake and Coconut Biscuit. The yuzu cake has a refreshing taste, with the citrus notes helping to cleanse the palate. The biscuit is made with shredded coconut meat, with a rich note that is pleasant. A small snack to finish off the dinner on a sweet and happy note.

Service is good, with the staff attentive and helpful but they can also do a more detailed introduction of the dishes. The bill on the night is $4,123 and considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 80 points, worth returning.