Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - YOI Coffee & Bakery

Having to buy some Taiwan ingredients for cooking later, we came to Kowloon City on this Saturday. As it is noontime, we went to this café located at Lung Kong Road, known for its neighborhood vibe, with nice coffee and pastry. The yellow glass door and wall caught my attention and there were a few people queueing outside already.

After waiting for a short while we were led to our table. The place has a minimalist design, with white walls, some small wooden tables and stools. The coffee bar is at one end with the kitchen behind, with everything simple and local, offering a comfortable cozy feeling instead of those ‘IG-theme’ café in town.

For coffee I had Espresso Tonic Ethiopia ($55) while my wife went for Hot Black Ethiopia ($40). The quality was good, with the Ethiopia origin showing its signature fruity characters, because of its processing method, and that went especially well with the tonic water in my beverage.

For food I had Smoked Chipotle Pulled Pork Burger with Fries 煙燻辣椒手撕豬漢堡 ($128). The burger was delicious, freshly made, with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion added to the tasty and tiny spicy pulled pork, sandwiched in the bun that was homemade. On the side there were the fries which were crisp and freshly made.

My wife had Good Morning YOI 全日早餐 ($128), having a plateful of food including scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potato gratin, salad, and a piece of focaccia toast. Quite a big portion, I saw many girls sharing one together. The quality of the ingredients was good and was another good choice to order.

Finishing my coffee and not feeling enough, I had another brewed coffee, picking the Filter Guatemala ($110). Seeing the barista grinding the beans and handling well the pour-over, the coffee was served in a beaker, with the mug rinsed in hot water beforehand to ensure the correct temperature. Very nice coffee indeed.

While it was very busy, the staff was friendly and nice. The bill on the day is $461. Even though it might look a bit expensive, in terms of its coffee and food quality, I would recommend them as fair deal. Considering overall dining experience, I would rate them a Good 65 points. Worth trying.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Le Le

Since ZS Hospitality announced the sad closure of Testina, I have been waiting for its replacement in the Lyndhurst Terrace location. Recently I heard of their new concept featuring elevated Vietnam dining, so today we come to Le Le to try it out.

With the open kitchen and VIP room at one end, we are seated opposite, enjoying a quieter space. The banquette and furniture are comfortable, and the décor is simple, offering a relaxing environment for diners to focus on the food and conversations.

Picking the Experience Menu ($1,188 each), I decided to also order a bottle of white wine. Josmeyer Riesling Le Kottabe 2023 ($980) from Alsace has good citrus and white peach, floral and minerality, plus hints of development in honey, a versatile wine for food.

Beginning with two small bites, the first one is Sa. Served on a tart are some poached clams sitting on top of crunchy peanuts, covered with lemongrass cream and foam. The combination of umami with the sweet and sour notes are spot-on. The different textures and combinations of flavors are a treat for the palate.

The second snack is Toi Ngam Chua. The oyster comes from Hokkaido, lightly torched, and paired with pickled garlic slices, with its nice acidity and bits of sweetness to complement the umami of the oyster. The tart is shaped like an oyster shell as well. Both good in taste and appearance.

Moving on to appetizer, Goi is a kind of Vietnamese salad, using spring peas and asparagus tips as the base of the salad, some thinly sliced torched geoduck in the middle, with a nice fish sauce dressing, adjusted to the ingredients and season of produce. The dish finishes with some garnish of ice plants and flowers on top. Refreshing and delicious.

The next appetizer is Muoi Ot Xanh, featuring the Japanese Shima-Aji aged for a few days, with the raw striped jack having firm texture and delicate sweetness. The interesting twist is the pairing with the Vietnamese green chili sauce, with reduced heat and turned into puree form. Eaten together with some fresh herbs, it is fantastic fusion execution.

The third appetizer is Pho Ga but totally revolutionizes the traditional soup. Using a siphon, the intense-flavored chicken broth is sucked up to infuse the herbs, spices and lime in the holder, before dropping back after the removal of heat. The broth is then poured into the bowl with fish maw, chicken and cuttlefish noodle. Delicious and a must try.

The last of the appetizer is Banh Tieu, Vietnamese doughnut with duck in 3 ways. The roasted duck has been dry aged for two days to offer great tenderness. The skin has been braised with duck fat for crispness. Together with duck liver pate, and a sausage with pickles on top to balance the richness, to enjoy with the doughnut in de-constructed way.

Moving to the seafood course, Chao Tom, is a Boston lobster tail that has been skewered with sugarcane before grilling with fermented rice and butter sauce, and served with lobster mousse, with some pickled jackfruit and gem lettuce on the side. There is also a sugarcane juice infused with passionfruit juice to enjoy beforehand.

For the main course, Xoi Man, is smoked pigeon with tri-color sticky rice. The breast and leg of the fragrant slow-cooked pigeon are carved out for easy eating, very tender and juicy, and served together with the soup and some sticky rice. The balsamic vinegar on the side is a good dipping sauce, with also some pickles to freshen the palate.

Coming to dessert, there are two courses. The first is Kinh Gioi, a refreshing light dessert featuring lemon balm gelato with ginger-lime yogurt mousse. On the sides are cucumber, prepared in different styles including small, diced ones for texture, as well as pickled cucumber to give pleasant acidity.

The other dessert is Bap Rang Bo, changing the nostalgic Vietnamese street snack to a refined dessert, with the bottom being a tart featuring the prized Marou chocolate from the famous Vietnam producer, a buttered popcorn risotto, and a brown butter tuile. A very nice dessert with great texture and flavours.

Together with Petits Fours, the bill on the night is $4,284. Service is very good with the staff attentive and explained to us in detail on each course, while the food quality is amazing and innovative. Considering the overall experience I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 80 points, worth returning to this amazing Vietnamese fine dining.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Pan-fried Chicken Steak with Japanese Yam and Radish 雞肉利休燒配山藥白蘿蔔泥

Ingredients (for 2):

• Chicken steak - 2 pieces
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• White sesame - dashes
• Cooking wine - 1 tbsp
• Mirin - 1 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• White sesame - 1 tbsp
• Japanese yam - 50g
• Radish - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 pinch

Procedures:

1.Marinate the chicken steak with cooking wine, mirin, soy sauce, and white sesame for 20 minutes.

2. Peel the Japanese yam and chop into small pieces.

3. Peel the radish and grate into meshes. Squeeze to remove the liquid.

4. Mix the Japanese yam and radish together. Season with a pinch of salt.

5. Heat the pan with oil, then turn to low heat and put the chicken steak in to pan-fry, skin side down.

6. Flip the chicken steak over and continue to pan-fry with the lid on.

7. Pour the remaining marinade in and continue to pan-fry until the chicken is well-cooked.

8. Cut the chicken steak into strips and sprinkle with white sesame. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Yue Kee 裕記大飯店

I have lived in Sham Tseng for over 20 years and has witnessed how the dining business in the neighbourhood has evolved. One thing that does not change is this place still being famous for roasted goose. Many people ask me which one I go most often, and without any doubt it is Yue Kee by far.

As a regular, apparently, we know the owner 華姐 well. But seeing how she spends time and interacting with new customers demonstrate her hospitality and care on services, as well as how much she pays attention to its food and quality. Today we come again, as I want to eat their signature roasted goose after returning from my trip.

Unlike the typical a la carte, this time we order 精選花膠二人餐 ($590 for two). There are two soup choices, and we go for 西洋菜燉陳腎湯. A serving big enough for five to six bowls, the soup is tasty, with the savoury notes of the preserved gizzard combining well the umami of the watercress and pork. Delicate yet flavourful.

Then comes 馳名裕記燒鵝. The Roasted Goose is on standard portion, essentially one quarter of the whole goose, which has been meticulously marinated in unique recipe before putting to grill over charcoal. The crispy skin, moist and flavourful flesh are amazing, with the goose freshly roasted and still hot from the stove.

Next is 花膠花菇扒時令時蔬. The fish maw has been braised well, soft yet retaining the texture of a good bite, while the shiitake is thick and meaty, both paired with a rich oyster sauce contributing to the umami sweetness, together with some Chinese cabbage on the side.

The last one on the set is 百花炸蝦丸, with four pieces in total. The deep-fried prawn balls have a bouncy texture, with a crisp surface but not hard. The seasoning is spot-on so that we can taste the prawn and just the flour or other fillers. Paired with a bit of Thai sweet chili sauce it is another wonderful dish.

Service is very good, with the staff chatting with us and providing complimentary dessert to us, as well as other customers. The bill on the night is $700. Considering the overall experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant a Good 70 points. Worth trying whether you like roasted goose or not.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - China Tang 唐人館

This restaurant is under the Lai Sun Dining group and started at The Dorchester in London in 2007, offering refined Chinese cuisine to the local community. This HK flagship was opened in 2013, at The Landmark, and has been awarded One-Michelin-Star in 2026, under Executive Chef Menex Cheung.

Seated at a corner of the main dining area, the décor is infused with many traditional Chinese arts of refined details, including hand-painted and embroidered wallpaper, classic thread-bound books, and many contemporary artworks. The plush carpet and chandeliers also offer a comfortable and luxury dining experience.

I have a bottle of Jiangyu Ferment Grechetto 2023 ($980) to go with the food tonight. The independent and up-and-coming winemaker Jiang Yu uses grapes from Yantai to make this white wine, with medium texture and plenty of lemon and spiced kumquats notes, an interesting wine and versatile to pair with food.

The meal begins with two starters. Sous-Vide Fresh Abalone, Pickled Mustard Cabbage, Peppercorn 鹹酸菜椒麻慢煮鮮鮑魚 ($238) has the abalone slow cooked to wonderful tenderness, with its umami taste supplemented with the sour and salty flavours of pickled mustard cabbage, further enhanced by a touch of spiciness from the Sichuan peppercorns. Overall complex yet harmonious and delicious in taste.

The second starter is Marinated Cauliflower, Lees and Fermented Bean Curd Paste 酒糟腐乳拌菜花 ($88). Although it might look simple, the cauliflower is crunchy, cooked together with a special mix of lees from rice wine fermentation and fermented bean curd paste, giving rich savoury notes on top of the sweetness of the cauliflower.

Then comes one of the signatures, Tang’s Honey Roasted Barbecued Pork 唐人館叉燒 ($388). Made from Iberico pork, the char siu is juicy and tender, with a delicious honey glaze on the surface while the meat has been marinated well and flavourful. With a bit of slight burnt on the edges, it is one of the best I have eaten.

For the soup, my wife has picked Boiled Pig’s Lung Soup with Almond Cream 杏汁鮮白肺湯 ($238). The delicate almond cream fragrance and the white cabbage combine to offer a delicious soup that is sweet in taste, with the pig’s lung thoroughly cleaned and without any weird note. Very nicely done.

I have Tang’s Hot and Sour Fish Maw Soup 唐人館酸辣花膠羹 ($288). With plenty of ingredients, including tofu, fish maw, wood-ear, bamboo shoot, conpoy and other delicacies, all finely shredded, the soup has a great balance of spicy and sourness. Checking off all my requirements for a wonderful hot and sour soup.

Both of us have Deep-Fried Crab Meat, Onion, Mushroom, Cream served in Crab Shell 生拆蟹粉炸釀蟹蓋 ($298 each). While the crab shell is not too big, it is stuffed to the full with crab meat, which has been stir-fried with onion, mushroom and cream, before deep-frying to a golden-brown crust. Very delicious and does not feel oily.

The other main dish we have Pan-Fried Chicken Fillet, Ginger, Chives, Moutai Wine 酒香茅台生煎雞 ($588). Prepared on table side, the staff pour a shot of the premium Moutai wine on the chicken before torching to burn off the alcohol, leaving its unique savoury fragrance, together with ginger and chives, on the tender chicken fillets.

For dessert, my wife has Sweetened Red Bean Cream, Aged Tangerine Peel, Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Dumpling 三十五年東甲老陳皮紅豆沙湯丸 ($88). The red bean cream has appropriate viscosity, not too sweet, and the intense fragrance of aged tangerine peels harmonized well with the soup. A high-quality dessert.

For me, I take Chilled Ice Jelly, Walnuts, Peanuts, Assorted Fruit, Rose Mint Syrup 唐人館冰粉 ($98). The Sichuan dessert mixes transparent chilled icy jelly, the chef added some nuts like walnut and peanuts to give a bite, with some fresh food for its acidity, and drizzled with the rose mint syrup to sweeten. Nicely done.

Service is very good, with the staff attentive, eager to help, and while not having time to introduce and explain the dishes, one can feel the sincerity. The bill on the night is $4,055 and considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 80 points, worth returning.

Wineshark Cooking Class - Crystal Chicken Plum Ginger Tomato Spaghetti 水晶雞梅薑番茄義大利麵

Ingredients (for 2):

• Spaghetti - 160g
• Chicken breast - 100g
• Marinated plum - 4
• Spring onion - 2 tbsp
• White dashi - 2 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
• Grated ginger - 2 tsp
• Water from cooking paste - 150ml

Procedures:

1. Cut the chicken breast into bite sizes.

2. Season the chicken breast with pinches of salt. Then coat with tapioca starch.

3. Pan-fry the chicken breast until almost cooked.

4. Remove the pip from the marinated plum

5. Chop the spring onion into small pieces.

6. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 2 minutes less than the time recommended on the package.

7. Transfer the spaghetti to the pan with chicken breast.

8. Add in water from cooking the pasta, white dashi, olive oil, tomato paste, grated ginger, and marinated plum.

9. Cook under medium-low heat until the sauce boils, then continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is dried.

10. Serve with the spring onion sprinkled on top.