Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sushi Kit 寿し傑

Hearing that a new sushi restaurant has opened in the old Sushi Mamoru place in Wanchai, today we came to visit Chef Kit, who has now opened his own sushi house of his name. In fact, Chef Kit has been in the business for 25 years. Promptly at 6:30pm the door opens and we are greeted by the staff who takes us into the restaurant. 

We are the first group of customers and are seated at one end of the sushi counter. There is no change in the interior décor, with the use of hinoki wood and warm lighting creating a cozy and relaxing ambience. The Yotsuba Omakase at $1,680 each is very reasonably priced, and while other customers are still coming, we started our dinner.

I also order a bottle of 而今NABARI 純米大吟釀 2023 ($1,680). This sake is from the famous producer in Mie, using the water from Nabari, to make a light, vibrant and easy-to-drink’s sake that goes well with most of the food.  

The first course starts with Madai 真鯛, which has been aged for 3 days, then marinated in kombu to infuse the red seabream with additional layer of umami on the finish. With a tiny bit of wasabi and shoyu, the sashimi has an elegant taste, with the ageing tenderizes the flesh nicely. A tiny bit of yuzu zest helps to freshen the palate as well.

The second course is Iwashi 鰯 Roll. Putting the fillet of the sardines on a piece of nori sheet, with chives and a bit of garlic to season, the roll is fantastic in taste, with the sardines of nice fattiness and each bite bursting with a rich fish oil, while the chives help to balance with the fragrance and reduce the fishy note. 

The third course features Akagai 赤貝 and Tsubugai 粒貝. The whelk and its juicy scallop meat is enjoyed with a bit of wasabi, as Chef Kit already added some salt and lime juice to season, with a crunchy bite. The ark shell, with shoyu and wasabi, provides a sweet taste and is stronger in flavours. Both shellfish are very fresh.

The fourth course is Chanwanmushi 茶碗蒸. On the silky soft steamed egg custard is a thick sauce made with conpoy, very rich in flavours and umami. Together with different seafood including clam, prawn, scallop, and a crunchy vegetable which I do not know its name, the steamed egg is very nicely done. 

The fifth course is Buri 鰤, with the matured Japanese yellowtail smoked in Sakura wood, infusing the flesh with a nice fragrance but not overpowering. With a bit of yuzu pepper to season to reduce the fattiness, the yellowtail creates a complex array of flavours in the mouth on the bite.

Starting with the first sushi, Kawahagi 本皮剥. In between the filefish and the sushi rice, the chef has inserted the liver of the fish, and the pinkish liver can be seen through the translucent fish, which is both delicious and nice in presentation. 

The second sushi is Jabara 蛇腹, recognized by many as the best cut of the O-Toro. Instead of using shoyu, Chef Kit uses salt to season the fatty tuna, very soft in texture while bursting with the delicious fish oil which is unstoppable.

The third sushi is Akami 赤身, with the lean tuna coming from the same fish. Marinated in shoyu briefly, with a bit of chopped shiso leaves as condiment, the tuna has an amazing umami taste and shows great tenderness on texture. 

Returning to Sakana, the sixth course showcases Zuwai-Gani 松葉蟹. On top of the snow crab meat is a clear sheet of crab dashi jelly, made from vinegar adding the jus from steamed crab. The delicate sweetness of the crab meat, plus the touch of acidity from the jelly, is a great complement to each other, highlighting the flavours.

The fourth sushi is special, featuring Hotaru-Ika 蛍烏賊. The firefly squid are chopped up and then mixed with miso, scattered with a bit of sesame on top. The rich flavours of the squid, plus the savoury of miso, are highly complementary in taste.

The seventh course is Ankimo 鮟肝, with the monkfish liver served on top of a piece of deep-fried fish skin. With some shiso flowers to decorate, the rich flavours of the liver are superior than the most premium foie gras in my opinion. The chef also made the liver creamier in texture than typically others do. 

To pair with sake, on the recommendation of Chef Kit, we had some deep-fried Shiro-Ebi 白海老 ($120). The baby white shrimps are larger in size, perhaps because they are still with shell, unlike those we have in sushi. With some seaweed to season, it is a great snack to go with beer or sake.

The eighth course is Tako 章魚. The octopus has been massaged for a long while to loosen the muscle, and then braised in kombu and dashi, infusing the tentacle with umami taste. Seasoned with a bit of yuzu pepper, it is very tender, yet still retaining also the necessary bite, delicious and wonderful. 

The ninth course features Meiji Maguro メジマグロ. The baby tuna has been smoked on hay for a while to coat the surface with a delicious smokiness. On top the chef has added some plum paste to season, with the acidity helps to balance the fattiness of the tuna, which has a nice crispy skin.  

The tenth course is Awabi 鮑. Using black abalone from Japan, the chef has used its liver to make a sauce, which has rich buttery flavours. The abalone has a natural umami taste which is fantastic. A bit of sushi rice is provided on the side to finish all the precious and wonderful sauce.

Returning to sushi, the fifth one originally was serving Bafun-Uni, but on request it can upgrade to the limited Aka-Uni 赤海胆 / 地胆 ($50 additional) from Yura on Awaji Island. The unique taste of the red sea urchin is memorable, using only salt to season, and Chef Kit prepared the sushi without resorting to gunkun, testimony to his skills. 

The eleventh course has Shirako 白子. The cod milt is paired with the signature ponzu sauce, scallions and Momiji Oroshi. It is creamy and while for many they may be repulsed by its appearance, the taste is actually very nice. 

The last sushi is Kama-Toro カマトロ, the collar of tuna, which has been torching the surface to vitalize the fish oil further. Buttery and very tender, the chef has used a nori sheet to hold the sushi, to avoid making our hands too greasy. Very tasty.

For add-on, we have Karasumi 唐墨 ($100 each). The salted mullet roes are homemade, so Chef Kit can adjust to less salty to match with the preference of HK people. Lightly toasted on the surface, it has a nice gluey texture and full of umami wonders. 

Another add-on is Kanpyo-Maki ($80), to share among us. Apart from the dried gourd, Chef Kit also added shiso in the roll, with half having more wasabi for my preference, and the other half less for my wife. A healthy wrap up for a hearty meal. 

Tamagoyaki 玉子焼 has egg mixed with a paste comprising of fish and shrimp before putting it into oven to bake. The resulting fluffy, cake-like texture is very nice, as the inside is still moist and not dried out. 

Finishing with Miso Soup, the umami sweetness of the clams with the leeks plus the miso is a great harmony of flavours. The dessert is seasonal fruit, including melon, strawberry, and pear, with champagne jelly on top. A happy and satisfying meal.

Service is very good, with Chef Kit and his staff friendly and pleasant. The bill on the night is $6,204 and, in my opinion, very good value for money. Considering the food quality and overall dining experience, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 75 points. Worth returning.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Hansik Goo

It has been five years since my last visit to this Michelin 1-star restaurant, which created a lot of interests revolutionizing the perception of Korea cuisine in town, from the more traditional BBQ and bibimbap, to the more sophisticated, tasting menu style offering. Today, we came to Central to see what has changed over the years. 

The homestyle furniture and decorations has not changed, bringing us a sense of familiarity and comfort. This time we are seated at the ‘other side’ of the restaurant, where there is a VIP room and a couple of larger tables. We go for the Signature Menu ($1,688 each), with me also having the 6-Glass Wine Pairing ($888).

The first wine is Gosset Champagne Extra-Brut. The estate is in fact the oldest in Champagne, dating back to 1584. This extra brut has very low dosage, with good freshness, sharp acidity, fruity with plenty of white flowers. A good value-for-money champagne in my opinion, and happy the sommelier chose this one to start our dinner.

Hansik Starter is comprised of four bite-size starters. From the right to the left, the first one is Cuttlefish, cut into a strip to roll up, seasoned with salted clam sauce and sesame oil, topped with cucumber and lime zest to freshen. The second one is Sweet Prawn, mixed with yuzu plum dressing, before wrapping the seasonal Korean winter spinach, with a piece of Jeju mandarin in the middle. The third one is Abalone Yukhweh with Gochujang plum, a crisp seaweed crisps with sliced abalone inside. The fourth is Samhap in Pyeonyuk style, a thinly sliced pork belly, with a dressing made of oyster and aged kimchi. All fantastic in taste, these small bites smartly highlight the flavours without getting one full straight away. 

The second wine came from Santorini, Greece. Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko 2022 is a nice white wine from the island, featuring good minerality and saline freshness, while at the same time showing good citrus and some honey notes, with some white pepper notes coming on the finish. Good match with the spiciness in the Korean cuisine. 

Kimchi Naengchae features white kimchi from Korea with amazing flavours, with its spiciness toned down by the sweet pears. The geoduck and sea bream add umami and different textures of crunchy and tenderness to the mix. With lily bulb and pomegranate seeds as garnish, it is finished with an appetizing white kimchi dressing.

The third wine is Jinmaek 22 Wheat Soju. This premium soju is made from organic wheat, which follows the original recipe when soju was made hundreds of years ago, winning many awards. With an alcohol level of 22%, higher than the normal soju at 16-20%, it has a nice wheat taste profile. A traditional match with chicken broth in Korea.

Sea Cucumber Samgye Tang is a modern twist of the traditional ginseng chicken broth, with two dumplings, one having chicken fillings, and the other with daikon, to serve. Together with Korea sea cucumber, Neung-i mushroom, shreds of ginseng, and deep-fried lotus roots, it is a warming and comfortable food to soothe the stomach. 

Jeonbok Juk translates into abalone porridge, and this dish features Jeju abalone, which are cooked and sliced thinly to give a good bite and avoid any rubbery texture. Underneath is the glutinous rice with seaweed. Together with gingko and Perilla seed and oil, with some caviar on top, the different flavours are harmonized, integrated very well. 

The fourth wine is a Korean rice wine, Omegi Sool 2025. It is a handcrafted wine from Jeju, in recognition of local cultural heritage. Made with rice, millet, water and nuruk, it is allowed to ferment for 15-20 days, having a clean, elegant pale gold colour, with a mild sweetness and delicate orchard and honey notes, a bit like sake. 

Galchi-Jeon features the lightly deep-fried hairtail fish, which has a stuffing of crab and shrimp to add an extra layer of umami. Underneath is pan-fried turnip, with also baby lotus roots pickles on the side, as well as some deep-fried shredded ginger and kombu as garnish. The Cho Ganjang sauce is an appetizing mix of vinegar and soy sauce to integrate everything together perfectly. 

The fifth wine is Castello Solicchiata 2014, a Sicily red wine leveraging Bordeaux blend, but with a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc so overall has more floral notes. The estate will cellar the wine for six years before release, and the development notes of cedar and spices are apparent. A well-made wine with finesse, good match with the beef.

The Signature Hanwoo Duo features grilled 1++ No. 9 Hanwoo beef in two cuts, a striploin with pepper sauce, and a patty that has grilled eel embedded for different texture and taste, with some pine powder on top. On the side is Naeng-i rice with seasonal vegetables, and gochujang to allow one to mix according to preference. Some pickled chili and cucumber are provided also to freshen the palate, as well as fresh mixed kimchi to share.

We also order an additional Galbi-Jjim ($250 for half). The braised beef short ribs mixed with Ganjang, mushroom and chestnut, served in a hot stone bowl, very flavorful and tender, and this one showcases how the chef can also do the traditional dish that we will see more often in Korean restaurants.

The other addition is Korean Fried Chicken ($128 for three pieces). Again, a very common dish in Korea, the chef shows how to do it well, with the deep-fried chicken on lotus roots having a crunch outside while the flesh remains tender and juicy. The Yuza Jang is sweet, with a nice yuzu note which helps to reduce the heaviness on the deep-fried chicken. 

Yuzu & Omegi is the pre-dessert to help cleanse our palate in preparation for the main one. It is a yuzu sorbet with omegi foam, made from Jeju rice millet. With chrysanthemum petals to decorate, at the bottom are pieces of Korean pear and ginger jelly, it is very refreshing, light, and pleasant. 

The sixth and last wine is Yi Yook-Sa Wine 2024. The name refers to a famous local poet in Korea, who spent years in prison, living in a cell with number 264. Medium sweet, the wine is made from a local grape called Cheongsoo, with nice floral, fruity, and grapey. As whole bunch with stem is used during fermentation, there are hints of bitterness on aftertaste, which are good match with Jang Trio.

There are two desserts to choose from, and we decide to order both and share. Angelica & Pine Nut features an ice-cream made from angelica, with red date praline, together with a pine nut pudding with ground chestnut on top and dressed with a sauce of ginger tea brewed with date and cinnamon. Creative, with interesting flavours.

The other one is Jang Trio, with a crème brulee that has its caramel mixed with Doenjang, with its unique pungent and savoury note. In the middle is an ice-cream, and on top scattered with Ganjang pecan, showing soy sauce characters, and Gochujang powder to provide the sweetness and spiciness to have this unique and signature dessert. 

Dagwa is the Korea version of Petits Fours. Yakgwa is the snack made from deep-frying slices of ginger, coated with lots of honey, to offer a rich, chewy texture. The other one is Gamtae Gangjeong, a traditional deep-fried glutinous rice crisp coated with seaweed. Both are interesting in taste, and wrapping this meal with something truly Korean in tradition.

Service is very good, with the staff very friendly and attentive, come to explain each course in detail, and the sommelier also did a great job in pairing wine with the food. The bill on the night is $5,298. Considering the overall experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 80 points. Worth returning. 

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Carmela

It was almost 6.5 years ago that I visited Francis in Wanchai, having a good impression on its cuisine, so hearing that they now have a sister restaurant recently opened in Sheung Wan, today on the second day of the Chinese New Year holiday, we come to Nan Fung Tower, to try out its South Mediterranean cuisine. 

Instead of the door opening out to Wing Wo Street, the access is through the lobby of Nan Fung Tower. Inside the space is nearly decorated, having warm lighting, different types of earthen jars and urns on display on the wall, creating a subtle touch of the region for customers. With most people out seeing fireworks, it is relatively quiet.

We start with Hummus with Green Zhug ($70). The creamy spread has a nice nutty taste, having chickpeas and rich garlic flavours integrating well with lemon acidity. The vibrant green zhug sauce has a hint of spiciness and finishes with some chopped mint to add to the enjoyment of the hummus.  

To go with the hummus, we also order Garlic and Sage Fougasse ($50). The traditional flatbread is made leaf-shaped, with a rich olive oil dough, flavoured with garlic and sage. The taste is good, but I think it is a bit too greasy for me. Perhaps having some pita bread to pair with the hummus would be a better choice?

Next comes House Smoked Sardines ($178). The sardines are very fresh and have shiny silvery skin, smoked briefly to infuse the flesh with nice aromas. Serving on the plate, the sardines were drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil and scattered with an abundance of chives. Very delicious and not fishy. 

Then we have Linguine with Seared Tuna ($198). The pasta is prepared with tomato and chili paste, with a nice balance of acidity, sweetness, and spiciness. The texture of the linguine is al dente, and the tuna are seared slightly on the surface, leaving the flesh still raw, and cut into cubes to mix with the pasta. Another nice dish.

For the main course we pick Pork Chop Schnitzel ($240). The pork chop has been hammered thin before coating with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. There are lemon wedges so we can add a bit of lemon juice to reduce the heaviness. On the sides are some pickled cucumber and Caesar cabbage as well.

For the side dish, we have House Salad ($128). The portion is big, with a mix of lettuce, tomato, avocado, cucumber, feta, and olives. Good for sharing for 2-3 people, the different textures of the vegetables, the balance of acidity of the tomatoes and saltiness from the feta, and the combination of flavours highlight both healthy and delicious.

Since we are quite full, for dessert we go for something light. Opting for Gelato & Sorbet ($35 each), I have a Raspberry Sorbet while my wife go for Vanilla Gelato. The sorbet is a bit too icy for me but having nice sourness of the raspberry is refreshing and reduces the heaviness in the stomach for the meal. 

Service is good, with the staff attentive, pleasant, and eager to help. They can do a bit more explanation on the food, however. The bill on the night was $1,445 with two glasses of wine which is quite reasonable. Considering the overall dining experience, food quality, and service, I would rate this restaurant a Good 73 points. It is worth trying.