Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sukiyaki Nakagawa

This sukiyaki restaurant is located at 3/F Cubus in Causeway Bay and is part of the same group with Teppanyaki Mihara Goten, which is just adjacent. As there are two seating for reservation, we arrived sharp at 6:00pm, for the first session. 

Settling down comfortably at hinoki counter, Chef Itagaki Kazuyuki came to introduce himself, showing us also the jar of fermented soybeans and shoyu he made in-house. We started off with a refreshing Signature Japanese Tea each ($55). 

Pre-ordered the Winter Limited Omakse Menu ($1,680 each), the first course was Sashimi, which included Hokkaido Abalone, Grouper, Lean and Medium Fatty Tuna, plus Sea Urchin, together with Salmon Roe and Caviar. Fresh and delicious with miso as condiment.

We also had Golden Dragon Ball Roll ($600). On the nori sheet the chef put Kosawari Cured Egg Yolk, Hokkaido Uni, Akami and Chu-Toro, plus Hokkaido Rice to make this sushi roll, with the homemade miso adding savoury to the great taste of the roll. No wonder it is a signature. It is also good for two people to share.

The second course was Steamed Egg Custard. Inside the silky-smooth egg custard was the meat of Hairy Crab, with an appealing orange colour from the flavourful crab miso. With some Winter Truffle slices on top to bring extra fragrance, the squeezed Fresh Sudachi Orange helps to freshen the palate to good effect.

The third course was the Seared A5 Kobe Beef. Seeing Chef Kazuyuki preparing the stove and pot, heating the sauce and then searing the beef demonstrates his mastery in sukiyaki. The beef, together with Daikonku Shimeji Mushrooms, was served in Truffle and Cured Egg Yolk, heavenly good in taste. 

The fourth course was Foie Gras Sukiyaki with Fried Red Rockfish. The foie gras was beautifully seared, rich and flavourful, matching well with the rockfish fillet which was also nice and fatty. With Truffle on top to enhance the aromas, the Purple Sweet Potato and Beet Puree underneath helps to balance the greasiness of the foie gras.

After showing us the ingredients for the upcoming dishes to stimulate our appetite again, we were served a Sudachi Sorbet, helping to cleanse and freshen the palate to get us ready for the next course of the night.  

The sixth course featured A5 Omi Beef and A5 Takemori ‘Drunken’ Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki. Again Chef Kazuyuki showed his skills in meticulously searing the beef on the stove, with two different dipping sauces, one traditional style made with Kodawari Egg, and the other uses the egg to whisk Foam with Truffle Shavings, more complex in flavours.

Using the sukiyaki sauce on stove the chef also prepared vegetables to go with the beef. The first included Leek, Bamboo Shoot, and Tofu. Tender and not fiberous, the leek and bamboo shoot was great in taste, with the tofu having rich soybean flavours.

The other serving included the juicy Tomato, with its skin peeled to remove the tough skin. The Shungiku is a seasonal vegetable for Spring, with its unique taste that appeals to me, while Chojifu, a type of traditional dried gluten, fully absorbed the flavours of the sukiyaki sauce with a wonderful bite was my favourite sides.

The seventh course was Akita Cold Inaniwa Udon. The signature flat and thin udon picked up the dashi flavours nicely, and to also to help freshen the palate, the chef has prepared a Refreshing Lime Dashi to go with the udon. I ended up finishing all the dashi as well.

The eighth course featured A4 Satsuma Beef, with the beef prepared in sukiyaki style. After that the chef has the beef on Claypot Cooked Rice, poured in a Kodawari Egg Sauce that had mixed with Hairy Crab, with also some Sea Urchin, Truffle, and plenty of spring onion on top. Along with Miso Soup and Pickles, the rice was so good I would like to ask for an encore, despite I was already very full.

The last course was Seasonal Japanese Fresh Fruit, including melon and strawberry. Both were very sweet and juicy. And we finished with another glass of Japanese Tea ($48), picking Hojicha to help digestion and comfort the stomach.

Service was good, with the staff attentive and courteous. Chef Kazuyki and his Japanese assistant both tried their best to introduce using English which we also appreciate a lot. The bill on the night was $5,023. Considering the overall experience, food quality and service, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 75 points. Worth returning.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Salisterra

This restaurant is located at Upper House in Admiralty, offering Mediterranean cuisine. Coming up the elevator, we walked through a corridor with lit candles on both sides, truly living to a grand entrance style. 

The interior décor is nice, with the eye-catching huge circular modern chandelier in the middle of the restaurant. We were seated at the window side, on a corner table with nice comfy sofa and spacious table. 

After ordering the staff brought us some Amuse Bouche, including Empanada, a type of deep-fried savoury dough (rather like dumpling) with truffle, mushroom, and porter cheese fillings, and Focaccia with whipped cream cheese, seasoned with olive oil and spices.

The Set Dinner ($688 each) includes some sharing plates, starting with Beef Tartare. The chopped smoked beef was mixed with capers, shallots and whole grain mustard. Mixed with egg yolk for velvety texture, it was served with toasted bread.

The second was Puntarelle Chicory Salad. The chicory had a pleasant bitter taste, with the salad using the leaves and the shoots, together with some orange wedges and walnut, and dressed in colatura, a type of fish sauce made from anchovy.

The third was Gravlax, featuring the citrus cured Nordic salmon. With stimulating acidity, this starter also got horseradish chunks, beetroot cubes, radish slices, hazelnuts, with the sour crème fraiche to blend everything together.

The last was Crab Arancini, an Italian deep-fried rice ball stuffed with crab meat and mozzarella cheese. On the top was saffron aioli and caper leaves, while the bottom was a tomato puree with its acidity to balance. 

For the Main, we had chosen Beef Cheek. The braised meat was very tender and flavourful, served on some creamy polenta, with honey glazed parsnips on the side, and drizzled with delicious capers and olive beef jus. 

The other one was Arctic Char, with the fish fillet beautifully pan-fried to crispness on the skin while keeping the flesh moist, served with braised borlotti beans, fennel, preserved lemon and Taggiasca olives.

Along with the main, there are some sides to share, with grilled Broccolini and Carrots, plus some Mashed Potato. The vegetables were good, with the carrots particularly sweet and rich in flavours. 

For the Desserts we picked Tarte Au Citron. The tart had lemon curd fillings, a good mix of sour and sweetness. The beautiful meringue on top had been torched and added with some lime zest to freshen the palate. 

The other one chosen was Manchego, the cheese made from La Manche in Spain from sheep milk, with nice flavours and not too strong in taste. Accompanying the cheese were some fig jam, fresh grapes, and crackers. 

The Petits Fours include some chocolate chunks and sugared tangerine strips. 

Service was good, but the staff did not explain much about the dishes, which was a bit of letdown. Together with two glasses of wine, the bill on the night is $1,910. Considering the food quality and overall dining experience, I rate this restaurant an Excellent 78 points, worth returning. 

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.