Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Ye Shanghai 夜上海

This restaurant has two outlets, one in TST and one in Admiralty, with the former earning Michelin 1-star status for many years. We wanted to see what had changed since our last visit five years ago, so today we came to K11 MUSEA to try it out.

The staff led us to the lower floor, and we were seated at the booth on the side. The décor and general layout of the restaurant had not changed, having dim lighting for a cozy ambience, with a contemporary design incorporating some Chinese decorations.

We went for the Set Menu B ($780 each), with five starters including Sea Conch with Sweet & Hot Sauce 甜辣醬油海螺, Tea Leaf Smoked Egg 古法煙鴨蛋, Sweet and Sour Spareribs 陳皮糖醋排骨, Jelly Fish 蔥油海蜇頭, Drunken Chicken 太雕酒醉雞. With a small portion on each, we could sample the different starters without getting full right at the start of the meal. The taste was good, with me particularly fond of the rich tea leaf smokiness of the duck egg.

Originally followed by a conch soup, we upgraded to Double-Boiled Superior Shark’s Fin Consommé with Chicken and Ham 原盅火膧翅 ($300 each). The amount of shark’s fin was generous, of thick fin needle. Served in a delicious clear broth made with Chinese ham and chicken, it was rich in flavors.

Then came Baked Stuffed Crab Shell 蟹粉釀蟹蓋. The dome shape stuffed crab meat and yolk was appealing in sight and smell, baked to a beautiful golden color. The stuffing, apart from crab meat, had also plenty of crab yolk to enhance the taste even further. A nice twist in the recipe to integrate with Shanghai cuisine.

Next was Braised Whole Sea Cucumber with Scallion 蔥燒原條遼參. The spiky sea cucumber had a soft yet bouncy texture, with the rich sauce providing nice flavors. The scallions added an extra layer of fragrance to the dish.

Stir-Fried River Shrimps 清炒河蝦仁 was another nice dish, with the river shrimps cooked perfectly, having a sweetness in taste and best together with a few drops of Zhejiang vinegar. The poppy sweet peas added color and texture, and overall, a very nice dish.

Coming next was Sauteed Shredded Mandarin Fish 龍鬚魚絲. The fish was filleted and then cut into shreds, then cooked briefly with bean sprouts, without any residue sauce on the plate to showcase the techniques. Another one dish might look easy, but showing true skills of the chef.

The final main dish was Braised Tianjin Cabbage with Jianhua Ham 火腿津白. The cabbage was poached and braised together with a supreme broth to absorb the savory flavors, with a piece of nice Jianhua ham on top to give the saltiness to balance.

Next came Steamed Pork Dumplings 鮮肉小籠包, with the traditional xiao long bao holding the delicious pork fillings and soup, provided a satisfying finish to the dinner. While originally, it might look relatively small in each course, added together we were all quite full.

The Selection of Ye Shanghai Dessert was Sesame Dumplings in Osmanthus Soup 桂花湯圓. The dumplings had a thin skin, wrapping black sesame fillings that were not too sweet, with the fragrance osmanthus soup helping also to balance.  

Service was decent, but one thing which annoyed me a lot was the cling clang noise when a cart with plates and cups was pushed around the restaurant a few times throughout the night. The bill on the night was $2,451. Considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate them a Good 73 points. Worth to try.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Waso Café 華嫂冰室

When I was still working in Wanchai, every week I would visit Waso Café for breakfast, with my favorite being pork chop macaroni with coriander and thousand-year egg. Since moving to Kwun Tong, I did not get much chance to visit them, and today, on a Friday afternoon, I came to their first store in Yuen Long Ping Shan to revisit.

There was quite a big group waiting, and it took about 15 minutes before we got our seats, sharing table with another couple. We ordered a Pineapple Bun with Butter 鮮油菠蘿包 ($15) to share. The bun was nice, with the custard crunchy on the surface, and the butter adding an evil but delicious indulgence.

My wife had Beef Fillet and Pig Liver Rice Noodle with Thousand-Year Egg and Coriander Soup 豬潤牛肉米粉皮蛋芫茜湯底 ($53). The pig liver was nicely cooked and tender, with the beef similarly well-executed. The thousand-year egg and coriander adding fragrance to the soup base, bringing back memories.

I had Pork Chop Maccaroni with Thousand-Year Egg and Coriander香煎豬扒通粉皮蛋芫茜湯底 ($41). The pork chop was pan-fried beautifully to golden brown color, tender and marinated well. Again the soup base was enhanced by the two components to good effect. We also had Hot Milk Tea 熱奶茶 ($20) and Iced Milk Tea 凍奶茶 ($21).

Don’t expect too much service from a neighborhood café, but at least the staff are polite even though they are so popular. The bill on the day was $150, which was quite expensive considering what we were having. On overall dining experience, food and service quality, I would rate them a Decent 55 points. Can skip.

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.