Wineshark Home Cooking - Braised Pork Belly with Mei Cai and Kudzu 梅菜粉葛扣肉

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pork belly - 1 strip (about 2 inches)
• Kudzu - 1 piece (about 1/4)
• Preserved vegetables - 2 sprigs
• Chu Hou sauce - 1 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce - 1 tsp
• Preserved red taro - 1/2 cube
• Dark soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Ginger - 4 slices with skin
• Aged mandarin peel - 1 corner
• Star anise - 2
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Bay leaves - 2
• Rock sugar - 5 pieces

Procedures:

1. Put the pork belly in water and cook until boiling.

2. Soak the aged mandarin peel in water until softened. Then scrap the underside clean.

3. Prepare the rock sugar, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon and ginger slices.

4. Remove the pork belly and wipe with 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce. Use fork to poke holes on the skin.

5. Heat the pot with oil, then deep-fry the pork belly on the skin as well as the meat briefly.

6. Put the marinade ingredients into a water, fill with water, and bring to boiling. Taste the marinade and add in more rock sugar to adjust sweetness.

7. Put the pork belly in and turn to medium heat to braise for one hour.

8. Remove the skin of kudzu and cut into slices of about 1cm thick.

9. Wash the preserved vegetables and then squeeze dry. Cut into small pieces. 

10. Steam the kudzu for 20 minutes.

11. Use a fork to poke in the pork belly to see whether it is cooked well. When done, add in Chu Hou sauce and dark soy sauce, taste to see if more Chu Hou sauce is needed. Add in preserved red taro and 2/3 of the preserved vegetables. Braise for another 20 minutes.

12. Remove the pork belly.

13. Cut the pork belly into slices.

14. Put the pork belly between kudzu slices on the steaming plate.

15. Pour in the preserved vegetables from the pot plus the remaining uncooked on top. Pour in some of the sauce from the pot. 

16. Steam for another 20 minutes.

17. Serve.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - 1111 Ones

This is a fine-dining restaurant located at 18 On Lan Street in Central, serving contemporary European dishes crafted by Chef Chris Chan and his team. Stepping out from the elevator, the staff greeted us warmly and showed us to our table, on the window side. There were also two private rooms at the back serving guests in bigger groups. 

The restaurant had won some design awards, with the theme of its brownish tone and wavey décor in the ceiling originating from Antelope Canyon in Arizona Desert. There was a row of counter seats facing the open kitchen on one side, allowing customers to have a close look and interactions with the culinary team. 

We went for the Dinner Tasting Menu ($1,288 each), and I also had the Wine Pairing ($600). The welcome drink was presented in a chic format, with the Pina Colada encased in a spherical ball with some lime zest on top. Biting it open, the coconut and pineapple flavours burst out, with the lime providing a refreshing note.

The Homemade Bread consisted of two varieties, featuring Multi-Grain and Fig. The Laudemio olive oil served was from Gonnelli, a Tuscany producer with more than 500 years history, having nice fresh olive notes, herbal and a bit spicy, and together with Bonini Affinato balsamic, aged for 12 years, complex and balanced on sweet and sourness. 

The Amuse Bouche included two bite-sized snacks. First one was Deep-Fried Prawn with crisp and light Vietnam Rice Paper, with a bit of green curry mayonnaise on top to supplement. Second one was Italian Coppa Ham, with pearl white marbling. Compared with the traditional Parma ham, this one was more tender and less salty. 

The first wine paired was Champagne Nomine-Renard Brut NV. This traditional style champagne had a fresh green apple, toasty with some brioche notes. With good acidity, the wine was balanced and showed the typical champagne characters. A versatile match with food, and good with caviar and crab meat in the first course.

The first course Caviar featured the prized Oscietre caviar, with steamed egg custard underneath which was mixed with dashi for umami flavours, plus fresh local crab meat for texture and a delicate sweetness. Surrounding were some avocado puree and crème fraiche to give a bit of acidity and additional delights.

The second wine paired was Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis 2024. This Piedmont white had a nice citrus nose, with plenty of pears and white flowers, while on the palate it also got some minerality on top of lemon peel. An easy-drinking white that matched well with seafood and was a nice complement with the tuna and sea urchin next.

The second course Toro featured Blue fin toro tartare and Hokkaido uni, with the two raw seafood both very fresh. Surrounding the chopped tuna were some tomato broth jellies, giving the dish the required acidity to freshen and stimulate the palate, finishing with a spray of bergamot orange essence for a touch of citrus fragrance. 

The third course was Lobster Bisque, with the rich soup intensely flavourful, serving also at the perfect temperature. In the soup there was some fish maw, showcasing an integration of Chinese ingredients on a Western dish, soft and with nice texture, finishing with a bit of crème fraiche to smoothen the palate.

The wine to pair with the fourth course was Badger & Mountain Grenache Rock 2022. This was a South African Grenache, with light body and fruity red cherries and strawberry characters. The earthy undertone was a good match with the morel in the next course, as well as the cranberry juice used in the sauce.

The fourth course Morel used French morel with also minced cuttlefish paste, wrapped in a spring roll before deep-frying, to present a wonderfully layered texture of delicacy. With also some crispy deep-fried leeks on top, the bottom was some stir-fried sea cucumber and mushrooms, served in a veal jus with cranberry juice as sauce. 

Next wine was Descendientes de Jose Palacios Petalos 2022. This Bierzo wine was made predominantly from Mencia, light-bodied and having plenty of red fruit characters, with good floral aromatics. The good acidity and softer tannin made it a refreshing red that could go well the red prawns in the next course.

For the fifth and main course there were a few options, and we decided to get two to share. First came Linguine Gamberoni ($340 supplement), using Sicilian red prawns and taking the prawn miso to prepare an intensely flavourful and sauce to mix with the pasta, cooked in the classic Aglio e Olio style with garlic and olive oil. Very delicious.

Then the wine was Behrens & Hitchcock Winery Alder Springs Vineyard 4 Blocks Syrah 2004. A boutique winery in California, this was a rich red wine, with black fruit, lots of pepper and smoke, and savoury taste. The firm tannin and herbal, earthy notes were good complement with the pigeon, with the savoury flavours going well with the sauce.

The other main course we had was Pigeon Wellington ($340 supplement). Wrapped in a nice puff pastry was juicy and tender Bresse pigeon breast that had been marinated in rosemary, with Lau Fau Shan golden oyster to replace foie gras, with button mushroom and truffle wrapping. On the side was the pigeon leg to enjoy with pigeon jus as sauce.

The sixth and final course was Tiramisu. Prepared the traditional Italian style in a large baking tray, the staff scooped a section for each of us. The mascarpone and ladyfinger soaked with coffee were both spot-on in taste, with cocoa powder and popping candy on top. Appropriate in sweetness, it was a nice wrap-up for a wonderful meal. 

The Petits Fours brought back our childhood memories, serving maltose sandwiched on two wafer biscuits, using a lollipop stick to hold, in a style familiar with those who grown up in the 60s. Finishing with a cup of espresso, it was a contented and satisfying evening, with both of us enjoying all the food, particularly the Pigeon Wellington.

Service was very good, with the staff courteous and helpful in explaining all the dishes and wines with details. The bill on the night was $4,661 and considering the overall dining experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 80 points, worth returning. 

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - An Choi

Today we came to this Vietnamese restaurant located at Mercer Street in Sheung Wan. This restaurant was started by a couple who wanted to bring the street foods from their home to Hong Kong and showed customers its unique dining ambience. The façade is eye-catching, with yellow wall and a semi-open dining area facing the street. 

We were seated on the first floor, with the décor modeling after the street stalls in Vietnam, having plastic chairs and stools, metal tables, and hanging light bulbs on the ceiling. The local newspapers and posters added to the experience of spending time eating local food in a Vietnam neighborhood.

We had some beverages to start, with my wife taking Fresh Lime Soda ($35) while I went for Iced Coconut Coffee ($45). The taste was good, with nice coconut flavours on top of the intense coffee notes, appropriate in sweetness. Just that the cup was a bit too small, and with all the ice I almost finished the whole in two sips.

Decided to share, we ordered one pho and one banh mi. There were some special selections on each day of the week, but for Sunday only the usual two were available. We went for Pho Sai Gon ($100), serving in a delicious broth together with beef ball, brisket, tenderloin, bean sprouts, culantro, spring onion, coriander, and white onion. The beef was tender and flavourful, and it was one of the better pho I had in town.

We also had Banh Mi Dac Biet Special ($80). The baguette was freshly made twice every day, retaining a crunchy texture, and stuffed with three different pork cold cuts, together with pate, pork butt, egg mayo, omelet, pork floss, cucumber, spring onion, and coriander. It was good in taste, but I would still rate the small shop I had tried many years ago in Jordan to be superior in quality. 

The other dish was Summer Rolls Goi Cuon with Prawn & Pork ($80). Wrapped in fresh rice paper were rice vermicelli, mint, basil, shiso, lettuce, carrot, radish, cucumber, and chive, with also three dipping sauces including nuoc cham, peanut and a type of shrimp paste sauce. The portion was big, with four large pieces included. At the same time, there were also choices including only prawns, pork, sausage, or green jackfruit. 

Service was good, and the staff offered to move us to another table, so we could be seated more comfortably. The bill on the day was $374. Considering the quality of food and overall dining experience, I would rate this restaurant a Good 70 points, worth trying out. 

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Xin Rong Ji

My last visit to this Michelin 1-star restaurant was back in 2021, and today, five years later, we returned to their HK branch in Wanchai, with high anticipation, to experience the wonderful Taizhou cuisine they offered. 

Walking up the steps the staff led us to the main dining area, and we were seated at a table on the side. The décor and setting had not changed from our last visit, with an overall comfortable, but high-end, ambience.

There were some Appetizers ($48) provided to start, along with Fresh Pomelo and Almond Crisps. These snacks, although they might look simple, were truly good. We recalled last time the walnut was so good we ended up buying some to take home.

First course was Crispy Cutlass Fish 黃金脆帶魚 ($299 half). The staff had helpfully recommended half the portion for us, to avoid having all 12 pieces in the normal serving. The smaller bones on both the top and bottom of cutlass fish were removed before deep-frying, showing a beautiful golden colour crispy surface while the flesh was moist and tender. Fantastic.

And the staff also helped us to combine Steamed Wenzhou Fish Cake 手工魚餅 ($119 half) and Cuttlefish Sausage 墨魚香腸 ($119 half) so we could enjoy both without ordering the normal portion. Both were very delicious snacks, with my preference going to the sausage because of its crunchy texture of the cuttlefish pieces inside.

Having Clam with Chicken Soup 清雞湯西施舌 ($198 each) again, it still was amazing, with the clear chicken soup intense in flavours, without any single drop of oil, while the clam provided umami and some chewy texture to the soup. We also liked how the soup was served in a hot temperature to showcase its best flavours.

Another signature dish was Braised Yellow Croaker in Home Style 家燒黃魚 ($598 each). The yellow croaker had very tender meat, absorbing the wonderful flavours of the sauce during the cooking process. The size of the fish was also right so we could finish the whole tail without being too much.

A seasonal dish we tried was Fried Eggs with Chinese Toon Leaves 香椿炒土雞蛋 ($238). The highlight was apparently the toon leaves, which were the young shoots from the Chinese mahogany tree, with nice savoury umami flavours. Together with the perfectly done fried eggs, it was a simple dish but one not to be missed in Spring.

The Yangtze Grenadier Anchovy Dumplings 刀魚餛飩 ($98 each) was served with a flavourful broth, with the dough of the two dumplings nicely done on thickness. The fillings were delicious, bursting in umami. The fish had very soft bones and delicate in texture, best in the current season, so no wonder this was a favourite for many locals.

When the Baked Fresh Pomfret Rice in Hot Pot 鯧魚飯 ($498) was served we took a gasp because it was very large in size. By now we were very full so we could only finish one serving and had to take the rest home. But we did not regret ordering, as the rice was very flavourful, with the pomfret fillets tender. It could serve 5-6 people easily. Not to be missed.

For dessert we had Traditional Sichuan Ice Jelly with Brown Sugar Syrup 紅糖冰粉 ($68 each). The transparent ice jelly was made from konjac root, with peanuts, sesame, wolfberries, and the syrup adding sweetness but not excessive. A nice finish to a great meal. 

Service was very good, with the staff attentive, and proactively offered to adjust the portion so we could enjoy it without having too much. They even asked us to reconsider ordering the pomfret rice initially. The bill on the night was $3,631. Considering the overall experience, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 83 points. Worth returning.