Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - LPM

This French restaurant is in the heart of Central, at H Queen’s on Stanley Street, with the glass doors leading past a curtain screen, into a nice ambience, with light colour palette, white linen tablecloth, plenty of art on the walls. All creating a cozy Riviera atmosphere, reminding me of a vacation to Nice many years back.

With sofa seats on the side, we are seated at a table in the middle, with more space and comfort. All the staff are dressed in smart and formal attire, very neat and impressive. As this restaurant is also famous for its cocktails, I go for a glass of classic Manhattan ($130) to start, while my wife has the mocktail La Plage ($98).

We started with Salade Nicoise ($338). I learned to make this classic French salad from a local chef in my last visit to the city. The portion is quite big, enough for four, with lots of lettuce, boiled egg, tuna, olives, and dressed in olive oil and a nice vinaigrette. There are also some capers and anchovies to add acidity and savoury. Simple but good in taste.

Another starter we shared is Escargots de Bourgogne ($248). The signature French snails are baked together with garlic butter and parsley, with very fragrant aromas and rich taste. While many people might not like escargots because of their appearance, they have a softer texture than sea snails, which many HK people crave for.

Then we have pasta, Linguine aux Palourdes de Venise ($298). The Venetian clams are large and meaty, with the linguine having nice al dente texture, picking up the jus from the clams for delicious umami flavours. Together with some corn kernels, fresh herbs and garlic, even though it might look simple, it is very well done. 

For the main course we have one fish and one meat. Taking Turbot Entier Grille ($468), the whole grilled turbot is of good size and enough for two people. The fish is quite meaty, and the chef has poured in a butter sauce to tenderize the fish and adds richer flavours, with also lemon juice to freshen and stimulate the palate.

For the meat we have chosen Cote de Veau Grillee ($688). The veal chop is grilled to our requested medium level, juicy and tender, with a good balance of lean and fat. With only simple salt and black pepper as seasoning, the original flavours of the veal can be tasted fully, showcasing the quality of the meat.

With a full stomach, we go for a simple dessert. Selection de Sorbets ($35) has a wide range of homemade sorbets to choose from, and I opt for passion fruit. With the acidity of the fruit balancing well the sweetness, it is refreshing and helps to remove some of the heaviness of the main courses. My wife has the strawberry sorbet ($35) instead.

Service is good, with friendly and cheerful staff, and I see a wide clientele with customers entertaining business partners, people dating, tourists, and family groups. The bill on the night is $2,803. Considering the food quality, service and overall experience, I would rate this restaurant a Good score of 73 points, worth trying out.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sushi Kumogaku 寿し雲隠

Tonight, in Sushi Kumogaku is a special event for Chef Kin, as he has invited another famous chef in Toronto, Chef Jackie Lin, of Shoushin, for a 4-hands omakase dinner, offering customers a glimpse of the quality and sophistication of Japanese sushiya in Canada. Arriving sharp at 7pm, we are greeted by the staff and shown to our seats.

The Special Omakase Menu is priced at $3,200 each, and the dinner duly started with the arrival of all the guests. There are some familiar faces, as apparently the customers who got the opportunity to try out this special 4-hands dinner are mostly both chef’s loyal fans. I have a bottle of Cedric Bouchard Cote de Val Vilaine ($2,580) to pair with the food.

The first course is Steamed Egg Custard with Conger Eel 穴子茶碗蒸し. Using the head and bones of conger eel to prepare a broth, Chef Kin then mixes it with egg to steam, resulting in a silky soft chawanmushi. On top of the egg custard are two pieces of grilled conger eel, sprinkled with a bit of sansho pepper to season. 

The second course is Flounder Fish with Monkfish Liver 平目 鮟肝. The olive flounder has a delicate taste, of good bite, while the monkfish liver is great as always, with a richness but not the corresponding fattiness. Finally, the chef takes a piece of karasumi and shaves pieces on top, like black truffle, to give a savory taste to the dish.

The third course is Cuttlefish Sushi スミイカ. Carving on the surface with the knife to break the body and enable the shoyu to stay on the slippery surface, the texture of sumi-ika is amazing, with a nice crunch, not rubbery, having no difficulty in chewing. It has a deep sweetness on the bite.

The fourth course is Japanese Ice Fish Sushi 白魚. Wrapped in sakura tree leaf before steaming, the shirauo have been infused with the fragrance of the flowers, very soft and melt-in-the-mouth in texture. A special edomae sushi now seldomly seen.

The fifth course is Tuna Carpaccio 鮪カルパッチョ. A signature from Chef Jackie, the lean tuna, or akami, is served with ponzu jelly to provide acidity, with a drizzle of olive oil. On top there are some shiso flowers and kaiware, with the fragrance and special touch of spiciness to complement.

The sixth course is Smoked Monkfish Liver 鮟肝 燻製. The ankimo is fantastic in taste, with its great delicious flavours perfectly enriched by an additional touch of smokiness. On the surface there is a caramel sauce, made from reduction of the monkfish, with a sprinkle of sansho pepper powder. It was a must try.

The seventh course is Yellowtail Sushi 鰤. The buri is fatty, with soft flesh full of flavours. Chef Kin cuts two pieces of the fish and puts them on top of each other in making the sushi, creating a softer texture on the bite instead of a thick cut, a smart and thoughtful approach to good effect. 

The eighth course is Needle Fish 細魚. Typically, the fish are 70-80g each, but the ones Chef Jackie uses today are very large in size, over 100g, coming from Sendai. With a bit of chives inside, because of the transparent flesh of the sayori, it can be seen beneath the silvery sheen in the middle. Both pretty and delicious.

The ninth course is Snow Crab Cake Tempura 松葉カニ揚げ餅. Another of Chef Kin’s signatures, the zuwai-kani crab cake is steaming hot, just freshly deep-fried, without any oily feeling, and has some seaweed sprinkles to provide nice umami flavours, with also sudachi on the side for a citrus touch if needed.

The tenth course is Filefish Sushi 皮はぎ. The kawahagi is another type of fish famous for its liver, its flesh subtle in taste. The semi-transparent flesh, with the pinkish liver creates a nice-looking sushi, while the liver is not as rich as monkfish, the taste is pleasant and another prized ingredient for edomae sushi.

The eleventh course is Gizzard Shad Sushi 小肌. In my opinion, nothing is more edomae than kohada. Each sushi chef has his own recipe to cure the small silvery fish, and I like how Chef Jackie marinated without too much vinegar or salt. The fish is also large, having been brought all the way from Toronto. 

The twelfth course is Fish Milt Veloute 白子すり流し. I recall having this a few years ago, and only today can I try it again. The cod milt is prepared to form a paste, and mix with sushi rice, with some yuzu zest and wasabi to season. The creaminess and texture made it feel like a risotto, but with an additional touch of umami. 

Not on the menu, Chef Kin prepares some seasonal vegetables for us before going to the grilled fish, featuring chrysanthemum and shungiku. The crown daisy is the aromatic leafy vegetables, commonly known as tong ho in Cantonese, with a slight bitterness. Cooked in dashi, the vegetables are very fresh and tender. 

Coming to the fourteenth course, Longtooth Grouper with Mullet Roe 九絵 唐墨. The huge grouper has been aged for 15 days, to tenderize the meat and intensify its flavours, before grilling over charcoal, with the shaved karasumi, made by Chef Kin, on top. On the right is a single piece of karasumi, made by Chef Jackie, with a wonderful savoury taste. 

The fifteenth course is Tuna Sushi 鮪, Chu-Toro, with good balance of lean and fatty portion, very rich in flavours and amazing in taste.

The sixteenth course is also Tuna Sushi 鮪, but the fattier O-Toro. The melt-in-the-mouth texture is very pleasant and on each bite the fish oil seeps out, with great flavours.

The seventeenth course is Aji Sushi 鯵. The Japanese horse mackerel has beautiful silvery sheen, with the pinkish flesh rich in fish oil. Another great one. 

The eighteenth course is Kuruma Shrimp Sushi 車海老. The tiger prawn has a crunchy texture, very sweet in taste, and is served right after boiling so can retain a nice temperature. 

The nineteenth course is Sea Urchin Sushi 雲丹. The sea urchin has a bright orange colour, very sweet and without the weird alum note. Again, seeing Chef Kin does not need to use the nori sheet to form the gunkan to hold is testimony of his skills. 

The twentieth course is Conger Eel Sushi 穴子. Following through from the first course, this time the conger eel is made to a sushi, with the surreal texture of dissolving in the mouth completely, with the thick sauce balanced well on sweet and savoury. 

We also order a few additional sushi, first is Himo Roll ($120). Using the mantle of Ark Shell 赤貝, Chef Kin adds also some cucumber to enhance the crunchy texture even further.

Then I have an additional piece of Kohada, another of my favourite sushi in this evening. 

Another piece that I would order every single time is Kanpyo Roll 干瓢巻 ($80). The dried bottle gourd strips have a slightly sweet, with also deep umami.

The last additional order I have is Ankimo Roll 鮟肝巻 ($140). The rich and creamy monkfish liver, together with the kanpyo, are a match in heaven. A must order.

There are two pieces of Tamagoyaki 玉子焼, with each of the chef preparing one. Using only egg, sugar, fish, and shrimps, the egg is fluffy in texture and has nice umami. 

Miso Soup helps to warm our stomach, made with red miso, clams, and seaweed for a wonderful umami taste, wrapping up a fantastic meal with satisfaction.

The final dessert is Huadiao Ice-Cream, made from the famous Dongqu Winery. With its unique oxidative character, it is a nice and creative finale.

Service is fantastic, and there are a number of friendly customers who we can mingle and chat, and they are also generous in sharing some great wines with me. The bill on the night is $10,252. Worth every penny in my opinion, the food quality, service and overall experience remains impeccable. I give them a score of 85, must try.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - VEA

Our last visit to this Michelin restaurant was already five years ago, and today, on our wedding anniversary, we decided to return to experience once again the amazing cuisine from Chef Vicky Cheng and his team, with his Chinese x French philosophy which bridges Chef Vicky’s Chinese roots and his Western culinary training.

Arriving on time at The Wellington in Central, we are seated at the middle section of the familiar 25-seat marble counter along the length of the open kitchen. Apart from the counter seats, there are a few tables set up on one side, and another VIP room on the other to cater for larger party. 

We go for 8 Course Menu ($2,280 each), with me opting for the Chinese wine pairing ($1,780) while my wife goes for Mocktail pairing ($580). I also have a glass of Diebolt-Vallois Prestige Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs ($280). Using only Chardonnay from the Grand Cru vineyards, it is refreshing, bone-dry crispness with nice floral notes to start the meal. 

The first course includes two Snacks, of Savoury Selections. On a Parmesan tart there are crispy puff rice and chopped bak choy, to enjoy together with some salted fish mousse on the side. The concept comes from George Lam’s famous song, which Chef Vicky used to propose to his wife. A great story and wonderful starter.

The other snack is French Brioche Toast with Red Prawn. On the buttery brioche toast are the Mediterranean red prawn, which has nice sweetness and succulent texture, and glazed by some Sichuan peppers extract for a touch of spiciness. On the side is sabayon cream made from red prawn heads to enhance the savoury richness. Very delicious.

The wine paired for the next course is Tinnyu Winery 5PM Rose 2024, from Shangri-La in Yunnan. With the vineyards at a very high attitude at 2,300 to 2,800 metres, this rose wine is a blend of Blanc de Noirs of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, with plenty of light red fruit and minerality, good refreshing acidity. 

The second course features Kristal Caviar. The beautiful black roe of the sturgeon is put on a Patchun vinegar jelly, on top of a creamy white dressing made from Taiwan water bamboo shoot, as well as some large, 9-year-old lily bulb from Lanzhou, with a drizzle of olive oil essences. The sauce has a delicate sweetness, matching well with the savoury of caviar. 

The next wine is The Starting Point Winery Riesling 2022, from Helan Mountain, Ningxia. I have tasted this wine just recently and are impressed by its nice minerality and crispness, with good fruity notes and some petrol characters. A well-made wine.

The third course features Amberjack, with the sliced fish having nice fattiness and sandwiched with sliced persimmon. Inside are minced amberjack, mixed with diced 2-years preserved turnip to add some crunchiness. Underneath is pumpkin panna cotta, with diced pumpkin and pumpkin seeds, and stingy herb oil dressing for an herbal touch.

The third wine is The Dongqu Single Vintage 2007, from Shaoxing. This high-end yellow wine brand has become very popular recently, appearing in a lot of starred restaurants. And this vintage one comes from exceptional years; the wine has good acidity and a tangerine peel on the palate with its signature wooden notes. The sommelier also adds an ice cube infused with dried sour plum to balance and increase further complexity in flavours.

The fourth course features Sea Cucumber and is a dish I remember well from the last visit. The Hokkaido sea cucumber has a crispy surface but retaining its amazing bouncy texture. Stuffed with a nice tiger prawn patty, very tasty with great texture, a bit of the aged Shaoxing wine is sprayed on top for a bit of caramel and nuttiness aromas.

The fourth wine is United Winery Beyond Time Viognier 2024, from Helan Mountain in Ningxia. The wine is fragrant, with its varietal characters of perfume and floral highlighted well, with a full body of creamy texture, supporting the match of congee and the mushroom earthy tones very well.

The fifth course features Yunnan Mushroom, in a congee format. On the left is a white mushroom foam, while in the middle is Yunnan fresh morel which are stuffed with finely chopped mushroom. On the right are some shredded Yunnan termite mushroom prepared in confit, like preserved vegetables. Wrapping up at the bottom are the 20 years preserved turnip with deep, fantastic flavours. 

To add more variety to the pairing, the sommelier also treated me a complimentary glass of Canaan Winery Chapter and Verse Sauvignon Blanc 2018, from Huailai, Hebei to pair with the congee. With maturity, it has a style reminiscent of Bordeaux white, smoky with green bell pepper, and herbaceous notes that are quite prominent. 

The sixth wine is Legacy Peak Estate Chardonnay 2022, from Helan Mountain, Ningxia. Only 1,246 bottles are made from this single vineyard, and are all offered only in magnum size. Having aged in barrel for over 18 months, the style has a Bourgogne style, with elderflower, jasmine and citrus elegance. A good match with threadfin. 

To transition to the main course, a sorbet made from Chinese hawthorn is served, to cleanse and freshen our palate, with its wonderful sweetness and acidity able to stimulate the appetite again for the main courses to come. 

The sixth course features local Threadfin. Adding some black garlic shaves like black truffle, there are some cordyceps underneath the fatty fish fillet, which has a beautiful, caramelized surface and rich in fish oil. Together with gingko and some pickled wood-ear mushroom for contrast in texture, the fish sauce has some sand ginger to add its unique fragrance to the amazing flavours.

The seventh wine paired is another wine from Yunnan, a Cabernet Sauvignon XiaoLing Estate called RiMi, of vintage 2019. Grown in vineyards at an extreme altitude above 2,000m, this one has plenty of fruit, but more towards the red fruit of red cherry and cranberry, with more floral characters. Slightly chilled, it is a good match with abalone.

The seventh course features the 28 Head Dried Abalone. Inside the mouth-watering crust of the pithivier is a layer of spinach, wrapping the soft sweetbread, French ham, and the dried abalone, served with abalone sauce, which uses fish maw to thicken to the required effect. Even requiring a supplement of $1,680 it is well worth paying to experience.

Seeing how I am enjoying all the food, the staff asks whether I am full or have room for something extra. He duly arranges a Chicken Roll, with the crispy skin wrapping chicken thigh meat, together with a thin layer of cheese with enriched flavours. With carrot puree neatly presented, and a rich jus to go along, I am fortunate to get to try this as well. 

To pair with the chicken roll, the sommelier has also arranged an additional wine, United Winery Beyond Time Marselan 2022, from Ningxia. From the same producer of the Viognier I had tasted earlier, this red wine is rich, with good black fruit, licorice and tea leaves, nice earthiness and gamey. 

Coming to dessert, the sweet wine paired is Puchang Vineyard, Clovine Muscat 2015. Located in Tianshan Mountain Basin, the ‘fire pit’ of China, this Muscat Blanc has a ginger note, with white flowers, lemon, and some more sweet spice, with intense flavours because of its hot climate. Good to match the different desserts on the night.

The Sundae has a delicious sweet potato ice cream, dusted with some Parmesan cheese to create a mix of savoury and sweet flavours. Underneath are some chestnut puree and ginger juice jelly, all contributing to highlight authentic flavours and taste of the different ingredients to the best effect, recreating the traditional Chinese sweet potato sweet soup.

The other dessert features Black Truffle. Cutting a slice of the large pie, it has creamy soft soy sauce toffee fillings on a nice pie crust, with black truffle slices covering the top. There is also a rich and thick pear puree sauce on the side, with the delicate fruity notes balancing the more intense flavours of the pie to good effect.

Finally, the Mignardises has two interesting, sweet finales. The first is a glutinous rice ball sandwiched between crunchy caramel discs, with a great contrast of two different textures. The other is traditional candy & coconut wrap that we like during childhood, featuring durian or coconut ice cream. Great taste and recalling good memories.

Service is fantastic, with the staff very friendly, the sommelier knowledgeable, and the overall atmosphere impeccable. While the bill on the night is $10,032 and on the high side, considering the quality of food and wine, and the overall dining experience, I would rate this restaurant an Excellent 85 points. Must try.