Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Roganic

This restaurant has been awarded Michelin 1-star status in the last two years, with Chef Simon Rogan successfully bringing cuisines highlighting the provenance and traceability of the ingredients, sourced from local and organic farms, and winning the newly introduced Michelin Green Star in 2021, an award to recognize the restaurant on its sustainability effort.

Located in Sino Plaza, Causeway Bay, apart from the main dining section there is also a bar and several private rooms. The ambience is chic and comfortable, with a ceiling reminiscent of tree roots, simple and comfortable banquette and furniture, and smart use of relaxing lighting. On the side there is another ‘restaurant’ from Rogan called Aulis which is the 12-seater chef’s table. 

Ordering the full menu ($1080) plus wine pairing ($680), we were served the first course of Pea and Nori Tartlet. Beautifully presented, the small tart was made with seaweed to give an umami note. On top there were local green peas, with a bit of caviar and elderflower added. The slight crunchy bite of the peas offered good contrast to the crust of the tartlet, and the caviar and nori were also complementary in taste.

The second course was another finger-food, Fresh Cheese with Broad Bean and Salted Lemon on Chickpea Wafer. As the size was larger than what could be eaten in one bite, it was slightly messy. But the taste was truly wonderful, with the unique local salted lemon provided an appetizing acidity and saltiness to the soft cheese and broad bean. The wafer was crunchy too. 

We could not guess what the third course was until checking with the menu. The Truffle Pudding got some semi-transparent shreds on top, and they were in fact birch sap, with a slight sweet note. Underneath was a layer of Lincolnshire poacher custard, with the dense cheese creamy and rich in flavors. Everything was harmonious in the bite, with the signature truffle notes integrating with the other ingredients. 

The Sea Urchin Custard with Trout Roe required a supplement ($200 each) but it was worth paying for. The beautifully orange trout roes were covering the custard, with the creamy sea urchin and the custard a perfect match on texture. The umami elements from both ingredients were highly complementary to each other. 

Next came Roasted Scallop with Celtuce. The large scallop was seared beautifully, with the interior soft and tender, contrasting nicely with the crunchy texture of the celtuce which had been shredded and put on a sauce with seaweed, pickled grape and dill to provide further expansion in flavors. One of my favorites in the evening.

Then the Soda Bread was served. The homemade bread was moist and got oats on top, and accompanying was some cultured brown butter. Not only it served as a transition to the main courses, the bread was itself a great testimony to the attention and skills of the chef, to every single element in the whole meal.

The next was a veggie dish, with Marjoram Brined Cabbage paired with Soy and Miso Glazed Shimeji. The cabbage was from a local farm and was very fresh and sweet in taste, and absorbed the taste of the herb, with a delicate note. The mushroom was braised with the savory from soy and miso, and the wasabi sauce giving a kick and variation to complete the range of flavors. 

Continuing with the nice produce from local farm, the Pineapple Tomato with Coe Roe had a nice balance of acidity and sweetness, with the roe supplementing with umami. On top were rice cracker and lovage, a type of herbal plant, and this dish again served to highlight the quality and original flavors of the ingredients to the fullest. 

The seafood served was Cobia, with the fish fillet tender and intense on flavors from the ageing process. On the side was local squash with quinoa coated on top. The kale was not only a healthy addition, but the slight bitterness also matched well with the sauce to harmonize the overall experience.

The meat was Wah Kee Farm Pork, a local producer of the wonderful black pig. The tenderloin was slow cooked to retain the tender and juiciness, with a piece of swede cut to resemble layered cake, grilled nicely to caramelize, along with new season onion. With a savory sauce, it was another of my favorites in the evening. 

Coming to dessert, the first one was Tunworth Cheese Ice Cream Sandwich. The cheese was like Camembert in flavors, and after making to ice-cream the sweetness and cheesy note was very appealing, with the sandwich wafer dusted with crumbled biscuit, this dessert was well-liked by both of us.

Next was Roganic, the signature dessert of the same name of the restaurant. 

Wrapping up with the last dessert was a Blondie Fudge with Whipped Yoghurt, Gooseberry Jam and Fig Leaf. The more delicate gooseberry jam contrasted with the sweeter fudge, and the crunchy biscuit also got a comparable interesting match with the soft yoghurt. A complete and rewarding conclusion to the meal.

Service was good, but I believe the staff could elaborate more on the ingredients and cooking techniques to help diners better appreciate the different courses. The bill was $3,746 which was reasonable in my opinion. If you want an emphasis of flavors, and want to support local ingredients, this one would be a good choice.