Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Sushi Kumogaku

As a fan of Chef Kin and regular patron of Sushi Kumogaku, knowing that he has partnered with Chef Gabriel Chung for a few days of 4-hands dinner ($2,980 each), we reserved two seats and came today to see what special dishes they have prepared for the occasion.

In addition to some special dishes, there is also a wine pairing arranged ($898 for 5 glasses), starting with a glass of Krug Grande Cuvee Edition 171eme. A very nice Champagne with good acidity to match the first few dishes on the menu.

The first course, Summer Appetizer, features Mozuku 水雲 and Cold Noodles in Bonito Dashi. Serving in chilled temperature, the Okinawa seaweed is refreshing with a crunchy bite, in contrast to the silky soft noodles. The dashi is very salty though.

The second course comprise of three small bites. In the middle is a Shima Ebi 縞海老 Tart, with some Ricotta cheese beneath the sweet grey prawn, decorated with some local lychee vinegar gel, red daikon and oscietra caviar on top.

On the right is Seasonal Shellfish, featuring Ishigakigai 石垣貝. Using Bering Sea cockle in its raw form and a piece that has been briefly toasted on charcoal, the clam is very sweet and crunchy on the bite. The pickled spruce tips on top is marinated using winter pine needle vinegar from Denmark.

On the right is Summer Katsuo 鰹, with Chef Kin cutting a slab of skipjack tuna, grilling it over hay fire in the kitchen, to infuse the fish fillet with a smoky fragrance before cutting it into slices to serve. Together with some grilled scallion sauce, it is highly flavorful and delicious.

The second wine in the pairing is Thibaud Boudignon Clos de la Hutte 2020, from Savennieres in Loire Valley. The Chenin Blanc has nice citrus characters, bringing forth also the minerality of the region.

The third course is Uni Chawanmushi 茶碗蒸. Inside the steamed egg custard, apart from the Hokkaido Bafun sea urchin, there is also the seasonal Kanpachi 間八, with some green apple and seaweed oil added to the white fish. It is topped with an espuma, made from Kyoto carrot juice that is fermented for seven days for some savoury and sour taste, with also some lime zests to freshen the palate. Appetizing.

The fourth course is Iwashi 鰯 Roll. Putting the sardines on a piece of nori, Chef Kin adds shiso, spring onion, and some pickled ginger, which has been marinated with homemade rose vinegar, to add a touch of Western cuisine to this traditional Japanese delicacy. With a bit of wasabi to season, the picked ginger has a slight floral flavor to balance the rich taste of the sardines to good effect.

The fifth course is Abalone 鮑 Angel Hair Noodle. The steamed Chiba abalone is tender and rich in taste, with Chef Gabriel using the abalone liver sauce to mix with Spanish sherry vinegar and truffle oil as a sauce to add to the pasta. On top there are some oscietra caviar, and plenty of shaved Australian winter black truffle, it is of intense flavours but each component can shine without being masked by the others. Chef Kin also serves us a cup of steamed abalone broth, which is pure umami.

The third wine in the pairing is Jerome Galeyrand Cotes du Nuits-Villages Vieilles Vignes 2022. A Pinot Noir with fresh cherries and strawberry notes, light and easy to drink, with low tannins.

Next is Maguro Trio, a series of sushi featuring different parts of tuna. The first piece is Akami 赤身 Sushi, with the lean tuna having a smooth texture, rich in umami. The tuna is caught in Boston.

The second piece is Chu-Toro 中とろ Sushi, with the cut composing of half lean and half medium fatty tuna, and the two portions are clearly distinguished on the flesh. This tuna is caught in Australia.

The third piece is O-Toro 大とろ Sushi, and the fatty tuna has rich fish oil seeping out from each bite, full of amazing flavours. All three pieces are impeccable in quality. And the tuna for this one is also from Boston.

Coming to the ninth course, Crab Cake Tempura, Chef Kin uses Kegani 毛蟹 from Hokkaido, and the cake is pure crab meat, using only egg yolk to coagulate to form the shape, fantastic in taste. It is paired with elderflower tartare sauce, with a unique floral and tropical fruit note.

The fourth wine in the pairing is Chateau des Quarts Pouilly-Fuisse Aux Quarts 1er Cru Clos des Quarts 2020. A monopole of the producer, it has richer flavours of citrus and floral, also a sharper flinty note.

Then comes another two pieces of sushi. Aji 鯵 Sushi has a nice shiny sheen on the skin and pinkish flesh, demonstrating the freshness of the horse mackerel. Adding some grilled scallion sauce to season, the sauce is a bit different than the earlier one with katsuo, having more intense scallion flavours to match the fish oil. Very thoughtful.

The other piece is Akamutsu 赤鯥 Sushi. The rosy seabass is fatty, and after grilling on charcoal briefly, the fish oil is vitalized and becomes very fragrant. A small pickled wild asparagus is put on top, offering the necessary acidity to balance the fattiness.

The twelfth course features Charcoal Grilled Kinki 喜知次. The prized channel rockfish is perfectly grilled with a crisp skin and put in a fish broth with Kyoto mi sansho, fermented mustard greens, burnt chili puree, parsley oil, and sauerkraut sauce. The mustard greens has been fermented under low temperature for 3 months, without using preservatives. The whole experience reminds me of an elevated version of the popular Sichuan dish, but much more flavourful, refined and delicious. A fantastic dish and a must try.

As there are still a few pieces of sushi remaining, with the possible addition of a few more, I have 悦凱陣 山廢純米 花巻亀の尾 無濾過生 from Kagawa ($195). The sake has good intense flavours, complex yet well-balanced. A very good recommendation from Chef Kin.

The remaining two sushi pieces include Kuruma Ebi 車海老 Sushi. The Japanese tiger prawn is cooked perfectly, with the shell removed while the prawn is still steaming hot. Sweet in taste, with a bit of grilled prawn tomalley added, wonderful.

The last piece of sushi on the menu features Aka-Uni 赤海胆 from Awaji Island. Because of very limited supply, this sea urchin is not commonly offered. As it does not add any preservative so have a short shelf life, but the clean and delicate taste is memorable.

The fifteenth course is Tachiuo 太刀 Matsutake 松茸 Ochazuke 茶漬. Served inside the fermented porcini dashi is the grilled largehead hairtail, wrapping the shredded matsutake mushroom inside. Together with grilled onigiri, it has a nice mix of sourness and savoury in flavours, very pleasant.

Seeing how the other diners are all craving for more, I cannot help but order two additional pieces of sushi. The first is Akaza-Ebi 赤座海老 Sushi ($160). The Japanese langoustine has nice, sweet taste, with a softer texture than lobster. Very nice.

The second is Tokishirazu 時不知 Sushi ($120). The chum salmon has a very tender texture, rich in flavours. with good fattiness. Only available in early summer off the coast of Hokkaido, they are the best quality salmon in my opinion. A must try when it is available.

The fifth wine in the pairing is Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese 2013. The German Riesling has a delicate sweetness, balancing well with its acidity, making this sweet wine refreshing and able to pair well with lighter desserts.

But before that, we have our sixteenth course, the signature Ankimo 鮟肝 Puff. Reheating the puff to warm it up, the cold mashed monkfish liver is piped inside, giving a nice contrast in temperature. Very rich in flavours but without any greasiness, the creamy monkfish liver is truly phenomenal.

The dessert is Pistacio Cheesecake, having an appropriate level of sweetness while balanced by the savoury of the cream cheese, infused also with the pistachio nutty flavours, a happy and complete ending for a fantastic dinner.

Service is wonderful as always, and the bill on the night is $8,066. They remain one of my top three most visited sushi restaurants in Hong Kong for the obvious reason of good quality food and impeccable services. In terms of consistency, I would rate Chef Kin as one of the top, and look forward to the special sea urchin dinner at the end of the month.

Wineshark Home Cooking - Sweet and Sour Fish 五柳魚

Ingredients (for 4):

• Grass carp belly - 600g
• Preserved shredded vegetables - 200ml
• Ginger - 4 slices
• Red chili - 1
• Shredded ginger - 20g
• Spring onion - 4 chives
• Red vinegar - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Tapioca starch - 1 tsp
• Rice wine - 1 tbsp
• Fish sauce - 2 tsp
• Sesame oil - several drops

Procedures:

1. Remove the scales on the skin, and patiently remove the black membrane inside the belly. Flush clean.

2. Cut the red chili into shreds.

3. Cut the spring onion into shreds. 

4. Cut the ginger into slices.

5. Heat up a pot of water, then add in the ginger slices, 1/2 tsp of salt, and rice wine. Bring to boiling.

6. Mix the preserved shredded vegetables with 1/2 tsp of salt, sugar, red vinegar, fish sauce. 

7. Put the grass carp belly in, skin facing top, and turn off the heat. Cover with lid and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

8. Heat a teaspoon of oil, then add in the preserved shredded vegetables and the mix, add in a cup of water. After boiling, add the tapioca mixed with water to thicken the sauce. Drizzle with sesame oil.

9. Remove the grass carp belly and put on the serving plate. Drain the water on the plate. Pour the preserved shredded vegetables and sauce on top. 

10.Add in the shredded red chili and spring onion, then pour 2 tbsp of hot oil on top.

11. Serve.

Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Restaurant Donovan

This restaurant is located on 16/F Cubus at Causeway Bay, a collaboration from two chefs Donovan Cooke and Scott Pickett. Previously known just as Donovan, the restaurant was closed for four months when Chef Donovan returned to Australia for a surgery and recovery. I was glad to see him return to HK and restart this business since April.

Stepping out from the escalator one would see the wine cellars with a wide selection, and the staff leads us to the main dining room, able to accommodate around 30 guests. Seated at a booth, the whole ambience offers an intimate and cozy vibe, with warm lighting, comfy banquette, plenty of wood and brass in the furniture and decors.

The Tasting Menu is $988 per person, and I also open a bottle of Marc Colin St-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 2021 ($1,280). The wine has nice citrus and green apple notes, with good acidity and a refreshing palate of minerality. A straightforward wine of finesse, it is best to serve slightly chilled but not too cold, to allow more aromas to blossom.

The Amuse Bouche contains three bite-sized snacks. The first one is a Puff with Smoked Eel, with pomelo on top. The creamy filling inside the crunchy puff, together with the fragrant smoked eel, is enticing, with the pomelo giving a bit of sweetness.

The second one is Shell stuffed with Diced Trout and Fennel, together with cream, dill and salmon roes. The perfect combination of trout and dill create wonders on taste, with the poppy salmon roe adding umami to this nicely done starter.

The third is Chicken Liver Pate that is spherical in shape, coated with a glaze to resemble blackcurrant, and providing some acidity plus sweetness to balance the rich and indulgent liver pate. Served on a crispy chicken skin, it is a thoughtful presentation, not only pretty but also facilitates in picking up. More importantly, it is also delicious.

The meal officially starts with Tsukuji Kanisho. The delicate Japanese king crab meat is mixed with Iberico ham, tomato and basil, before pouring in a tomato and vegetable consommé. On top is a tomato sorbet, sprinkled with some dehydrated black olives. A refreshing cold dish with lots of flavors, and nice appetizing acidity to start.

The second course is Hokkaido Uni Chawanmushi. Under the silky-smooth egg custard are some Hokkaido sea urchin which are nice in taste, as well as pickled cucumber for a contrast in texture. On top, apart from the crunchy razor clam with nice umami taste, the chef has prepared a caviar and clam sauce with dill oil which are truly amazing in flavours.

The bread served is one of the highlights on this meal. With a crunchy crust having a nice brown sugar caramelization, the brioche has a mild miso flavor embedded. Either on its own or paired with French butter infused with seaweed, it is very good.

The third course features local Scallop seared beautifully while keeping the inside moist and soft. With some diced celeriac and apple to give a crunchy contrast, the sauce is made from the skirt of the scallop to provide umami flavors. Together with pepper and celeriac puree, and a bit of vanilla seeds, the black truffle shaves further adds to the rich taste.

The fourth course is King Salmon, which has been slow cooked in olive oil, very tender and flavorful. On the side are some diced zucchini and tomato, plus the small but very sweet and delicious Bouchot mussels. The sauce is a blend of saffron and basil oil, and everything is harmonized in taste and super tasty. One of my favorites tonight.

The fifth and additional course features Spanish Carabinero (supplement $180 each). Fully using every part of the prized red prawn, the prawn is half cooked to maintain its texture and sweetness, and a sauce made from espelette pepper and the prawn head with intense flavors, with grated yuzu to balance with acidity and refreshing palate. Very nice.

The sixth course serves the prime Iberico Pluma, a special cut of pork known for its juicy and tenderness. Cooked perfectly, the pork is paired with a spiced sauce that brings forth a nice cumin fragrance but not the heat. Together with some butternut pumpkin, in the form of dice and puree, for a bit of sweetness. Very enjoyable.

The seventh course features Bresse pigeon. The pigeon breast has been marinated with madeira, port and Armagnac, before slow cook and pan-searing to caramelize the skin. Fantastic in taste, with the meat tender and juicy, it is paired with a tasty sauce made with beetroot and blackcurrant. 

On the side is a beetroot tart, and finishes with a grilled pigeon leg, stuffed with pulled meat and tarragon. Another of my favorites on the menu.

The eighth course is Pistachio and Cherry. Inside the bowl are cherry compotes of nice sweetness, with pistachio pieces to give a crunchy bite. On top is the cherry sorbet for its rich flavors, also providing the acidity to freshen the palate, along with pistachio cream at the bottom, helping to transition to the dessert and the final dish of the menu.

The last course is a Valrhona Chocolate Coulant. The molten lava cake is perfectly baked, with the chocolate oozing out once the crust is broken. The rich 75% dark chocolate has the right balance of bitterness and sweetness, while the Mandarin Sorbet on the side provides an interesting contrast in temperature, and the acidity to balance.

A Lemon Cream Madeleine is served as petits fours to wrap up the dinner. Service is very good, with the staff friendly and attentive, the sommelier is also knowledgeable on the wines. 

The bill is very reasonable at $4,281. With the good food quality, nice service and cozy ambience, it is a place I would like to return, to perhaps try the fours hand at the end of the month with Chef Donovan and Scott working together.