Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Café Causette

After joining the Central+ membership of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, I come here more often in order to enjoy the dining discount and other privileges in the package. My last visit to Café Causette, located on the Mezzanine floor of the hotel, was more than five years ago to farewell my classmate who was moving to US. Today, I return to this all-day dining on a Thursday evening for a casual dinner.

The restaurant is not busy tonight, and we are seated at a table on the window side, looking down to Chater Road below. The décor remains the same as my last visit, a relaxing café with some art pieces decorating the walls. The menu offers a wide range of international cuisine, from Asian delicacies to burgers and pizzas, from snacks to steaks, with also some classic Hong Kong favourites.

To start is Brioche with Pesto sauce. The bread is buttery in taste, very fluffy and soft in texture, really good on its own. The pesto sauce has rich flavours of basil and pine nuts, with also some parmesan cheese. Great combination and in no time, we finish the whole loaf. The staff asks whether we want more but to leave some room for the food we decide not to.

For starter, my wife decides to have Minestrone 意大利雜菜湯 ($198). The soup has plenty of diced vegetables including carrot, celery, potatoes, tomatoes and white beans. With a bit of pesto added to increase the fragrance, originally there are also parmesan cheese but my wife has requested to skip that. Healthy and tasty.

She continues with Ham and Pepperoni Pizza 意式辣肉腸煙肉番椒薄餅 ($278). A fairly large size that is good for two plus people, the pizza has a crunchy crust with a lot of toppings, including salami, pepperoni, bacon, fresh tomato, chili and green bell pepper. Again, the staff has thoughtfully skipped the cheese per my wife's request. Flavourful and good in taste.

For me, I just have the Hainan Chicken Rice 海南雞飯 ($380) as it includes also a chicken soup, which is delicate in taste and not oily at all. The chicken thigh is marinated well, with all bones removed so very easy to eat. There are also baby pak choy on the side for a balanced diet. With also a chicken stock steamed rice, the condiments of ginger garlic, soy sauce and chili sauce are the perfect complement for the chicken.

For dessert, I have the signature 1963 Mandarin Cheese Cake 文華芝士餅伴藍莓果醬配雲呢拿雪糕 ($178). My favourite cheese cake in town, the rich, creamy and indulgent flavours are pure joy to savour. On the side there is the blueberry compote and vanilla ice cream to make the dessert even more interesting. But to me the slice of cheese cake is already the rock star and no need for anything extra.

My wife has opted for Seasonal Fruit and Berries 時令鮮果及雜莓 ($168) instead. A very generous mix of assorted fruit including water melon, pineapple, melon, pitaya, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. All very sweet and fresh, the serving is good for two persons or more also.

Service is very good, with the staff able to call my name, and frequently come to check in on the food and what we need. The bill on the night is $1,310 which is reasonable considering the amount of food we have and the quality. A nice place not just for afternoon tea, but also for an informal lunch or dinner.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Wing Restaurant 永

Since my last visit two years ago I have been looking for the next occasion to return and savour again their wonderful and creative cuisine, but it is getting so difficult to book that I almost gave up. A few weeks ago, seeing an available spot online, I immediately grasped the opportunity. And so, at the beginning of 2025, I come to The Wellington in Central, with a lot of anticipation what Executive Chef Vicky Cheng has prepared again.

Seated at the same table last time, there is no change in the décor, with the space offering a cozy, neat and comfortable ambience. I have pre-ordered the Premium Tasting Menu ($2,980 each) but also adds two other optional items, as well as going for the Premium 6-glass wine pairing ($2,780).

As the Winter Solstice was only two weeks prior, Chef Cheng has prepared a Housemade Snow Fungus and Fig Tea as welcome drink to sooth the throat against the dry and cold weather. With a tiny bit of sweetness, the tea is delicate and smooth. 雪耳無花果茶

The first wine served to pair with the four appetizers is Krug Grande Cuvee 172eme Edition. The base vintage of this champagne is 2019, with a beautiful golden colour and consistent fine bubbles, showing a crisp floral, citrus and hints of gingerbread on the nose, and nice hazelnut, brioche and honey on the palate.

The first of the four starters is 蟶子配雲南皺皮椒及海茸   featuring Razor Clams, thinly sliced which looks a bit like garlic pieces. On top of the crunchy razor clams are the shredded Yunnan Chili which provides a bit of spicy kick, as well as Bull Kelp, a type of seaweed with a nice bite and adds umami to the dish. 

The second one is 香辣日本蠔伴自製黃金皮蛋, a rather unique combination. Featuring the signature Golden Crystal Egg, the housemade century egg, the chef has added Chili Japanese Oyster, with the creamy oyster marinated in housemade chili oil to give a kick and also balance the briny flavours of oyster. A stimulating starter to excite the palate. 

The third one 煙燻酸汁茄子 is a piece of art. The Smoked Eggplant is prepared using applewood to give a nice fragrance, cut into strips and then intertwined together beautifully like a braid. With a Housemade Sour Sauce on top to season, the acidity is appetizing, and the eggplant is soft and pleasant in taste. 

The fourth one is Drunken Kuruma Prawn 醉花竹蝦, with the very large tiger prawn marinated in 20-year Chinese Huatiao wine, allowing the rich and fragrant aromas to seep into the body of the prawn, but not getting too bitter to affect its sweet taste. A good example of how the chef has mastered the timing and strength of the marinade. 

To enjoy more the delicious housemade chili oil, the restaurant has thoughtfully arranged a small bunch of Cold Noodles for us. The texture is very al dente, with the slight kick of the spiciness enough to excite but not overpowering the palate, and the portion is not too filling as well.

The second wine is Domaine Jean Chartron Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos de la Pucelle 2017. A monopole just adjacent to the two grand cru Batard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet, this wine has a complex aroma, with a bit more honeysuckle on top of the elegance. The fuller body also matches well with the stinky tofu.

One of the additional dishes I pre-ordered is Stinky Tofu Tiger Prawn Toast 臭豆腐虎蝦多士 ($180). Stinky tofu, a local traditional snack, is rarely seen nowadays. Here the bouncy prawn patty is stuffed into the tofu before deep-frying, and provided on the side are the chili bean sauce, with the taste adjusted by Chef Cheng, and Chinese sweet sauce, the two perfect companion to go with stinky tofu. The crunchy surface and delicious taste are truly memorable. A must-order in my opinion. 

Next comes the Hot and Sour Soup 檬香山瑞裙邊酸辣湯. The traditional Shanghai style soup has some fresh crab meat to give a delicate sweetness, with the crunchy Soft-Shell Turtle skirts to add to the texture. The staff then takes the locally grown perfume lemon and shaves some Lemon Zest on top to add a refreshing aroma. The soup is very flavourful, of the appropriate thickness, and having the right balance of spiciness and acidity. Perfect in all scores. 

The third wine is Egon-Muller Scharzhofberger Spatlese 2021 from Mosel in Germany. The slightly sweet Riesling has intense flavours to match well with the stronger taste of the threadfin, while still having good acidity to make the wine refreshing. The sommelier also prepares the wine slightly warmer in order not to highlight any fishy notes.

Coming to the main courses, the first one 陳皮豆豉蒸馬友   highlights the seasonal local Threadfin Ma Yau, with the chef picking only the largest ones, weighing over 12 catties. After steaming the fish fillet, some shredded spring onion, leek, and coriander are put on top. The sauce on the bottom is made using Mandarin Peel aged over 20 years, mixed with Fermented Black Bean, bringing a wonderful fragrance and savoury flavours to add to the delicious fish. 

The fourth wine is Anne & Jean-Francois Ganevat Chateau Chalon 2016 from Jura in France. This vin jaune wine is made from Savagnin, with the unique oxidative ageing aromas reminded me a bit of the Chinese Huatiao, but with better acidity. A great companion to pair with crab dishes.

Next comes Fragrant Chili Alaskan King Crab 香辣阿拉斯加皇帝蟹配煎腸粉. The meaty king crab leg is steamed with garlic to serve, and then some crab meat is used to prepare a slightly spicy sauce, assembled together with pan-fried Crispy Cheung Fun, with the rice noodle taking the flavours of the sauce and in my opinion tastes even better than the crab meat. 

The fifth wine is Domaine des Perdrix Echezeaux Grand Cru 2019. A beautiful ruby red colour, the wine has nice red fruit aromas of strawberry and cherries, with some spiciness reminding me of mint and liquorice, with a mellow tannin. A great pairing as I think it is tricky to match with sea cucumber spring roll. But this Pinot Noir has able to enrich the umami flavours successfully.

Before the next course the staff brings the Australia Sea Cucumber to show us the original shape before its lengthy 7-day soaking process. Then comes the large beautiful golden-brown Spring Roll 蔥燒婆參春卷, where the staff helps to cut in half for us. Inside the crispy spring roll is the braised whole sea cucumber, glueing, thick and seasoned well. Underneath is some grilled Spring Onion together with a delicious sauce. 

The sixth and last wine is Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1999. This wine is ex-domaine and only released for two years, with good freshness despite its old age, showing nice black fruit, leather and pepper, which goes well with the pigeon.

Then it is another signature of the restaurant 煙燻蔗汁乳鴿. Upon opening the lid the smoke seeps out, showing the Baby Pigeon which has been marinated for three days, with the chef brushing some Sugarcane juice on the skin to give a bit of sweetness and colour, before smoking it over sugarcane with nice fragrance. The pigeon is juicy and tender, rich in flavours and finger-licking good in taste. 

The other optional dish I have added is Stuffed Fresh Oyster 薑蔥炒金蠔釀鮮蠔煲 ($200). Served in a sizzling hot Pot, a Semi-Dried Oyster is stuffed inside the fresh oyster, to allow the richer taste of the semi-dried oyster to integrate with the softer fresh oyster. Together with plenty of Spring Onion and Ginger, it is great in smell and taste. Another must-try. 

Even the vegetable has a thoughtful twist. The Stir-Fry Baby Mustard Green 鹹白肉炒芥菜苗 has been added with some housemade Salted Pork, which has marinated for one month. We are suggested to eat the salted pork first, to coat the delicious savoury taste in the mouth, before eating mustard green, giving a nice fragrance and flavours to season the vegetable, which is young and tender, without any tough fibre on the bite. 

The last one before dessert is Sliced Dried Abalone Chicken Soup Noodle 乾鮑絲濃雞湯麵. The chicken soup is very rich, with the noodle al dente in texture. With the shredded spring onion whites and the dried abalone to add to fragrance and a savoury taste, it brings the whole noodle to another level of satisfaction. Very delicious and helps to fill the stomach.

Before dessert the staff brings a cart to us, introducing the different fruit on the day, reminding me how we have similar service for cheese in a French restaurant. The three fruit we have on the day includes Thailand Ruby Pomelo, which are very sweet and juicy; Guangxi Mandarin, which can be eaten with the crunchy skin; and the Japanese Pear which is very sweet. The fruit can also be encored if desired.

For dessert, it is a premium Bird’s Nest Bean Curd Sweet Soup 燕窩銀杏腐竹露. Appropriate in sweetness, there is a generous amount of bird’s nest, with also almond tofu in the soup, as well as Gingko Nut, giving a bit more contrast in texture and health benefits to the dessert. 

The Mignardises 餐後茶點 include Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Cake and Salted Egg Custard Donut. Both of the snacks are very delicious, not too sweet. The donut has a soft dough with the salted egg custard filling very creative and tasty. The rice cake is equally delicious with the sesame fragrant and rich. A very contented finale to a fantastic meal. 

Service is very good, with the staff friendly and attentive, eager to explain each of the course and wine pairing in details, as well as the background of the restaurant and the story of Chef Cheng. The bill on the night is $10,741 and even though it is not cheap, I would say every penny is worthy, with the quality of the food and wine impeccable. No wonder it is one of the most difficult restaurants to book nowadays.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - MinSuiZen Raku 明水然．樂

This teppanyaki restaurant first started in Taiwan, and very soon becomes very popular. Because of its success, it has now opened overseas branches, and the one in Hong Kong has recently opened, located at Park Aura in Tin Hau. Today we come to experience why this place becomes such a hot spot in town right now.

Arriving sharp at 17:30 for the first dinner serving, we are seated in a side room which can accommodate 6 customers, taken care by Executive Chef Ma himself. We have pre-ordered the Premium Teppanyaki Set ($880 each), and soon the staff shows us the fresh ingredients we will be having on the night, getting my mouth to water already.

The first course is a Warm Salad, made from different organic vegetables from local farmers. Not using any oil in the process, the chef has just used a bonito stock to steam the Romaine Lettuce and Nameko Mushroom. The vibrant green colour is maintained for the lettuce, with good sweetness. There is a white and black truffle paste on the side as well.

The second course features Scallops from Aomori. They are very large and of sashimi-grade, with the chef grilling for one minute on both sides to half-cooked, cutting it in half in the middle, before putting some Salmon Roes inside. The salmon roes are marinated in-house with kombu, sake and mirin. With a shiso leaf to help wrap it to eat, the scallop has wonderful umami while the poppy salmon roes add a bit of savoury as well. Both the taste and texture are impeccable.

The third course is Lobster Tartar, with the chef removing the claw and leg meat of the lobster, to serve together with the shredded meat from snow crab. He adds some sea urchin and caviar for additional flavours on top of the delicate taste of the crab meat. A luxurious treat of eating the delicacies without having to worry of getting the hands dirty.  

The fourth course is the Clam Soup. Steaming hot in temperature, the soup has been boiled for over two hours, made from a large amount of clam, together with ginger and garlic. The clear broth is delicious and rich in umami, with two clams placed inside the bowl. It is beautiful in taste, and keeps the stomach warm and comfortable.

The fifth course features Foie Gras. with the thick goose liver having air-dried, before grilling on the iron plate. Served on a toast, with a Muscat grape, and red wine tomato sauce which has nicely balanced the bitterness of the red wine. Eating them together, the sweetness of the grape and the acidity of the sauce helps to balance the greasy goose liver beautifully.

The sixth course is the signature of the restaurant, Grilled Fish, featuring Threadfin. The fish is cooked for 8 minutes on both sides, with the fish showing good fattiness. The result is an amazing golden brown, with the crisp skin intact and not broken, while the flesh is cooked and moist. There are some rock salts and sudachi on the side to season. A testimony of the amazing skill of the chef. A must-try.

The seventh course continues to showcase some more seasonal vegetables, which include Pumpkin and Asparagus from Thailand, Sweet Potato and Napa Cabbage from Japan. Unlike the earlier salad, this time the organic vegetables are grilled longer to slight charred, but still very sweet and among these the pumpkin is the best, soft and flavourful.

The eighth course is Abalone. Coming from South Africa, the abalone is first steamed and then grilled, paired with a seaweed sauce to highlight the umami and original flavours, without the additional ‘distraction’ from the usual rich abalone liver butter sauce. Less heavy and with authentic taste, I personally prefer this style more.

The ninth course is Boston Lobster, coming from Canada. With each person having half a lobster, the meaty lobster tail is sweet in taste, with the chef using the lobster tomalley to prepare a flavourful sauce on the side. Underneath the lobster is a slice of Zucchini, to offer another different texture and taste in the dish.

Before transitioning to the beef, the tenth course is a Shaved Ice to help refresh and cleanse our palate. While it tastes a bit like cola, the staff asks us what is the ingredient and we have successfully guessed that it is Vita Lemon Tea. A local twist which brings back memories as we did not have that for many years.

The eleventh course is the Wagyu Sirloin. The chef has grilled it beautifully to medium rare per my request, with a caramelized crisp surface while keeping the flesh red and juicy. It is nicely seasoned, but there are also truffle salt and pepper, as well as wasabi on the side as condiment. The grilled garlic is also very tasty, with sweetness and not spicy.

The twelfth course is Fried Rice. Continuing the philosophy of less oil and salt, the fried rice does not feel greasy, and each grain of rice distinct and not sticking to each other. With egg, spring onion, and garlic, it is just spot-on in seasoning with enough flavours but not excessive.

The thirteenth course is Lobster Soup. Inside the soup there is a big lobster claw, meaty and flavourful. The chef shares that it takes meticulous effort to remove the meat from the shell, as they have a strict quality requirement of keeping the claw intact in shape to serve. The soup is delicious, and we appreciate the attention to quality.

The fourteenth course is Pancake with Pineapple. The golden-brown pancake is appealing on the appearance and equally delicious in taste, with the puree inside to add to texture, as well as a piece of pineapple on top with a drizzle of maple syrup. A sweet completion to a wonderful meal for the evening.

Service is very good, with the chef explaining the ingredients and cooking techniques along the way, and the server is friendly and interactive. A great experience, with the food delicious, and we do not feel the greasiness of excessive use of oil or butter. The bill on the night is $2,002 which is very reasonable as well. No wonder it is so popular, and they deserve the recognition.