Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Thomas & T’s

With typhoon signal number 3 in effect, and the HKO announcing the number 8 to be hoisted later in midnight, we braved the winds and rains (not that much really at the time) to come to Thomas & T’s, located at 22/F of FOCO in Central, a fusion cuisine combining Japanese and French elements, under the helm of Chef Thomas Tam.

Seated in the middle of the long counter, facing Chef Thomas and his team busy in preparation, the staff welcomed us warmly. The Omakase Menu is $1,680 each and I also order a bottle of 林本店 SOLDIER BLUE 純米大吟醸 無濾過生原酒 ($880). The aromas are elegant, with a nice balance of acidity and sweetness, and slightly fizzy on the mouth.

The first course features Toyama Bay Amaebi which has been marinated with kombu to remove water contents to enrich the shrimp flavors. In the middle layer is a lemon sponge, a lemon gelatin with the chef inserting a needle to pump air in, to give its unique Q texture. On the bottom are Aomori apple slices for crunchiness and finish with some prized caviar and gold floss on top.

The second course features delicate Matsuba crab meat together with white corn, which supplements sweetness and crunchy bite. With Shiso flowers and vinegar jelly as condiment to pair, Chef Thomas jokingly said that he originally planned to make a jelly to match, but he ran out of that, so replacing with bird’s nest instead. While enjoying his sense of humor, we also applaud his skill to harmonize the different components in taste.

The sous chef then prepares a couple of sushi for us, starting with the seasonal Ishigaki-gai. The Bering Sea cockle has a wonderfully crunchy texture, sweet and rich in umami, with a few drops of citrus juice to freshen the palate. Very delicious.

The second piece of sushi features Shiro-Ebi. Coming from Toyama Bay, the small white shrimps are very small in size and has been marinated in kombu to remove the excess water in the body before kneading into sushi. Paired with a bit of charcoal salt. Nice.

The fifth course showcases Hokkaido Hotategai, with the jumbo-sized scallop having a soft and sweet taste. In the middle are some Bafun-Uni to offer further umami and flavors. On top the chef shaved in an abundance of Karasumi, with the pollock roes giving rich savoury taste. An interesting twist is the conpoy powder at the bottom, with the chef steaming the dried scallops, air-dried, and grounded, to further enhance the taste.

The sixth course uses Japanese chicken liver, soaked in whisky for four hours, and made into a puree. Using the preparation technique of pate, together with some pomelo, the liver puree is sandwiched by two white toasts, and then dusted with the snow-white, white truffle powder, for its aromatic wonders. The chef has made a lot of effort to prepare the powder using molecular cooking techniques. Rich and flavorful.

The seventh course features Hokkaido Kegani. Picking the meat from the horsehair crab right before dinner, the chef added in some homemade pickled pinenuts for additional texture, the crab mustard for its delicious flavors, and a sauce made with bonito and seaweed, for complete culinary enjoyment. Very good.

Next comes the eighth course, with the chef grilling a fatty Hyogo Kinki to put on a nori sheet to serve. The channel rockfish is seeping with fish oil, highly fragrant and delicious with the Sakura shrimps on top adding intense flavors. The chef has marinated some Japanese shiitake mushroom with soy sauce and then chopped into small pieces to substitute sushi rice, offering a nice bite with additional flavors.

With Matsutake in season, Chef Thomas has prepared a few dishes featuring them. Finely chopping into thin slices, he put the prized mushroom on the Awabi, adding some fresh lily bulb and sushi rice, before drizzling with a rich abalone liver paste. The abalone is tender and not rubbery, full of umami richness, plate-licking good in taste.

The tenth course is a Clear Chicken Broth with Shark’s Fin. Chef Thomas again jokingly said that the shark’s fin was used as vermicelli had run out. He also put in some matsutake mushroom slices to add to the fragrance. The soup is delicious, full of flavors, and hot in temperature, warming the stomach comfortably.

Continuing with some sushi, the chef took out a slab of 10-day aged tuna, and after trimming the sides, prepares a slice of Chu-Toro for sushi. On top of that the chef further cut another slice from a dehydrated and air-dried lean tuna meat, having aged for four months, reminiscent of tuna ‘ham’. The rich flavors was amazing, and it is a big investment because of the need for temperature control and high cost of tuna.

The twelfth course features Hokkaido Shiro-Uni. Using a nori sheet to hold, the chef has put in a generous amount of white sea urchin for this sushi. The sea urchin has a rich taste, and generally I would consume the whole sushi in one go, but this one is so big in size that I must take in a few bites to finish. Highly satisfied.

Then comes the Claypot Rice, where Chef Thomas again put in his secret ingredients, this time it is Fish Maw and Matsutake. A luxurious version with the prized mushroom, the fish maw is very soft, and they have deliberately scooped more burnt rice crisps at the bottom of the pot for us too. Paired with his homemade chili oil of good spiciness, it is just amazing.

The fourteenth course is Tuna Hand-Roll. Using different parts of tuna and finely chopped into small pieces, the chef mixed them up and prepares the hand-roll, with rich flavors of tuna, pleasant and rewarding.

The Tamagoyaki has a fluffy and spongy texture, with a tiny bit of sweetness besides umami in the egg mixture. Nicely done.

Instead of the typical miso soup, Chef Thomas prepares a Crab Bisque Espresso, roasted the shells of the different crabs and then adding tomato, celery and other vegetables to saute, along with whisky, to prepare a broth. After blending them together, it is served in an espresso cup. It is intense in flavors and super delicious.

Coming to an end, the dessert is Pistachio Ice-Cream. The homemade ice cream is creamy and good in sweetness but not excessive, rich in nutty pistachio flavors. With some egg roll crisps underneath to provide additional texture, Chef Thomas shared with us the philosophy why he put the effort to make the ice cream himself, to use the best natural ingredients for the health and food safety of customers.

Service is very good, with both Chef Thomas and the manager having continuous conversations with us, interacting on both the restaurant and food, plus casual matters. The bill on the night is $4,664 which is reasonable. A good place to enjoy Japanese-forward fusion cuisine in a nice ambience.