Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 壹玖捌叁

Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 壹玖捌叁

Date: 28 March 2026

Overview

Tonight, we visited Tsoi Tak Street in Happy Valley to experience a restaurant that reinterprets Chinese cuisine through modern Western techniques. The result was an elegant and innovative dining experience with flavours designed to delight.

Upon walking up the steps, the staff warmly guided us to our table. The ambience was comfortable and spacious, enhanced by beautiful bird murals on the walls. We chose the Tasting Menu (HK$1,380 per person) and paired it with a bottle of Pazo Señorans 2023 Albariño (HK$600).

Courses

First Course – Three Small Bites

The opening course featured three creative starters. Prepared tableside, Chef Chi Ngai sprayed soymilk mousse into liquid nitrogen to create texture, piped in egg white mixed with Yunnan ham, and torched it into a delicate meringue. A final touch of caviar added a savoury note.

The second bite was a deep-fried quail egg with a perfectly runny yolk, injected with smoked chicken soy sauce and topped with caviar.

The final snack was a Sichuan-style spicy toro tartare, presented like a sandwich between crunchy brioche toasts. A dried chilli dressing on the side allowed guests to adjust the spice level. All three bites were inventive and delicious.

Second Course – Soup

The soup was served in a wine glass, featuring a traditional winter melon soup with dried tangerine and duck leg, topped with Chinese mushroom foam. A piece of crispy salmon skin accompanied the soup, along with dried tangerine mayonnaise for dipping.

Third Course

A visually stunning dish, this course featured an eggshell filled with layers of steamed egg white, fresh crab meat in Hua Diao wine sauce, lily root foam, and homemade crab essence oil. A deep-fried crab served as both garnish and edible accompaniment. This was my favourite dish of the evening.

Fourth Course

A refined East-meets-West creation, this dish combined marinated eel and French foie gras rolled together. Apple gel helped lighten the richness, while a crispy potato ball topped with ginger mousse added warmth and balance.

Additional Course

We ordered an extra dish of mixed clams in a rich salmon roe clam sauce (HK$228). While Western in presentation, the spring onion and ginger paste beneath brought out traditional Cantonese flavours.

Fifth Course

Steamed fish maw was served with Japanese sea urchin on top and scallop mousse stuffed inside. A conpoy caviar sauce delivered deep umami, complemented by lotus seed purée on the side.

Sixth Course

This dish leaned more traditional, featuring sweet and sour crispy star grouper topped with roasted pine nuts. Grilled pineapple and pineapple gel added acidity and freshness.

Seventh Course

A roulade made from tender chicken and sea cucumber was served with abalone sauce. Crispy chicken skin added texture, while warm celeriac mousse provided an elegant herbal finish.

Eighth Course

Thin slices of braised beef tongue were prepared with a Chinese-style onion beef sauce, reminiscent of classic “Chinese Western” flavours from childhood. The dish was served with steamed rice and topped with a crispy egg yolk.

Ninth Course – Dessert

The passion fruit soufflé was perfectly risen, dusted with icing sugar, and accompanied by vanilla ice cream and passion fruit sauce, offering a bright and balanced finish.

Petits Fours

Chestnut chocolate and coconut mango layered pudding rounded off the meal, both leaning towards Western-style desserts and equally enjoyable.

Service & Conclusion

Service was attentive and friendly, with staff eager to explain each dish. Chef Chi Ngai personally visited our table several times to prepare dishes and check in with us. The total bill came to HK$4,004. Considering the overall experience and food quality, I would rate this restaurant 75 points (Excellent) and would happily return.