Wineshark Go Hiking - Pok Fu Lam Reservoir to Kotewall Road

Difficulty: 1/5

Total Distance: 6.5 km

Starting Point:
Pok Fu Lam Reservoir

End Point:
Kotewall Road

Transportation:
Take NWFB No. 4 at Central Station going to Wah Fu, alight at Pokfulam Reservoir Road.

Sharing:
From the beginning you would be able to see the University Hall, a HKU dormitory with long history. Walking up the steep Pokfulam Reservoir Road and passing by the Public Riding School, you would arrive at the small reservoir.

Continue along the road for a while it turns uphill, and this would begin the ascend to the Peak. Even though we were having sunshine at the start, by the time we reached the Peak it was very foggy. And as a result we could not enjoy the spectacular view of the Victoria Harbour and the city below.

Although missing the view, proceeding along Lugard Road you could find many vegetation and in this time of year some beautiful flowers, such as Fuchsia (or Lady's Eardrops), Firecracker Vine, Blue Eranthemum and even Azalea (I believe they should usually blossom later).

Reaching the junction of Lugard and Harlech Road you can then turnaround and go downhill along Hatton Road. After a short while you can see signs pointing to Pinewood Battery. Moving towards this path you would reach the historic relics of the bunkers and battle stations.

Continuing down the steps there are a few pavilions to rest and while taking a break at one we saw seven or eight Black-throated Laughingthrush, which must be nesting nearby. These birds were not afraid of us and came close to where we were sitting, becoming our companion for a short while.

Rejoining Hatton Road again, the journey continues downhill and there is another historic attraction along the way - the Victoria City Boundary Stone, marking the city's boundary during the colonial period back in 1903. There are six of them still being preserved as of today in Hong Kong.

Finishing the trail at Kotewall Road, one can take the NWFB No. 13 going back to City Hall in Central.

Wineshark Vacation - Cafe Dior by Pierre Herme (Tokyo)

Location:
6-10-1 Ginza Six 4F, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

〒104-0061
東京都 中央区 銀座 6-10-1 銀座シックス ハウスオブディオール 銀座 4階 A区画

Phone:
(03) 3569-1085

https://www.pierreherme.co.jp/boutique/cafe-dior-ginza/


Located in Ginza Six, a new shopping mall opened in 2017, this cafe is actually inside the House of Dior and only accessible through the boutique. It is the collaboration between Dior and the famous French patisserie Pierre Herme Paris, who brought seasonal desserts to Tokyo, created using only the local ingredients.

The interior designs are quite feminine and causal, with a cute use of the pinkish colors generating a young and fun atmosphere. Quite spacious with about 50 seats, we arrived in late afternoon so there were not many customers.

The menu was on iPads and everything looked delicious. I ordered the signature Minnestronne de Fraise, which are chopped fresh strawberries with some strawberry syrups as the base, sprinkled with fine shreds of mint, with a scoop of lime sorbet on top, plus a stick of crisp vanilla biscuit on the side.

My mother decided to go for the Vacherin Ispahan which had a meringue with raspberry and sorbet on the side, and on top with lots of cream and a rose petal. My wife had the Tarte Feuilletee, a puff pastry on the bottom and on top with lots of strawberry and a layer of cream in between. The staff also provided some drops of aged balsamic vinegar to enhance the flavors.

All the desserts were really good in taste and very beautifully rendered, and I could understand why Pierre Herme is so renown in the industry. However, it was quite expensive, as expected. With the three desserts, a cup of Americano and a cup of Earl Grey, it cost a total of 14,034 yen.

Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to come visit and experience the nice decor, the great desserts and nice service, as well as the nice chinaware used. I might not be able to buy the fashion or leather goods in Dior, but certainly could enjoy a nice afternoon tea here with someone dear.

Wineshark Hotel Stay - Royal Park Hotel Tokyo

Location:
2-1-1 Nihonbashi-Kakigara-cho, Chuo-ku
Tokyo 103-8520, Japan
〒103-8520
東京都中央区日本橋蛎殻町2-1-1

Phone:
(03) 3667-1111

https://www.rph.co.jp

This 5-star hotel is already approaching her 30th anniversary, but you would not be able to tell as everything have been maintained in good shape. The locale is one where one could find both the old historical buildings to new modern facilities.

It is only about half an hour away from Haneda Airport and driving to the hotel is no hassle. There is an underground parking lot with 176 units where staying guests can enjoy daily parking rate at a very reasonable 1500 yen.

We had stayed at the Deluxe Twin Room at Standard Floor and were surprised by how spacious the room was. Of 42 square metres in size, the mild-colored tone room has two large twin beds, a sofa with coffee table, writing desk with chairs, and even a make-up station.

By any standard the room is large, and considering we were in the central part of Tokyo the space was luxurious. The room is also comfortable and cozy, offering us a very good rest after flying over from Hong Kong and spending the whole day outside.

There are a number of restaurants in the hotel. Breakfast was included in our package and we enjoyed a good buffet meal at Chef's Dining Symphony on the First Floor. There were a good range of both Western and Japanese dishes and I particularly liked their ham and sausages.

Service is up to international standards, with the touch of Japanese warmth and friendliness. The staff could speak good English and there was no issue on communication. In fact there was a Polish manager who helped us for the check-in.

Having booked my stay here via Relux, the whole package cost 33,000 yen (exclude tax) for the room and breakfast for two. Very reasonable and if you want to stay in a comfortable and spacious room without paying crazy prices in Tokyo, this is one of my recommendations.

Wineshark Go Hiking - Aberdeen Nature Trail 香港仔自然教育徑

Difficulty: 1/5

Total Distance: 3 km

Starting Point:
Aberdeen Country Park Entrance

End Point:
Aberdeen Country Park Entrance

Transportation:
Take CityBus No. 76 at Pennington Street going to Shek Pai Wan, alight at Yue Kwong Chuen 漁光邨 Hoy Au Lau 海鷗樓

Sharing:
After getting off the bus you would need to walk up a steep road (Aberdeen Reservoir Road) to the entrance of Aberdeen Country Park. At the entrance turn right towards the Aberdeen Lower Reservoir, then crossing the dam to the entrance of the trail.

The path is well-paved and easy to walk, and there are good shades along the way. You can see the Aberdeen area from the vantage point on the trail, and lots of trees and vegetation too. There are a few eagles circling in the sky as well.

There are a few places where we could see the damages caused by Typhoon Mangkhut with the trees pulling off and even breaking up the paved path. Finishing the trail, you can walk towards Aberdeen Upper Reservoir and then return to the starting point through the Aberdeen Fitness Trail, and do some exercise before leaving.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Beef & Liberty

This restaurant is located at Lan Kwai Fong, inside the California Tower, specializing in burgers. Coming today during the Chinese New Year holidays, we could see quite many restaurants in the neighborhood were closed but not for Beef & Liberty. And we were seated at a table beside the window looking down to the busy LKF.

Ordering two Hot Ginger Lemon ($70) to start, the drink was quite nice with the combination of ginger and lemon each complementary and offering a good way to ward off the chill and wet of the weather. Even though the weather today was in fact quite hot, it was a good aperitif.

We had the Scotch Eggs ($59) to share as an appetizer. It is made from quail eggs wrapped around by minced pork and then deep-fried after coating with some breadcrumbs. Nicely seasoned, there is a curry mayonnaise to pair, providing a slight spicy kick to the egg. A good starter in my opinion.

Then we each ordered a burger, with me going for The Liberty Burger ($239). Made from dry-aged beef originated from Scotland, rich in beef flavors though it was a bit dried. Originally this was for my wife and she ordered it medium-well, and probably that had an impact to the texture of the patty. Upon serving the waiter poured in a slide of melted cheese on top, which is great in taste but might be a bit too heavy for many. I also paired with the Liberty Fries ($31) which are crispy and good.

My wife had the Black Pepper Burger ($132) but instead of beef, opted for the 'Impossible' meat made from plant. Apart from the patty, there are peppers, raclette cheese, caramelized onions and rockets. I took a bite of the impossible meat and it tasted similar to the real meat on texture but the flavors are a bit weird for me. Still a good choice for someone on vegan diet. And it was paired with Sweet Potato Fries ($36).

The service was quite nice with the staff friendly and recommended us the choice of the burgers. The food were decent but honestly I am not a big fan of burgers so it did not particularly appeal to me. Also, the restaurant had a stronger bar 'ambiance' than a eatery. The overall price is quite reasonable at $577. 

Wineshark Go Hiking - Tai Po Kau Nature Trail

Difficulty: 2/5

Total Distance: 2 km

Starting Point:
Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve Entrance
大埔滘自然護理區入口

End Point:
Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve Entrance
大埔滘自然護理區入口

Transportation:

Take KMB No. 72 at Cheung Sha Wan (terminus) going to Tai Wo, alight at Tsung Tsai Yuen 松仔園 

Sharing:
Initial stage is slightly difficult, mostly going uphill. The path is not very well-maintained and could be a bit rough. But got plenty of shades and a lot of trees and vegetation to look at along the way. Once through that the trail goes smoothly and is easy to walk.

Finishing the trail you would walk down the steps to a pond which is crystal clear and one can see lots of fish swimming. We also found some newt too. It is a treasure that we all should continue to protect.

Then you can walk along the Tai Po Kau Forest Track to return to the Nature Reserve Entrance.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - ToTT's and Roof Terrace

This restaurant is located on the top floor of The Excelsior Hong Kong, the hotel going into its 46th anniversary but would be closing in March. Paying homage to this hotel in Causeway Bay, we visited a few of its restaurants, and today came the turn to go to ToTT's and Roof Terrace. With a panoramic view looking at the Victoria Harbour, our table offered a fantastic background for us to enjoy the meal, with the tables spaced quite well apart so enabling good privacy. The lighting was a bit dark though for me.

We ordered the special 1973 Menu ($1973 for two), recreating some of the dishes the restaurant started offering upon opening. The first course was CEufs Brouilles a la Truffe, or Egg with Truffle and Vodka Cream. The egg was rich and quite nicely done, with the truffle adding great fragrance to it, though I was not particularly impressed by the vodka cream as there was nothing I could differentiate versus just a normal cream. But still not a bad start for the meal.

The second course was Cocktail de Crevettes Rose, or Prawn Cocktail with Marie Rose Sauce. The shrimps are small and you could tell they were the frozen ones, with only a crunchy texture but not much taste. As a result it would need the sauce to really provide the taste of the dish but unfortunately the sauce was rather light and lacking in flavour. The rocket salad underneath was fresh but was a bit too bitter to pair with the sauce itself.

The third course was Bisque de Homard au Cognac Fine Champagne, or Lobster Soup with Cognac. Certainly intense in aromas and flavours, the soup was quite good, served with the right temperature, with a piece of cracker on the side. Considering its name and the fame, I was a bit surprised on how little seafood they had added to the soup. Is it because the restaurant wanted to maintain the price so they are compromising on the ingredients? I hope not.

The fourth course was Filet de Sole Amandine, or Sole with Brown Buttered Almonds. The first impression I got tasting this dish was 'SOUR!'. While I know the butter sauce needed the lemon to acidify and reduce the heaviness of the butter, the overall taste was just too sour for me and my wife. On a positive note, the almonds could create a bit of crunchiness on the skin along with its unique aromas. Still a bit disappointing.

The fifth course was Carre d'Agneau aux Herbs, or Roast Lamb Rack with Herb Crust.This one I had learnt and prepared at home before, so knowing that the pesto sauce on the meat was really the determining factor for the quality of the course. Good that this one met our expectation, with the lamb roasted to medium level and the pesto crust giving herbal notes which I found good in complementing the meat.

Lastly came the dessert, which was Tarte aux Pommes et Glace Vanille, or Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice-Cream. Decently done, the dessert was not too sweet, with the tart having a nice crust and the apple fillings rich in cinnamon. Adding the highly complementary vanilla ice-cream further enriched the flavours of the dish. Despite we were quite full I still managed to finish this dessert completely.

With a bottle of still water and a cocktail, the total bill was $2332. On the price it was not overly exaggerated, offering reasonably good deal on the money spent. Service was acceptable, but I would prefer the staff could share more introduction of the dishes and its components.

Overall I would not say the meal impressed me, and compared with the Chinese restaurant in the same hotel this apparently was less sophisticated and tasty. So if you could only visit this hotel once before it was closed, I would recommend Yee Tung Heen more.