Wineshark Weekend Cooking - Fish Soup Conpoy Pomelo Skin 魚湯珧柱柚皮

Ingredients (for 4):

• Pomelo - 1
• Dace - 1 tail (around 300g)
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - 3 tsp + 4 tbsp
• Conpoy - 40g
• Ginger - 2 slices
• Chinese yellow wine - 2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic - 1 clove
• Rock sugar - 1 small piece
• Fish sauce - 2 tbsp
• Tapioca starch - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1/2 tsp

Procedures:

1. Cut away the skin of the pomelo.

2. Remove the green on the skin.

3. Boil a large pot of water, and then put the pomelo skin in to cook under high heat for 10 minutes.

4. Turn it over and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

5. Rinse the pomelo skin in water, then soak in water until cool down. 

6. Tear off the hard fibres on the skin. Then rinse and squeeze in water repeatedly to remove the bitter taste. Soak in water again. Repeat until all bitterness taste is gone, requiring about two days.

7. Soak the conpoy in a cup of water.

8. Clean the dace and season with salt on both inside and outside. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

9. Put the conpoy in a bowl and add in ginger, sugar, Chinese yellow wine.

10. Steam the conpoy for 30 minutes until softened.

11. Remove the conpoy and break them up. Keep the sauce for later use.

12. Use kitchen paper to wipe dry the dace, then heat up the wok with 2 tsp of oil, pan-fry the fish.

13. Flip it over to continue to pan-fry to golden.

14. Pour in hot water to complete cover the dace. Turn to high heat and cook until the soup turns milky white. Then lower to medium heat to cook for another 15 minutes. Retrieve the soup for later use.

15. Heat the wok with 4 tbsp of oil, then add in the garlic. Remove after getting fragrant.

16. Add in the pomelo skin and pan-fry on both sides. Then remove.

17. Add the fish soup into the wok to heat up. Then add in rock sugar and fish sauce.

18. Add the pomelo skin back in and cook at low heat, until the fish soup is absorbed into the pomelo skin.

19. Heat the saucepan with 1 tsp of oil, and then add in the conpoy to stir-fry until fragrant.

20. Add in the sauce from the steaming process and cook until boiling. Mix the tapioca starch with some water and pour in to thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat and add in sesame oil. 

21. Remove the pomelo skin onto the serving plate.

22. Pour in the conpoy sauce and serve.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Islam Food 清真牛肉館

This restaurant which specializes in Halal food has been in business since 1950 and is definitely a landmark in Kowloon City. My memories go back to the old days of Kai Tak, when the restaurant also had a branch at Hau Wong Road that was subsequently closed down after the airport had relocated. Today I return to their only remaining outlet at Tak Ku Ling Road.

Good that we come early on the night, because soon after we have been seated there is already a queue waiting outside the restaurant. The restaurant’s décor is simple with a familiar feel of the 90s, but I believe most people would not mind as they come more for the food, and here apparently they are more targeting to the ‘no-frills’ customers.  

We start with a small Hot & Sour Soup ($40) to share, which is already of good portion for two people. It has the right balance of sour and spiciness, with plenty of ingredients, including shredded wood-ear, tofu, bamboo shoot. Taste is good, though it is only lukewarm in temperature. If it is properly reheated that would be fantastic.

The Curry Beef Brisket ($95) is actually not that spicy, with the brisket tender and easy to bite. The potatoes are also very good, cooked perfectly with a soft texture. The curry sauce is tasty and with this dish I can easily finish a whole bowl of rice.

Apart from beef, the restaurant is also good for its mutton. We have Stir-Fried Mutton Slice with Chili Pepper & Cumin ($100) which are small slices of mutton stir-fried with Chinese celery, spring onion and deep-fried garlic, together with chili and cumin, highly fragrant and mouth-watering delicious. Perfect with icy beer.

Finally, it is the Pan-Fried Beef Bun ($50). The bun has been pan-fried with a slightly crisp surface, while the inside is a beef patty that is very juicy, and in fact on the bite the juice just bursts out. Need to be careful as a result. Season very well and it is a must-try among all the dishes.

Together with two soft drinks, the bill on the night is $329 which is very reasonable. Nowadays with many people saying the local dining industry is dying, but seeing this restaurant continues to stay strong with long queues, attracting both locals plus Mainland and foreign tourists, as well as the family of South Asian descent sitting next to us speaking fluent Cantonese, warms my heart. HK is great!

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Wozi Cafe 窩子

This café is located on Yan Oi Street in San Po Kong, at the street level of an old building. Coming for a late lunch on this Sunday, there is a short queue waiting outside. Fortunately, it only takes about 15 minutes before we are seated.

Inside the café, the walls are painted turquoise colour, with traditional wooden tables of iron frames and metal chairs of different looks to create a mix and match design. There are also many traditional artefacts put up as decorations, exhibiting a casual and trendy ambience.

Starting with a cup of coffee, my wife has Caramel Latte with Oatmilk ($50) while I go for Fresh Brew Coffee Tonic ($54). The coffee is good, and the barista also has demonstrated his skills in latte art by pouring a perfect rosetta.

My coffee tonic is very refreshing, and for those who want a slightly more sophisticated iced beverage without dairy this is a good alternative than the basic iced coffee.

My wife has the Slow Cooked Salmon Risotto ($138), with the salmon having been pan-fried after slow cooking, to give a crisp skin while the inside is moist, flaky and seasoned well. The risotto has also a good bite and not too soft nor too hard. Very good.

For me I have picked Pan-Fried Garlic Butter Scallops with Homemade Coconut Chicken Stock Risotto ($152). The scallops are caramelized on the surface while still soft on the interior, with the risotto good in texture. I also like the chef using coconut chicken stock to cook the risotto, infusing the rice with its unique fragrance and added an extra layer of flavours.

As its name suggest, the café has a specialized in waffle, and we order the Rock Sugar Strawberry Waffle ($98) for dessert. It is large in portion so is good for sharing, with the waffle great in taste and texture. There is a large scoop of strawberry ice-cream on top, with some frozen strawberries, and a skewer of rock sugar strawberry to accompany, together with whipped cream and custard. Not to be missed.

Service is good with the staff friendly and nice. The bill is $541 and very reasonable in my opinion. I found out afterwards this café is opened by some ex-staff from Mandarin Grill and no wonder the food is of a good standard. A nice place to come to enjoy coffee and waffle, and perhaps next time we should try their savoury waffles too.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Vivant

This small casual French bistro is located on Lyndhurst Terrace in Central. Unlike most restaurants nowadays which are located upstairs in commercial buildings, this one is actually on the street level. We are seated at the window side, with the passers-by on the road as our dining companions in this Saturday evening.

The restaurant is quite small, with an open kitchen and intimate bar seating, and able to accommodate up to 20 guests. The staff is very helpful, coming to explain the menu to us and also introduces some of the signature dishes. We decide to order two bites, two entrees, and two mains per his recommendation.

The first starter we have is Potato Millefeuille Smoked Haddock Rillette ($88). It is a popular dish that got featured on social media frequently, with the golden-brown layered potato pastry fluffy and not greasy. On top is a rillette made from smoked haddock, with the original recipe featuring eel. Plus plenty of finely chopped chives, the smoky and savoury taste matches with the millefeuille perfectly and no wonder it is so highly acclaimed.

The second starter is Filipino Chicken Skewers ($78). The chef in fact comes from Philippines, and he uses his hometown recipe to marinate the chicken thigh meat, before grilling over charcoal.  On the side is a calamansi to add some sweet citrus notes to freshen the skewers. Very good in flavours, the chicken has also got a nice bouncy texture and I am tempted to immediately order another round because of how good they are.

Coming to the entrée, we start with Seared Scallops in Sake Beurre Blanc & Pomme Duchesse ($208). Beautifully presented, the scallops are placed on its shell with the ring of baked potato puree on the side. Nicely seared, the scallops have a caramelized surface while keeping moist inside, balanced with the butter sauce which has got nice lemon acidity. The pomme duchesse is soft and rich in buttermilk, and also very delicious.

The second entrée is Crab Meat Gnocchi ($228). The potato pasta has a good bite, going well with the crab meat paste, with a rich taste reminding me of Malay cuisine. The savoury and spicy notes is appetizing, imparting deep flavours to the lighter taste gnocchi to balance. It is a dish that may be too filling on its own but perfect for sharing.

For the main, we have chosen Veal Sweetbread & Chicken Vol-au-Vent ($498). The texture and taste of the glazed veal sweetbread is surprisingly similar to chicken, no wonder the staff said some customers are confused and saying the dish only has chicken. Together with a delicious, rich black truffle sauce, this is another must try in my opinion.

Not on the menu is Roasted Pigeon ($428). Cooked to medium rare, the chef has carved it into pieces to make it easier to eat. The pigeon is tender and seasoned well, with some lentil beans prepared together with the jus, both highly flavourful. There are some vegetables on the side to provide a balanced diet as well.

Another highlight of this bistro is their focus on natural wine. Instead of a wine list, the sommelier actually brings a number of bottles to our table for sampling. The wines are from diverse and unfamiliar countries or regions, full of characters, and pair well with the food too. I end up having three glasses, with my preference actually being Monsoon Valley Signature White from Thailand Hua Hin.

The bill on the night is $2,244. Service is good, and the food is also tasty. The only issue for me is that the restaurant is very hot, as they have to open the window halfway through our dinner in order to allow the smoke in the kitchen to dissipate. As I have been sweating profusely, the staff did come to sincerely apologize. I would like to return again, but probably at cooler weather when air-con is not really necessary.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Mama Mia Pizzeria

Taking a break on this Friday afternoon, I go to Kowloon City to have lunch with my wife, choosing this pizza house at Nam Kok Road. There is a colourful pizza sign so you will not miss it, and they have thoughtfully placed a few chairs outside for people waiting to pick up their pizza.

Inside the design is playful, with a yellow menu board showing the pizzas on offer as well as a TV displaying a cartoon rendering. Everything is simple but neat, addressing to what should be the ambience of eating pizza, casual and fun. At the back is the open kitchen and the pizza ovens.

We order the Pizza Set for Two, which includes a 9” pizza, a snack and two soft drinks. Picking the Mama Mia Pizza, it has different types of Italian cured meat including pancetta, salami, pepperoni, Italian sausages, with additional toppings of olive and mushroom ($10 each). The pizza is freshly made, with the dough having a good bite as well. Nice.

The snack we picked is Homemade Meatballs, using all ground beef of 70% lean and 30% fat. The meatball is tender and juicy, with some cheddar and parsley on top, together with a sauce which gives a bit of tartness to balance the fat. Quite good too.

The bill is $218 which is also very reasonable. A good place to enjoy a pizza in a casual and fun ambience at Kowloon City.