Wineshark Hotel Stay - The Peninsula Hong Kong

Address: Salisbury Road, Kowloon, HKSAR

Tel: (852) 2920-2888

Website: https://www.peninsula.com/en/hong-kong/5-star-luxury-hotel-kowloon

Date of Visit: 28 Dec 2019

I think no one will dispute that if one has to choose the most iconic hotel in Hong Kong, The Peninsula is the choice of most. Taking advantage of the special holiday package we decided to spend a night here in the end of Dec, to experience the fantasy of this amazing hotel.

Originally we have reserved the Deluxe Room but upon check-in the staff asked whether we are interested to upgrade to the Grand Deluxe Harbour View Room, with an additional surcharge. Seeming to be a great deal we landed on the room on the 25th floor of the new wing, with a gorgeous view looking at the Victoria Harbour.

The room has a nice contemporary design, featuring a small dining table and chairs in front of the window, a chaise lounge, a super-king-sized bed, a writing table and a make-up table. Everything is comfortable and top-notch, offering guests a really pampered, relaxing stay.

Another feature of the room is that everything is controlled by a tablet, from the blinds and sheets opening, the air-conditioning, dimming lights. There is even wireless charger for your mobile phone on the bedside cabinet. Convenient and high-tech.

The bathroom is spacious with two basins, so you don't need to worry or fight in the morning for the use. There is also a rain shower as well as a bathtub. Comparatively it was less impressive on the facilities here.

The package also included breakfast for two at The Verandah, and honestly it was one of the most premium breakfast I had, with lots of high-end ingredients and the service was also impeccable. No wonder many people did come specifically for it.

Another feature which I found memorable is the limousine service. Also included in the package, guests can ride on their Rolls Royce fleet from or to any destination in town. And that experience alone is something unique and worth paying for.

Overall I would say the whole stay is great and the service is truly amazing. The different restaurants we visited are also very good. Just that the hotel is so popular you might find it a bit too crowded in the lobby and restaurants. But once in the room everything is back to quiet and peaceful.

• Room charge (including breakfast for two) $4,268 
• Room charge supplement $1,400
• Service charge supplement $140
• Dining credit ($800)

Wineshark Japan Tour Hot Spots - Oirase Gorge 奥入瀬渓流

Address: 青森県十和田市奥瀬惣辺山1

Tel: 017-674-2355

Website: http://towadako.or.jp/towadako-oirase/

Date of Visit: 2 Nov 2019

Oirase River (奥入瀬川) flows out of Lake Towada (十和田湖), runs for about 14km to Yakeyama (焼山), It is a special protected scenic spot and a natural monument, with many attractions such as waterfalls, clear streams and rocks.

One of the attractions of the Oirase Gorge (奥入瀬渓流) is that anyone can easily walk around the trail. There are roads and promenades along the mountain stream, and a tunnel of trees that wraps around the road always welcomes visitors. Sunlight falls gently after the filter of fresh greenery from spring to summer and autumn leaves in autumn.

Every time one takes a deep breath in front of the waterfall, you can enjoy a sense of unity with nature. You can experience the clear stream and waterfall without getting into the deep forest. Not only can you feel the beauty of the picturesque mountain stream, when you actually stand there, you will feel “life” in the forest that tickles your senses, and you will be fascinated by the strangely woven nature.

During autumn, there is always a cool breeze that makes you want to wear long sleeves. From mid-September onwards, the morning and evening began to cool down, and this morning and evening chilling made the autumn leaves from October so beautiful. Leaves dyed in red-yellow bring depth into the forest while having harmony with the remaining greenery. One can feel the mystery of nature in the colour scheme.

When you pass through the forest, visitors tend to look only at the autumn leaves above the head, but on rainy days, the sky and heaven are dyed in autumn colours with a little trick. Autumn leaves are reflected on wet roads. This state is more vivid than the greenery reflected on the road during the rainy season. It is a pleasure unique to Oirase where the tunnel of trees covers the walking path and the roadway.

Autumn Oirase changes in small increments. And when the autumn leaves also pass the peak, winter is coming soon. When the flaming autumn leaves fall and the trees become bare, it is finally the arrival of winter. Snow here falls deeper than the village. There seems to be nothing in the white world, but there is always surprising fun and discovery.

When wet snow falls, it creates a lump of snow on the trees. It looks like cotton flowers are blooming. The waterfall that flowed without rest during spring to autumn turns to icicle like glass. If you look closely, it is a celadon colour instead of white. The strangeness of nature is completely amazing. The world of snow is spreading in the clear air. Under this, the forest continues to sleep until spring, accumulating vitality.

Sanran Rapid (三乱の流れ) is the first scenic spot. It is the convergence point of three streams and created a complex flow. Despite the volume of water, the flow is not too rapid, as a variety of plants grown on the rocks testified that fact. The best time to shoot is mid-May when the azalea is in full blossom on the rock.

Continuing to Ishigedo (石ヶ戸の瀬), the stream in this area is not too rapid but having a good flow, with many TV commercials having shot here. “Gedo” in the local dialect means “hut”, and the name of the place means a hut made of stone. There is in fact one of the big rocks supported by a huge wig and looks like a rock hut, from which there is a legend too.

In the past, a beautiful female bandit lived in the area and had been robbing travellers. When any male traveller appears, she would pretend to fall. When the man came to see to her aid, she would stab him with a short sword. Interestingly there have been two huge wig trees that supported a big flat stone this bandit had rumoured to have lived, one of which was said to be 200 or 400 years old. However, it was broken in August 1988, leaving a stump 4 meters above ground.

The Rapid of Asura (阿修羅の流れ) is generally recognized as a good spot to represent Oirase. It is frequently introduced on TV, magazines, and posters. The scenery created by the vigorous flow between the thick trees is very awe-inspiring. During holiday seasons, it is crowded all day with people who come to draw pictures and take photos.

Kumoi Falls (雲井の滝) is 20 metres high, with the water falling in three steps from a cliff surrounded by dense forest. It is one of the famous waterfalls along the mountain stream. Many of the waterfalls that fall from the tributaries into the Oirase mainstream are the result of erosion of the mainstream riverbed over the years, creating a large drop between the mainstream and the tributary riverbed. And the waterfall is destined to retreat toward the upstream while eroding the rock little by little and disappear someday. Kumoi Falls has a strong flow, so rocks can be removed quickly, and it is retreating to a deeper depth than other waterfalls.

Choshi Falls (銚子大滝) is the most famous waterfall in the Oirase Gorge, 7 meters high and 20 meters wide. It is a magnificent waterfall, with the water flowing down creates a lot of mist, and the sunlight often creates beautiful rainbow here. Choshi Falls is thought to create a fault extending to the right of the waterfall and the cold water flowing from the left, preventing the fish from going up to Lake Towada, and is also called Uo-no-Taki (魚止の滝). For that reason, it has been said for a long time that Lake Towada has no fish.

Wineshark Japan Restaurant Review - Tsukasa Barayaki Taishu Shokudo 司 バラ焼き大衆食堂

Address: 青森県十和田市稲生町15-41

Tel: 806-059-8015

Website: https://tukasatowada.wixsite.com/barayaki

Date of Visit: 2 Nov 2019

Arriving after the visit to Towada Art Centre we walked for 5 minutes to this famous local eatery. And because it was fully booked we had to wait for about 30 minutes before getting our table. But first, let me explain what is barayaki.

Not long after the war and the US military had been withdrawn from Japan, barayaki was born. It is targeted to allow the local people to enjoy the delicious beef slices put together like roses on hot plate. There are now more than 80 stores in Towada city offering this cuisine, and it is a taste loved by the citizens.

The Towada Barayaki Festival, which is organized annually to promote Towada City, was awarded the Gold Prize at the B-1 Grand Prix in Koriyama Tournament in 2014, from a competition by 59 groups. Because of that, Towada attracted attention from all over the country. In 2015, the B-1 Grand Prix was held in Towada City, which has a population of only 60,000 people.

The restaurant participated in the festival and featuring barayaki as the best and signature dish. It opens all week except Monday, with the lunch hours from 11:00 to 14:30, and dinner at 17:30 to 23:00.

We ordered the signature Barayaki Set for two, and it was served on a stove with a round metal dish, with the beef slices put together really like a rose in the middle, surrounded by onion. There was a special soy sauce added and the staff told us to wait for 5 minutes for the plate to heat up, before cooking the beef and onion.

The beef was very delicious, with the sweet soy sauce providing a really nice flavor, matching perfectly with the beef. The onions further added to the overall great taste. I finished my bowl of rice in no time, and along with the miso soup, this is a really super great value meal which no one should miss if you are in Towada.

• 十和田バラ焼き定食 x 2 (2,000 yen)

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Bistecca

This Italian steak house is located in Lan Kwai Fong, on the 2/F of Grand Progress Building, and once came out from the lift you would see the entrance as well as the beef ageing cabinet, where many different cuts of prime meat is being aged.

Seated at the window side, the ambiance of the restaurant is pretty dark, similar to many steak houses I visited before. While the tables are close to each other, on the night there were not much customers so throughout the meal we had a quiet and private space to enjoy our food.

For starter we had Fritto Misto ($188), with crispy fried squid, shrimps, and lemon mayo. The portion is significant, with the seafood wrapped in a thin batter, then deep-fry to crispy. There are a piece of lemon provided so we can squeeze in some drops of lemon juice to freshen up, and the mayo is also a good dipping sauce for the dish.

Next we had the Authentic Caesar Salad ($128). Also big in portion, it was like a small mountain of lettuce when being served, with boiled egg, white anchovies, croutons and bacon inside. Decent in taste, I would like the sauce to be more savory, which would make the salad an even better dish.

For the main course, my wife had the American USDA Certified Grain-fed Beef Fillet ($398). The fillet is of 8 oz in size, prepared to her requested medium well, and paired with jus and some rock salt. It was a good roast and from the look I can also tell it is very delicious and on hindsight I should also be ordering a beef cut myself.

On the other hand, I did choose to have the Whole Sous Vide Cooked Spring Chicken ($218). Most of the bones were taken out, the spring chicken is beautifully roasted, very juicy and tender, with also salsa verde and cherry tomato confit. Just a bit heavy on the seasoning, if it could dial down somewhat the chicken would be even more fabulous.

Quite full already, we decided to order a dessert to share. The Gelati Fatti in Casa ($75) got 3 scoops, and we chose Strawberry, Lemon, and Mango and Passion Fruit. It was a refreshing finale to cleanse the palate and remove the sense of fat and after-taste of the prior dishes. A good finale.

Service is generally good, except that the staff tends to group together to chit chat, to the degree that they are not paying attention to the customers in the restaurant. When paying the bill I had to wait for quite a while before the staff came back to pick up my credit card, and all the while I was seeing him talking to the kitchen team. Even though the restaurant was not busy it was something quite annoying. The bill on the night was $1,258 and in my opinion quite reasonable. 

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Ying Jee Club

This Michelin 2-star Chinese restaurant is located in Central, headed by the famous Chef Siu, who came from T'ang Court, then to Duddell's, before coming here, bringing fresh ingredients with traditional Chinese culinary techniques to guests. On the ground floor there is a bar area, featuring a nice range of wines and other liquors. We were shown to the upper floor which is the main dining area, and tonight the restaurant was not particularly busy so we did enjoy a quiet corner for our dinner.

The decor is modern, with a nice ambiance highlighting a premium yet comfortable environment. There are some emerald green plates and chopsticks stand which kind of remind me a bit of Yan Toh Heen, though to a much lesser degree in extravagance. The staff are all very friendly and attentive, coming to introduce the menu, each course along with the wine throughout the whole meal.

We decided to order the Tasting Menu ($1980 each) to sample more dishes, with wine pairing ($600) for me as well. Before the first course an Amuse Bouche was served, including two small pieces of dried tofu soaked in a nice broth, as well as Chinese style pork terrine. I like the latter more as the gelatin and meat was so rich in flavors and even without dipping any vinegar. A nice starter.

The first course was Chilled Sliced Sea Whelk with Jelly Fish and Caviar, along with Wok-fried Kagoshima A4 Wagyu Beef with Scallion and Soy Sauce. Very beautifully plated, the sea whelk is tender, delicate yet flavorful, and the caviar provided a bit of savory to enhance the overall enjoyment. The jelly fish is very crunchy, seasoned well with sesame oil but not overly so. But the beef is the true wonder in this dish. So intense on taste, I found the scallion having a magical effect to showcase the beef flavors as well as the soy sauce. The meat itself is very tender too. The wine paired is Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc 2016 from Languedoc, and I like the matching also. A great dish.

The second course was Baked Lobster with Cheese and Garlic. The two halves are the lobster tail was coated with some cheese and garlic, and I like the chef did it with the right proportion, making the feature still on the lobster and not on the cheese. The lobster was very fresh, with delicate taste yet one can tell the quality with the firm texture of the flesh. The garlic also helped to enrich the whole flavors without overpowering the finesse of the lobster. Very nice indeed.

The third course was Steamed Garoupa with Egg White and Hua Diao. When the cover was lifted we already could smell the nice hua diao aromas, and the egg white certainly was silky smooth and soft, complementary to the equally soft garoupa fillet, steamed to perfection with the flesh not 'over-cooked'. A very delicate dish that in my opinion a true test to the ability of the chef to control the temperature and steaming time, the quality definitely for a great chef for Cantonese cuisine.

The fourth course was Braised South African Abalone with Pork Belly and Vegetable in Oyster Sauce. The size of the abalone was fairly large, and I guess had been braised for a long while to make it so soft that the knife can cut clean through easily. Very rich in the abalone taste and also absorbing the oyster sauce really makes this a dish from heaven. I also like the pork belly a lot. It is not fat at all and equally tender, and while taking on the oyster sauce still retained the nice pork flavors. While I would still rate Forum as the best abalone I had experienced, this dish is among the very good ones I tried. The wine paired was Stags' Leap Chardonnay 2017 from Napa Valley, a nice match with both the abalone and pork belly.

The fifth course was Poached Fish Maw with Wolfberry in Chicken Broth. The fish maw was very nicely done, very tender and giving a rewarding and satisfying bite with sufficient thickness. The young kale was also of great quality, without any fibrous chew to show how tender they are. But overall the biggest highlight is the chicken broth. So rich and concentrated, the broth clearly reminded me of the homemade broth in which my mother would put a lot of ingredients to prepare a thick and rich soup like this one, with every ounce of essence tasted. It was so good that I cannot help but to finish the whole broth with a spoon.

The sixth course was Fried Rice with Barbecue Pork, Roasted Duck, Shrimp, Crispy Conpoy and Vegetables. Honestly this one was my favorite in the evening, and I don't think I had a fried rice better than this one. With plenty of ingredients, all the different components sort of complement each other, no matter in taste, texture, or colour. Each rice is distinct and individual, creating a harmony in the bowl that I almost tempted to ask for another serving. A must-try in my opinion.

Finally it was the Ying Jee Dessert, including Double-boiled Imperial Bird's Nest with Almond Juice, Lotus Seed Paste Puff with Tender Ginger and Preserved Egg, and Glutinous Dumpling with Mango, Egg Custard and Coconut. Unfortunately for dessert I did have a recommendation. I am not sure why but there are simply too much bird's nest added in the almond juice, so very soon the whole dessert became a thick gelatin. With the bird's nest not having taste on its own, the almond note is diluted disproportionately, making it bland and tasteless. It might seem generous and luxurious, but I would rather have less bird's nest in this case. The other two desserts are good but could not rescue the shortfall on the main feature in this course. The wine paired was Szepsy Szamorodni 2013 from Tokaji.

My wife told me throughout the meal that she thought one of the staff was familiar. And at the end of the dinner when we chatted a bit we found he also came from T'ang Court, and probably had served us when we were a more frequent customer many years ago. We exchanged cards and I think I would like to visit again to try some other dishes and also the dim sum during lunch. The bill was $5,100 and considering all the elements I would say this is worth the price.

Wineshark Japan Tour Hot Spots - Towada Art Centre 十和田市現代美術館

Address: 青森県十和田市西二番町10-9

Tel: 017-620-1127

Website: http://towadaartcenter.com/

Date of Visit: 2 Nov 2019


In recent years, due to the reorganization of government offices, many ministries and the branch offices were relocated. Accompanying the development of joint government offices, many vacant lots have been found on the city street, which is the also symbol road of the city. For this reason, Towada City would like to create a more attractive and beautiful view of the government street, and has been working on the ‘Arts Towada’ plan as part of a new town development for the future.

This plan is set in an outdoor space called ‘Government Street’, and the whole street is considered as a single museum, with various art works developed. Such efforts are rare in the world. In addition to arts, the projects aims to encompass Towada City's history and beautiful nature, to draw out the vitality of the region and connects it to the future.

Towada Art Centre (十和田市現代美術館) is the core facility for ‘Arts Towada’ aiming to create an “open facility that offers new experiences through art”. Opened in 2008, there are numerous permanent exhibition featuring 38 works that can only be seen in Towada, commissioned by 33 artists from around the world, such as Yayoi Kusama (草間彌生) and Ron Muek.

In addition to the permanent exhibition space, there is a special exhibition space, a cafe, and a civic activity space as a base for promoting support and exchange of cultural arts activities. The feature of the museum is that each exhibition room is made independent as a “house for art”, with buildings distributed in the site connected by glass corridors.

By arranging each exhibition room independently, an architectural space can be created according to each art work, and the two can have a closer relationship. This decentralized composition is inspired by the characteristics of city streets, where squares and buildings alternate, and art works and cities mix organically.

And by creating large and small spaces in the building, there is a continuity with the streets of large and small buildings. This decentralized layout also creates outdoor exhibition space and event space, allowing visitors to experience indoor and outdoor spaces simultaneously. In addition, the space where artworks are displayed has a large glass opening in various directions, making it an open structure as if the artwork is being exhibited in the city.

The museum opens daily except Monday, from 9:00 to 17:00. There is a parking lot behind the museum which can accommodate 10 cars. If fully occupied, visitors can park at the nearby Towada City Nishi Nibancho Parking Lot (十和田市西二番町駐車場), about 2 minute walk, and free parking tickets can be collected at the museum.

Aki Inomata, an artist who creates original works through observation and research of living things, is presenting his first solo exhibition at Towada Arts Centre during September 14, 2019 to January 13, 2020. She is renowned for looking at the essence of human beings and society through interactions with other creatures.

The title of this exhibition, ‘Significant Otherness’, was inspired by the relationship between living species on the earth advocated by scientific historian Dana Haraway. There are works that involved octopus and ammonite, works that observed clams that were affected by an earthquake, and works showing creatures wearing small chopped women's clothes. Each of them expresses the world viewed from the perspective of living things that are different from humans, and causes the viewers to think about the flow of time, the environment, and the ecosystem.

This exhibition will also feature new works based on the horses that were raised in the southern part of Aomori Prefecture, including Towada.

• Entry fee (2,400 yen each) x 2