Enjoying Japanese Wine in Hong Kong! One-Michelin-Star "Ando" Pairing Dinner

In our series featuring venues where you can drink Japanese wine, this report comes to you from Hong Kong.
Located on the ground floor of a building in Central, the heart of Hong Kong, is the innovative fusion restaurant "Ando."
It is a popular restaurant in Hong Kong that currently holds one Michelin star.

One of the reasons for this restaurant's popularity is said to be the appeal of enjoying Japanese wine, and a collaboration dinner was organized with the Japanese wine competition "Washu Award 2024," which was held in Hong Kong on November 7.

Founder and chef Agustin Balbi hails from Argentina. He previously served as the chef at the modern Japanese restaurant "Haku" in Tsim Sha Tsui. In Japan, he honed his culinary skills at "Zurriola," "RyuGin," and "Michel Troisgros," and to realize his culinary vision from his own unique perspective, he opened "Ando".

Michelin evaluates it as follows: "In a minimalist dining room boasting elegant details and an open kitchen, a tasting menu that fuses his ancestral roots with strong Japanese influences takes diners on a personal journey."

Serving as sommelier and wine director is Mr. CARLITO, who also served as a judge for the Washu Award.
He has won awards for "Best By-the-Glass List," "Best Medium-Sized List," "Best Sparkling Wine," "Top 10 Wine by the Glass," and in 2024, the "Best Sommelier" award.
He also serves as a judge on the IWSC Wine Judging Committee. These honors solidify his reputation as a pioneer of wine pairing in Asia.

Let us introduce the table for the Washu Award collaboration Japanese wine pairing dinner.
Basically, one glass is served per dish. This time, there were 9 glasses for 8 dishes. They were all Japanese wines and sake!

The starters were lobster with a smoky paprika mousse, a refreshing Wagyu beef tartare, and glass shrimp with sea urchin. What looks green is because the glass shrimp is coated in herbs.

A rosé sparkling wine from Hirakawa Winery (Hokkaido),Les Amitiés Rosé,was served for our toast.

The nori bread was enjoyed with two types of olive oil: a Spanish one with a spicy finish, and one from Shodoshima with a buttery profile and refreshing green flavor.

Inside a briefcase-like box reverently brought to our table was caviar. A generous heap of caviar was placed on top of the steamed horsehair crab prepared beside it.

What kind of wine could possibly be paired with such indulgence?

Made with grapes from Nagano Prefecture,a Chardonnay from Domaine Beau (Toyama Prefecture). It is a wine with rich fruitiness that is delicious on its own, but even when paired, it did not bring out any fishiness at all, balancing wonderfully with the saltiness and richness.

The Ishidai (striped beakfish) ceviche was Japanese-style, featuring turnip, micro paprika, cilantro, and more in a kombu dashi base. The cilantro provided an accent to the delicate umami of the dashi, making it unmistakably a true ceviche.

Paired with this was Domaine Yui's Pinot Noir.
This Pinot Noir, featuring notes of oolong tea, paired wonderfully with the kombu dashi base.

To finish the pumpkin soup, a generous amount of karasumi (dried mullet roe) was freshly grated on top right at the table. Inside were ginkgo nuts and chewy pumpkin gnocchi.

To match the sweetness of this pumpkin and the saltiness of the karasumi,Woody Farm's (Yamagata Prefecture) Petit Manseng.
It was an insanely delicious pairing!

Splendid alfonsino beurre blanc, exquisitely cooked to rare perfection. Sake was paired with this dish, featuring a delightful balance of butter and citrus acidity.

Senkin Organic Nature W Kijoshu

The main course was Angus beef served with sliced matsutake mushrooms.

To finish, it was a Rue de Vin Pinot Noir and Fattoria al Fiore Merlot 2021 double pairing!
We were able to enjoy two distinct flavor profiles: the Pinot with an aromatic volume robust enough to stand up to the intense scent of matsutake, and the deeply savory Merlot.

Lobster bisque risotto. The rice used is Yi O rice from Hong Kong. Rice production isn't very large in Hong Kong, and among it, Yi O rice is a precious Hong Kong brand rice currently drawing the most attention. At first, you taste the soup and rice as they are. Delicious. Then, for the second half, special Hanatomoe foam is added to transform it into a mature risotto. You add the alcoholic foam served in a shrimp shell to your liking. It is fun to watch the dish transform into something with rich depth thanks to the flavor of the rice and the body of the alcohol.

We cleansed our palates with lime sorbet and mint foam, followed by dessert from a wagon. I tried a little bit of everything.

For dessert, Shugoro from GRACE WINE (Yamanashi Prefecture).
This is a Muscat Bailey A and Koshu blend, a sweet fortified wine with grape spirits added during fermentation.

I was thoroughly satisfied after enjoying a variety of treats, including crispy crackers, chocolate mousse, vanilla ice cream, and airy chocolate mousse infused with cognac.

What did you think?
The existence of a restaurant in Hong Kong where you can enjoy Japanese wine pairings of such high quality is proof that Japanese wine is attracting genuine interest in high-end venues across the Hong Kong market.
I was also deeply impressed by how thoroughly the sommelier explained each Japanese wine, bottle by bottle.

It was a dinner that left me feeling strongly about the potential of Japanese wine on the global stage.

If you are looking for a special dining experience in Hong Kong, why not consider adding this to your list?

And what's more, here is a special offer from Mr. Carlito, Wine Director at restaurant Ando!

When visiting Ando in Hong Kong, simply mention that you read the article on NIHON WINE.JP, and you will receive a complimentary glass of wine specially selected by Mr. Carlito! (Note: This service is exclusively available for travelers visiting Hong Kong from Japan. Offer valid through the end of March 2025.)

If you want to enjoy a high-end dinner in Hong Kong, be sure to visit Ando!

https://www.andohk.com/