words yvonne teh

If you are heading over to Hong Kong’s sister SAR to take in one or more of the 19th Macau Arts Festival offerings between May 1 and 30, you might do well to remember Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin’s observation that, “The joys of the table belong equally to all ages, conditions, countries and times; they mix with all other pleasures, and remain the last to console us for their loss.”

And while, this being Macau, some will take ‘table’ to mean something on which to gamble, the 19th century author of The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy was referring to dining tables – which the ‘Vegas of the East’ also happens to have aplenty, not least around the six venues that will host arts events this May in Macau.

In another quote, no less than the incomparable Luciano Pavarotti said, “One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Consequently, we at bc decided it would be a good thing to help arts aficionados satisfy their gastronomic as well as entertainment appetites by assembling a dining companion for the Macau Arts Festival; in the compiling of which we found that, while this part of the world continues to take pride in its own rich food traditions, it also increasingly opens its arms to embrace cuisines from many other lands.

The product of over four centuries of cultural exchange between China and the West, the Historic Centre of Macau was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. Eating options abound in this atmospheric central area, particularly around Senado Square and along the Rua da Felicidade. Eschewing those this time around, however, we went instead for a selection that included eateries more off the beaten track and closer to the Dom Pedro V Theatre and Lou Kau Mansion, two historical architectural treasures that will play host to festival performances this month.

Virtually a stone’s throw from the oldest Western-style theatre in China lies the homely Bebidas Café (Rua Central 57; +853-976 110). João B R Couto is the proprietor of the spartan but friendly family establishment, his wife See is both cook and cashier. The mixed Portuguese-Macanese menu, at least one of whose dishes is changed daily, is handwritten on a whiteboard that hangs prominently on one of the eatery’s walls. But what with the cara de bacalhau con todos (cheek of cod with vegetables and potatoes) (MOP$80), entrecosto guisado (Portuguese-style pork ribs) (MOP$40) and bife de galinha (boneless beef) (MOP$35) being highly recommended by Mr Couto himself, it’s hard to see these not being on the menu when you visit. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-7:30pm; closed on Sunday.

With two floors of dining space, the Restaurante Afonso III (Rua Central, 11-A; +853-2858 6272) can seat more diners than a cursory glance through its largely glass frontage might suggest. Still, reservations are recommended as there is no shortage of customers eager for its Portuguese fare, which includes the trademark tomato-based clams Afonso III appetizer (MOP$95) along with mains like the seafood bread mousse (MOP$180) and tenderloin with light mustard sauce (MOP$110). And if you have room left for dessert, try either the egg or orange pudding (MOP$28 each). Open Monday-Saturday from 12-3pm and 6:30-10:30pm.

Rua Central not central enough for you? Then head to the Historic Centre’s main strip and ride the lift up to one of the spacious floors of the Restaurante Vela Latina (Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro 201; +853-2835 6888) where you can partake of many signature Macanese and Portuguese dishes. Some, like the caldo verde (the green kale soup considered by many to be Portugal’s national dish) (MOP$30) are recognised classics while others, like the sweet sliced egg tart with a coconut filling (MOP$22), are variations on classic themes. Mains like the satisfyingly juicy grilled spare rib of pork in [sweet] barbeque sauce (MOP$120), baked chicken in coconut milk (MOP$130), and codfish of cream (Portuguese style) (MOP$115), whose name does scant justice to its impressive preparation and presentation, are also on the menu.
Open daily 11:30am-11pm.

Now for something different: Housed in a modern building that favours clean white lines, the Now Cafe (Travessa de S Domingos 14AB; +853-2838 9398) has fusion food selections on its menu like crispy fried lychee salad (MOP$48) along with pesto spaghetti (MOP$58). Perhaps mindful that visitors to the Historic Centre tend to be on the look out for Macanese or Portuguese food, however, owner Patchy Mono is anxious that people know his eatery does offer tasty traditional fare as well, and, after sampling some of what he has to offer, I can only agree. Notable mains that are part of a set meal with a soup and coffee, tea or fruit include the meaty pork chop Lisbon (MOP$58), braised oxtail Portuguese style with rice or spaghetti (MOP$68), braised duck rice Portuguese style (MOP$68) and creamy Swiss-style chicken stew with rice and spaghetti (MOP$68). Open 12-11pm on weekdays; 12pm-12am on weekends.

Healthy, fresh and yummy? That combination sounds like a tall order but the folks at Lemoncello Gelato (Travessa da Sé 11; +853-331 570) have been regularly serving precisely that since spring 2005 when they opened Macau’s first home-made Italian ice-cream parlour. Located right beside the Lou Kau Mansion, this cool contemporary gelataria technically shouldn’t be included in our guide since it doesn’t have any tables to boast of. But a taste of its 0-8% fat gelato – which comes in single (MOP$20), double (MOP$25) and triple (MOP$30) scoops, and in flavours like chili chocolate (and, yes, it tastes both spicy hot and chocolate-y rich!) along with the more usual mango, watermelon, coconut, and lemon sherbet – quickly melted our resolve. Open 11am-11pm Sunday-Friday; 11-12am Saturday.

Macau’s Patane District may be home to the Allegria Cinema, one of this year’s Macau Arts Festival venues, as well as the 16th century Lin Fung Miu (Temple of the Lotus). However, it’s quite some distance from the Historic Centre in terms of eating options, especially those with English language menus. So imagine our surprise and pleasure upon coming across a Thai restaurant with an extensive menu just a few minutes walk away. The six-month-old third branch of PP Island (Rua da Barca 32; +853-2873 7364) offers set lunches and teas in addition to a full a la carte range. Items that caught our eye included baby oyster and minced pork congee (MOP$25) and fried crab in hot curry (MOP$140). In addition, PP Island offers different versions of tom yam soup, including one with pig’s feet and vegetables (MOP$128) along with the more conventional seafood and vegetables (MOP$168)! Open 12pm-12am daily.

A pastel-coloured oasis in Patane, the Momoko Dessert Specialty Shop (Rua do General Galhardo; +853-2825 8641) is a haven for those with a sweet tooth. Delectable Macanese and European desserts, including bite-sized chocolates, are displayed behind glass but are readily served once you make your choice. Also, as I myself discovered, this shop’s folks are quite used to people not being able to wait until they exit to tuck into the serradura (MOP$6), chocolate serradura (MOP$6.50), rocky serradura (MOP$6.50), caramel custard (MOP$6.5), mango cream puff (MOP$6), black forest cake (MOP$7.5) and well-named A Grade blueberry mousse (MOP$10) that caught their eye! Open Monday-Saturday 10am-10pm; Sunday 3-10pm.

Over where the Brito Clementina Leitão Ho Theatre is up in the northern section of the Macau Peninsula, scores of modest eateries and noodle shops can look pretty indistinguishable to visitors. Should you want a filling meal, however, give Café de Good Taste (Avenida Artur Tamagnini Barbosa 13, Edificio Centro Com Cidade Nova 1; +853-2859 6396) more than a cursory glance – for while there is no English text on the menu, you can easily identify items from the pictures – or just take our lead and order the suen heung gai pai faan (grilled chicken leg in garlic sauce served with rice) (MOP$28) and gat lit chiu pai faan (fried pork chop with rice) (MOP$22) the folks at this establishment take no little pride in serving. Open daily from 6:30am-10pm.

It is not often one finds an establishment decades older than its customers, but that is the case with the 38-year-old Padaria Duque (Avenida Artur Tamagnini Barbosa, 171; +853- 590233), popular with students who stop by in the early morning and after school. Mr Chan starts baking various kinds of cake and bread as early as 5am daily. Try his chilled pineapple tart (MOP$3.50), which makes for a delightful dessert after your meal or as a pre-show snack. The bakery also recommends the haa do si (fried prawn toast) (MOP$4) or its Hong Kong-style daan taat (egg tart) (MOP$3.50). Open daily from 8am-7pm.

Visitors don’t usually venture to the northern portion of the Macau Peninsula unless they are on their way to the Barrier Gate and on into Zhuhai. But it is in the north district that the Iao Hon Garden, which will play host to the 2008 Macau Arts Festival’s Outdoor Performing Arts Showcase events, is located. Here where modest cha chaan tengs and Chinese noodle shops predominate, we found Wing Kee Sweet Soup (Rua Quatro Bairro Iao Hon 52; +853-6633 9323), a traditional Chinese dessert shop that serves home-made – you guessed it! – sweet soups. The shop’s staff told us that the smooth and tasty black zi ma wu (sesame seed paste) (MOP$7 for a small bowl; MOP$8 for a big one) and tao cheong (soy milk) (MOP$3 for a glass; MOP$6 for a bottle) are customer favourites. And while they officially only do takeaways, you may get to dine in if you ask nicely enough. Open daily 6:30–12:30am.

If in you’re in the mood for cha chaan teng dining while in the area, you could do worse than head to the Lam Kei Cha Chaan Teng (Rua Cinco (Bairro Areia preta) 24, +853-2848 2365) for helpings of haan zi lou meen (shrimp roe tossed noodles) (MOP$18), a traditional Chinese dish not all that easy to find in Macau – or for that matter, Hong Kong – anymore. If seafood is not your thing, consider another specialty of the house: the ngau yuk meen (Henan beef noodle) (MOP$15) the chef says is a popular traditional dish in his Hangzhou hometown. Open daily 7am-11pm.

With an entrance on Avenue Xian Xing Hai but an address on Rua de Paris, the Akasaka Café (Rua de Paris 255; +853-2878 6378) also eschews traditional Macanese cuisine but in favour of lighter Italian and nouveau Japanese – rather than French – fare. Snacks include a Japanese pork cutlet sandwich (MOP$42) and, on the dessert end, banana split (MOP$45) while mains you may like to try are meat risotto (MOP$50), mentaiko (marinated pollock roe) spaghetti (MOP$55), and puttanesca with mushroom, sausage, anchovy, black olives and cabbage (MOP$53). Also worth noting is that this establishment is very serious about its coffee (the first two pages of its menu are devoted just to the drink), varieties of which include the Super Blue Mountain #1 (MOP$75) along with Japanese traditional roasted in hot or cold options (MOP$38) and espresso (MOP$30). Open daily 11-3am.