Eating in 2013

Happy new year!  Yes, I have been tardy.  Yes, I have been MIA since October 2013.  Career wise, it was an unusually crazy 4th quarter.  It usually is anyway in the run up to the holiday season, but this time the craziness spilled right into it.  So no repeat of a vacation away but instead, a staycation in Singapore parked close to the work laptop had to do.

Fat Ma of Kwong Wah Store - picture credit to an unknown artist

It is probably appropriate to bid a proper goodbye to the following, some of whom we will miss badly.  I will miss Fat Ma of Kwong Wah Store most.  Almost an institution in the Tai Hang area before the advent of other more trendy eateries, Fat Ma finally threw in the towel ironically on my birthday and will no longer deal with rising rents, a systemic issue nowadays.  I will miss her cutting wit delivered in her loud booming voice and her home-style dishes which I had fondly grown to love eating at least once a week.  It was by no means gourmet but it was a slice of home.  Properly boiled soups which had been on the fire for hours, scrambled eggs with sea prawns, perfectly steamed fish and honeyed chicken wings.  I hope to someday have the privilege of eating your food again, Fat Ma.  In the meantime, have a restful retirement.

We also said goodbye to:

- Manor and its signature cholesterol sandwiches of liver and fat, which foodies affectionately coined

- Harlan Goldstein's Strip House now replaced by his new concept Comfort

I thought I saw a tweet that suggested that The Drawing Room will close too but wasn't able to verify it.

Joo Heng's steamed Soon Hock with bean paste and lard

In Singapore, we said goodbye Mr. Soon Ah Chai, the patriarch of Joo Heng Restaurant.  I will miss his awkward smile, one that I had been accustomed to seeing since I started patronizing the place in the late 90s.  Fortunately, his family is still carrying on the roaring business, and it is still possible to have Soon Hock fish steamed the old fashioned way with piquant bean paste and lard pieces liberally sprinkled over.

And on that note, here are my lists by city.  Please note that these are places I did patronize so if your favorite did not make my list, it probably just means I didn't make it there in 2013 and will hope to this coming year.

Hong Kong

Chinese - Ming Court, Tin Lung Heen
Japanese - Sushi Sase, Gin Sai, Ronin, Sushi Toku, Butao Ramen, Hana Sakazuki
Spanish - 22 Ships
Modern European - On Lot 10
South East Asian - Fatty Crab , Cafe Malacca
Private Kitchen - Ta Pantry
Pastries and then some - Beef pie from the Mandarin Cake Shop, macarons from Pierre Herme, Eric Kayser
Down & Dirty - Yuet Wah Wui, Keung Kee, Man Fatt, Kong Hing, Sing Fatt, Yummy Vietnamese
Coffee - Kitamura, 18 Grams

Ronin's Kagoshima Beef, Maitake, Egg Yolk

Cafe Malacca's Sago Gula Melaka

Singapore

Chinese - Cheng Hoo Tian, Chao Shan Cuisine, Jing Hua Restaurant
Italian - Valentino, Bruno's, Sopra
Japanese - Ikyu, Sushi Mitsuya, Wahiro , Hakata Ikkuosha
Mexican - Lower East Side
Peranakan - Candlenut, Daisy's Dream Kitchen
Spanish - Catalunya
Modern European - Bacchanalia, Toots Brasserie
Down & Dirty - Joo Heng Restaurant , Penang Seafood Restaurant, Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow
Pastries and then some - Eric Kayser, Tiong Bahru Bakery, B.A.O.
Coffee - Nylon, Penny University, Liberty Coffee, Jewel Cafe & Bar

Sushi Mitsuya

Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow

Bangkok 

Thai - Sra Bua, Issaya Siamese Club, Supanniga Eating Room
Italian - Enoteca Italiano
Bistro - Little Beast

Issaya Siamese Club

Beijing

Chinese vegetarian - King's Joy
Modern European - Sureno

King's Joy

Shanghai

French bistro - La Queue du Chiot
Vegetarian bistro - Green Vege Cafe
Chinese bistro - Yun Se

Yun Se's mountain yam with blueberries

Macau

French - Robuchon au Dome
Possibly my best meal of the year in terms of food and service.

Robuchon's mussels - just perfect

Thanks for staying tuned to EdEats and while there is no certainty that I will be blogging that often in 2014 either, I will continue to be active on Twitter @edenalow and Instagram edenalow so I hope you  can join me there also.  May 2014 be everything you wish for it to be.

Macau - one night at the Grand Lisboa

So somebody had a last minute "bright" idea to spend a night in Macau to celebrate a birthday.  Hmm...  I'm not a huge fan of the ex-Portuguese enclave but ok there is some pretty decent F&B action there.  Where would we stay though?

When I got news that it was going to be the Grand Lisboa, I thought to myself "oh boy, here we go...". Apart from being in the heart of the city, and not having to battle for the shortage of taxis in the city now teeming with visitors from its new motherland since 1999, the hotel is not the most pleasant to stay at unless you are a fan of wading through crowds taking photos in the public areas of the hotel, which are decked with some museum-worthy sculptures and other feng-shui pieces.

The Casino

Of course the crowds are also there to take their chance at being a tycoon, much to the happiness of the tycoon owner I'm sure.  

Room with a view

Checking in was a slightly painful affair since we strongly insisted on a non-smoking room and almost got "duped" into taking a "treated" room on a smoking floor.  After all the haggling and a 45 minute wait, we got upgraded to a pretty decent room.  A big win considering occupancy rates seemed high for Sunday afternoon.  Rooms are styled in dark wood and while decent in size, had a pretty tight shower stall.  But Hermes toiletries are a plus.

"Dan Dan" Noodles with Minced Pork and Peanuts Paste in Chilli Sauce
四川擔擔湯拉麵

Since we had to wait for our room, we ventured to the Noodle and Congee Corner for a late lunch of Dan Dan noodles and pork pie.  While the pie was pretty forgettable the Dan Dan noodles were actually very good, with al dente hand pulled noodles (which we would see from the open kitchen) in an addictive spicy and crunch peanut butter like soup that had the consistency of a thick sauce.  Added to this some minced pork and fresh julienned cucumber made me think they did a cross over with Beijing's famous "Zha Jiang" noodles.

Dinner was a 10 minute walk from the hotel at 陶陶居海鮮火鍋酒家.  A re-decked but old world restaurant serving traditional Cantonese seafood dishes.  Decent food but the MSG attack afterwards which lasted a night didn't seem worth it unless you are accustomed to or do not react to MSG.

Senado Square

Even a walk around Senado Square afterwards nor dessert of Yee Shun's famous milk pudding did not take the pain away.

Fresh Water Crab Congee

The best cure to waking up to a hangover Chinese style is congee.  And what better congee than the famous Macau specialty of fresh water crab congee for room service.  It was surprisingly good value and yummy in taste.  The crab had little meat but was flavorful enough to breathe life into the congee, which became almost the milky sea where the crab might have been swimming in not too long ago.  The dough fritters were dense but fluffy, a combination hard to execute, and salted duck eggs made the meal complete with a yolky richness.

Fresh French Beurre

But no amount of breakfast was going to stop us from enjoying our hard-earned reservation at the 3-starred Robuchon au Dome, which we scored after a myriad of unsuccessful attempts via phone and a face-to-face "begging" session the night before.  Service was impeccable from dealing with a difficult situation, and turning it into a win for both guest and restaurant.  A rarity these days worth complimenting again.  I should have remembered our manager's name but cannot but want to accord her with a big "thank you" again for making the experience memorable.  The world class training at the restaurant extends to our servers who were not only polite but also as knowledgeable as they could be considering their backgrounds.

Amuse Bouche

Of course, the food was definitely awesome and at very decent prices for lunch, it is no wonder that the restaurant is booked for months ahead.  Our amuse bouche was a refreshing gazpacho over a creamy bufala base.  The contrast in flavors made for an excellent tease on the palate before we started lunch proper.

Bread Basket

It is easy to go overboard with a very good selection of breads, especially the brioche and bacon baguettes so pace yourself.

French mussels in white wine and cream

These have to be the best mussels I've had in any long or short term memory.  The consistency in each mussel's sea-sweetness and even size was amazing.  The deceptively light sauce served to enhance each  shellfish.  Served with a gold leaf and flower on the top, it has also got to be the prettiest way to serve this dish.

Caramelized upper guinea fowl thigh with pan fried foie gras and marinated cherry

My choice of the fowl, foie and cherries was also perfection in execution.  What could have otherwise been a rich dish was appropriate for lunch by the clever use of cherries.  Unlike other berries which can be too tart, the freshly sweet fruit made bolder by its marinade complimented the fowl and creamy foie well.

Dessert Trolley

No French meal is complete without dessert and I was happy to see they still use the trolley here.  Needless to say, there was a lot of good choices, and what was outstanding was the Cherry Cheese Tart and the Napolean.  Just a perfect sweet finish with a shot of Espresso.

If you can leave aside a rough ride from the ferry terminal, and battling the crowds who can get rowdy, the one-night staycation at the Grand Lisboa wasn't too miserable.  Especially since the F&B within the hotel more than makes up for everything else.  I might just brave it again if I scored another reservation at the Robuchon au Dome.

Avenida de Lisboa Macau
Tel: +853-28283838

Best of 2011

Wow! Last work day of the year, and what a year it's been.

Perhaps the most critical natural disaster of the year was the 8.9 earthquake which hit Japan. The earthquake caused a tsunami of epic proportions which overwhelmed Japan’s eastern coast and consequently also caused a nuclear reactor crisis in Fukushima. In the wake of the devastation, every concerned individual wanted to do what he/she can to contribute towards the cause. Ironically, the most befitting support was not to boycott produce from Japan but to continue to source from them, under tightened safety and supervision. So, while many ignoramuses were snapping up salt to reduce radiation levels (don’t ask me how), I was just busy eating. In honor of the bravery of the many Japanese involved in rescue efforts, and the many who continue to thrive in difficult circumstances, here’s my best-of Japan list for 2011. My only regret was not having the opportunity to travel there this year, but it will hopefully make it as one of my destinations in 2012.

Unless otherwise stated, all restaurants in this post are in Hong Kong.

Best Sashimi – Hana Sakazuki
Best Sushi – Kenjo
Best Ramen – Ippudo HK
Best Chicken Ramen – Torihana
Best Toro Taku Don – Sushi Hiro
Best Goya Champeru – Yakichi
Best Japanese restaurant opening – Sushi Ta-ke
Best value in Singapore – Wahiro
Best salaryman’s secret in Singapore – Inaho's Kitchen Bar

In other food news, here’s my pick for 2011.

Best down and dirty Chiu Chow – 成發潮州菜館
Best down and dirty Hakka – Kong Hing Restaurant
Best Saikung Seafood – Sing Kee Seafood Restaurant
Best truffles – 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Best value Italian – Gold by Harlan Goldstein
Best suckling pig – 新斗记
Best foodies’ dinner – Sijie Sichuan Dishes
Best tea-pairing dinner – Lingnan Club / Mingcha
Best Caribbean private dining – Mandy's Private Kitchen
Best desserts – Sevva
Best fine dim sum – tie between Fook Lam Moon and T'ang Court
Best old school dim sum – Very Good Restaurant
Best brunch – Gusto
Best afternoon tea – Café Causette
Best bar - 001
Best TST openings to distract me from work – Holly Brown, Yo Mama , 18 Grams

In travel news, we did manage to hit a few places this year and try new foods.

Best Macau meal – Restaurante Espaco Lisboa
Best Barcelona Tapas – Cap Pep
Best Barcelona meal – Comerc, 24
Best Carcassone meal – Restaurant Le Parc

In tennis news, Roger Federer had yet another “bad” year, unable to win any Grand Slam in a calendar year for the first time since 2002. Such has been his phenomenal dominance of the sport. Notwithstanding, he still manages a hat trick of titles, capping off the year with the ATP World Finals trophy, Bercy which he had never won in his illustrious career, and of course his hometown Basel. Unsettling as it was, for the first time it was neither Federer nor Nadal who ended the year at No. 1 but Novak Djokovic, who had an awesome season with 41 straight match wins and 3 grand slam titles. History was also made when Li Na became the first Chinese woman to win a grand slam at Roland Garros, and appropriately so on June 4, the anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre. Finally, my other hero Justine Henin was unable to sustain her comeback due to injuries, and had to retire a second time - Shame.

In obituaries, we lost the following people and we felt sad one way or another. Elizabeth Taylor, Steve Jobs, Seve Ballesteros, Alan Tang, Teresa Hsu and Amy Winehouse. Each individual had contributed entertainment, technology, philanthropy and/or talent in their own special way, and they will each be missed. I’m not sure many will miss Osama bin Laden, Col. Muammar Gaddafi or Kim Jong Il, and certainly some are still debating if it is even appropriate to send condolences.

Closer to home, Singapore saw 2 elections this year and the advent of social media allowed the opposition to put up much more of a credible fight. Of course, the quality of the candidates fielded was significantly more impressive. While the nation decided in polls that they should only make history in baby steps, perhaps this signals a change and the next general election ought to be nothing short of interesting. The momentum carried through a little with the Presidential Elections but again, although margins were close, it was the mainstream candidate who came through.

In entertainment, and there was not time for much, I enjoyed my first Bob Dylan concert in Beijing. It was nothing short of awesome considering Mr. D’s age. His ability to sustain a 2 hour performance with no breaks was just amazing. And it was all great music even if I couldn’t make out the lyrics! No “wow!” movies in my opinion, but the following were certainly enjoyable. "Bruce Lee: My Brother" for the nostalgia 1940s to 1960s Hong Kong brings, "非誠勿擾 II or If You Are The One II"; for a little romantic reality, and "Wuxia" for Donnie Yen and Takashi Kaneshiro.

Once again, another year to be thankful and grateful for. Thanks for reading and here’s wishing you a fantastic 2012. Eat well.

Macau - Restaurante Espaco Lisboa 里斯本地帶餐廳

This was easily our best meal in Macau on this trip.  It was a trudge, and if you know the taxi situation in Macau, you know the exponential factor that adds.  But thankfully, we were in the Cotai area, and the taxi line at the Venetian moved very quickly.  It is about 15 minutes to Coloane from Cotai, where Espaco is located, and the drive would have been scenic if it hadn't been sundown already.  I think we passed a penitentiary facility.  It's fascinating that such facilities are in some of the best spots in the world.  Guess it makes it difficult for escapes, although the rest of us are always trying to escape to such spots all the time for vacation!  The irony of life.

The restaurant is set in a short row of what looked to be 2-storey residences inside a quaint little lane.  It's not far from the water although I don't think you can see it from the restaurant.  We didn't opt for the balcony seating and chose the ground floor area, which is a cosy and homey little area with a cute bar area that also houses the dessert fridge and the cashier.  The picture is deceptively deserted since shortly after, even the ground floor area filled up and the noise levels went up many decibels when the large table got filled up with a loud and noisy group.

Olives

We sat down and started demolishing the little pot of olives at the table.  Well preserved to be tasty but still crunchy, this had little salt but retained the full flavor of the olives.  So good it needed no alcoholic accompaniment.  My ginger ale was good enough.

Clams in a white wine sauce

This one took us unawares.  We like our clams and in a white wine sauce, we like them even more.  But this white wine sauce was so good we used whatever bread we had to soak up every drop after we were said and done with the fresh bouncy clams.  The use of butter in the sauce made it that much more robust, but not reaching the point of greasy creaminess so that less would have been more.  The juice from the lemon wedge cut through the richness to make it easily addictive.  So, we were craving for more and would have tipped the pot into our mouths if the restaurant were indeed deserted.  Too bad Ms Manners was looking.

Duck Rice

According to the friendly owner, this is their piece de resistance.  A casserole of shredded duck covered with rice and baked in the oven topped with bacon and Chorizo sausage.  So simple yet so good.

Duck rice - deconstructed

We mixed it up to reveal the shredded duck buried in the rice.  Morsels of duck, rice, and bits of bacon/Chorizo made for mouthfuls of tasty decadence.  Forget that this was not healthy dish, with the different fats from the different meats, but that was precisely why there is so much flavor in its simplicity.  And the bits of rice which came into direct contact from the oven's heat had become crisp and added the lovely snap, crackle, and pop we all look forward to in any baked rice dish.

Grilled Sardines

To up our Omega 3 count after the duck rice, we thought grilled sardines would do the trick.  The owner warned us that since sardines are not readily available in Macau, they ship theirs in from Portugal frozen.  But they were still good.  Tasty with a touch more bittersweet as you approach the belly, the type of flavors you would enjoy if you enjoy Mackeral.  However, this is not for those who don't enjoy their fish since there are a lot of bones to maneuver through.  The trick is to debone before you start to eat.  If you can take out the centre bone slowly and leave the attaching "rib cage" area intact, you save yourself a lot of headache later.  Simple dish served with grilled green peppers and a boiled potato and a wedge of lemon for a twist of tang.  Provincially good.

Sawdust Pudding

This one got us "good".  I've had many disappointments with this one, but since the food had been so wonderful, I thought how bad can dessert be.  But it's just me.  I just don't get this one.  I don't get the attraction of layering sawdust over cream.  I dislike each and even if happily married, I still dislike them as a unit.  So there.  My only regret is not having gone for the egg pudding.  And I would regret it till my next visit.

I would visit again.  It was worth the trudge.  Coloane does seem like a lovely area and perhaps a lunch visit next time, with a walkabout would do the trick.  Apparently Lord Stow's Bakery (the original) is right on that same row.

G/F & 1/F, 8 R. das Gaivotas
Coloane Downtown

路環市區水鴨街8號地下及1樓 Tel: +853-2888 2226

Macau - Shing Kee 盛記白粥

One of the luxuries of being on vacation is having the time to enjoy breakfast.  Even better if it's a breakfast you don't often get to enjoy.  And even better is because you've had a lie-in, there's no breakfast rush, since everyone else is having lunch.

Shing Kee is one of those places that is a throwback to the good old days when breakfast meant having the traditional goodies.  No juice, fruit, yogurt or coffee.  And the slight wait outside the shop at 2pm in the afternoon is testament that people still hanker for that bit of nostalgia.

Congee 白粥

As the name suggests, people come here to have a warm bowl of congee to start the day.  Chinese believe this magical bowl of gruel cleanses and detoxes the digestive system.  A Chinese physician I used to see recommended that I have this every morning.  Unfortunately, I haven't found a life partner to satisfy all my material needs to be able to wake up to a steaming bowl of congee every morning without having to worry about rushing to work.

This version is really almost reduced to 98% fluid, with bits of rice grain you might break down without any chewing.  The fluid has hints of Fu Chok (腐竹), bean curd sheets which they throw into the pot to cook the congee with to give it a distinct yellow hue and flavor.

Steamed radish cake and fish dumpling 燒賣糕 

Of course, the Chinese physician also said to avoid other tasty condiments when consuming congee but when on vacation, nobody remembers what the doctor says.  The radish cake was very soft and tasty.  A touch of heat from white pepper within.  The steamed dumpling is not the usual one we find at dim sum restaurants but is one that is stuffed with minced Dace and bouncier than most.

Steamed rice rolls 腸粉

The rice rolls had decent sauces (combo of sweet, peanut and chili) over making it pretty tasty but the rolls themselves weren't great.  A little too much of a rice flour aftertaste and not soft enough.

But, this place is all about the nostalgia.  Nothing to it.  The food isn't spectacular but just good old-fashioned brekkie items we used to wake up to as kids.  Yes, the good old days..

77A Avenida do Ouvidor Arriaga R/C
Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro
新馬路蘇雅利醫生街1號
Tel: +853-2892 2901

Macau - Restaurante Vinha 葡萄園餐廳

It was a little deserted when we got there although all 4 window tables were taken but the restaurant quickly got its buzz (read noisy) when 2 large groups arrived.  Cosy joint set in decor that was easily from the early 80s.  Even the captain and his friendly wait staff in their tablecloth pink outfits could have been from the 80s.

Sangria by the glass

Settling down to a Sangria and shaking off the rain that was beating hard outside, we quickly got down to ordering and chewing on the warm buns that Macau is famous for.  Baked to a raw crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.  Good with a dollop of butter.

Potato and Vegetable Soup

This soup is quintessentially Portuguese.  It's not fancy by any means, but there is something about a potato based soup that's sturdy, protective and just downright homey.  The greens provide the much needed fibre.

Stir fried cabbage with Bacalhau

This is probably more Macanese than Portuguese with the use of Chinese cabbage.  The use of the dried salted cod pieces give this all the flavor since there is little else.

Crispy Suckling Pig on Fried Rice

This was the only reason we came.  I saw a picture of this and said I definitely want to try this.  Nothing complicated about this dish.  Simply well grilled suckling pig, sealed by a crispy crackling (although some bits were slightly chewy) but the meat was tender, and fell off the bone easily.  The bed of fried rice was tasty although it wasn't as good as some of the ones that you get around Macau, my most memorable having been from Litoral during my last visit in 2008.

This isn't the best restaurant in Macau.  But it was a good fix for a quick dinner the first night we got there.  Especially since this was about 5th on my list - the first 4 including Litoral was fully booked.  Shouldn't have been a surprise since it was the start of the Easter weekend.

Decent, competent and wholesome food that was reasonably priced.  Not a combination you find too often these days.

G/F, 1/F, 393 Edf. Dynasty Plaza R/C
Alameda Dutor Carlos d'Assumpção
宋玉生廣場(皇朝)393號地下和一樓
Tel: +853-2875 2599

Easter in Macau

It seemed like a great idea.  No flying necessary, just hop onto a ferry, bop on the water about for an hour, and be transported to a place which is an eclectic mix of the old and new.  And of course, watch the newest and hottest show in town, House of Dancing Water by Franco Dragone.  Well, as it turned out, every other Hong Kong resident had the same idea.

The entire Macau immigration area was filled to the brim, literally.  Officers couldn't get arrivals out of the hall as quickly as the Turbojets arrived.  Of course, just queuing alone would be boring.  You have to guard your spot and pre-empt queue jumpers.  I told off about 4 different people within the space of the 45 minute wait.  After you make it through, join yet another queue for one of the many hotel shuttles you booked into.  And where do all these people head to after they gain access to the world's largest gambling destination by revenue?

Senado Square

You can find all of them at the Senado Square, now part of the Unesco Heritage site "historic centre of Macau".

Ruins of St. Paul

Or the ruins of St. Paul, also part of the same historic site.  Macau is still very pretty in its own old European colony way, but could be that much prettier if these places had room to breathe.  I've never been able to walk through comfortably and obviously on public holidays, the crowds multiply that much more.

The crowds are a little more bearable in the evenings, since most are trying their luck in the gazillion casinos in this tiny special administrative region of the Peoples' Republic of China.  The only enclave in the entire Peoples' Republic where gambling is legalized.

The Wynn

The Venetian

When Dr. Stanley Ho's gambling monopoly ended in 2001 after 40 years, the opening up saw a lot of US players enter the market, including Wynn, Sands, MGM and a whole host of other traditional big Vegas players.  With massive development, thy've changed the skyline of this once sleepy town.

Grand Lisboa

Even Dr. Ho has had to revamp and build the new Grand Lisboa to compete effectively in this segment.

Scene from House of Dancing Water

And in line with the government's push to make this more than just a gambling destination, ventures bring in sporting events and top shows like Cirque du Soleil.  The latest at the City of Dreams, a venture between Lawrence Ho (Dr. Ho's son by his second wife) and the Aussie Melco Crown group, is the House of Dancing Water.  Such was their promotional prowess that it seemed to have even overshadowed Zaia, Cirque's show at the Venetian.  But honestly, it wasn't really worth the money in my opinion.  Decent show of acrobatics but not worth the hassle and the hype.

But it is really the throwback in time that Macau brings, which appeals to me.  The old Macau is still very much reminiscent of Singapore or Hong Kong in the 1950s.

Drying Bacalhau

Where you can see and smell the territory's quintessential dried and salted codfish drying on every other street corner in town.

Where old style shophouses still sell noodles made the traditional way, especially the famous shrimp roe infused noodles, which you can smell a block away.

And aside from the Chinese, you can of course still see Portuguese influences, through quaint houses on bouquet-lined cobble stone streets.

All this eclecticism is translated into the cuisines found here and in the next few posts, I'll hopefully bring a taste of Macau to you too.  Stay tuned...

Macau - Restaurante Litoral

Macau is not one of those places you head to unless you're a fan of the vices, and of course, gaming is a great revenue generator, surpassing even Las Vegas at last count. To attract non-gamers, the Macau government has spared no effort in bringing music stars for concerts, Cirque de Soleil, and of course, I am there again this year to watch Mr. Roger Federer, this time accompanied by James Blake, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.

Another highlight of Macau is of course, Macanese food, which is heavily influenced by Portuguese cuisine, having been a Portuguese settlement up until 1999, when it became a special administrative region of China.

Restaurante Litoral aptly describes Macanese food as the original "fusion" food, a blend of East and West with many recipes handed down through the generations. Sitting in a cosily decorated restaurant with wooden beam ceilings, old-fashioned blue-and-white tiles, you would not be blamed for thinking you were in a restaurant in Portugal.

Having lived in Hong Kong for a while, I have grown to like Baked Pork Chops with Rice, a cha chan teng staple. Its origins are Macanese and the best I've had is at Restaurante Litoral. I like my rice and the rice at Litoral is immaculately coated through stir frying, the tomato paste and therefore fragrant. The pork chops are also perfectly crumb-coated before being deep fried. All this topped with a layer of tomato based sauce, is baked in the oven, prior to serving. YUMS!

Other goodies on offer were the: prawn bisque served in a bread bowl..

.. and grilled sardines, which retain its freshness, through a quick grilling process, and served simply drizzled wtih olive oil.

To round off, the coconut egg custard, with its topped, slightly charred from a blowtorch was perfect - fragrant, and surprisingly, light.

One of those "go back in time" meals always worth going to if you are going to be in Macau looking for good food.