Jaunted

Here's an idea of the variety of traditional foods found in Macau: Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá: Cod fish prepared with egg and onions, African Chicken—Macau’s signature dish, Caldo Verde: Green vegetable soup, Dim sum, Serradure – dessert, and Portuguese Egg Tarts.

The first restaurant I uncovered was a family-run Portuguese restaurant, Espaco Lisboa in Colane (8 Rua das Gaivotas, Colôane Village). If you close your eyes, you’d swear you were in Portugal. The restaurant has Spanish tile floors, classic Portuguese artwork on white-washed stucco walls. Lunch consisted of a beautiful bottle of Casal Garcia, a Portuguese white wine, and African chicken, Bacalhau and sausages among other delictables such as fried potatoes and green soup. Take a lazy afternoon for lunch or book ahead for a special dinner on the twinkle-lighted balcony, as it has been awarded “most romantic place to dine.”

My friend Joao then suggested we head next door to one of the best pastry shops in Macau so he could introduce me to a Portuguese egg tart. These not-too-sweet tarts are a popular snack and can be found everywhere in Macau.

If you’re a total foodie, and all about those Michelin stars, it turns out you’ve come to the right place! Six of Macau’s top restaurants garnered top honors in the Michelin book for 2009. The six restaurants included are Robuchon a Galera at the Hotel Lisboa (3 stars), Tim's Kitchen at the Hotel Lisboa (2 stars). The Imperial Court at the MGM Grand Macau, the Eight at Grand Lisboa, Tung Yee Heen at The Mandarin Oriental, Macau and Ying at Crown Macau each garnered 1-star.

While in Macau, some of my other epicurean experiences included O Porto Interior (259B Rua do Almirante Sérgio), Antica Trattoria (40-46 Av. Sir Anders Ljungstedt), Escada Restaurant in the Historic Center (8 Rua de Sé), and Café Ou Mun (12 Travessa de São Domingos).

Just remember that you're in China! So when in Macau, eat Chinese food! There's Cantonese, Mandarin, Shanghainese and then of course, Dim Sum—southern China's great contributions to dining. One of my favorites is Imperial House inside the Venetian Hotel.

Eat like I did in Macau by following this traditional recipe for African Chicken:

AFRICAN CHICKEN RECIPE
· Sauce: 4 Tablespoons butter, 3 fresh red chili peppers, chopped (seeded if you don't like it too spicy), 2 cloves garlic, chopped, 1 large shallot, chopped, Grated rind of 1 lemon, 1-1/2 cups coconut milk (fresh if possible), 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh if -possible), 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon paprika, Salt and pepper to taste, One whole chicken, cut up into pieces.
· For sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the chili peppers, garlic, and shallot. Sauté until softened. Stir in lemon rind, coconut milk, wine, evaporated milk, coconut, tarragon, and paprika. Bring to a boil; then turn down heat and simmer for about 30-45 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and other seasonings; let cool.
· Place the cut-up chicken in a container and pour on some of the sauce to marinate. Marinate for at least 1-2 hours. To cook, place marinated chicken pieces on a broiler pan, spread with more sauce and broil until cooked, turning and basting often. (You could probably also bake the chicken at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or even grill it). Serve chicken with extra sauce, a big salad, and French-fries.

[Photos: Stefanie Michaels]

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