Allerino, the perfect host that he is, makes sincere efforts to give us the most authentic Macanese food at the best places in Macau. Hailing from Diu, he sprinkles his conversation with Gujarati whenever necessary, either to impress Indians or to reclaim his cultural roots. Endowed with the Portuguese zest for life, Asian hospitality and friendliness, he makes an excellent food guide and a fun person to be with. When he is not eating, you find him talking about food. While at the table, he regales you with hilarious anecdotes and spicy gossip about the restaurant owners, who are all his acquaintances.
Macau cuisine may be overshadowed by the world famous Cantonese fare of nearby Hong Kong, but the unique Macanese, much like the city’s identity, is a fusion, combining the best of Chinese and Portuguese ingredients and cooking, along with exotic influences from as far as Goa, Brazil and other former Portuguese colonies.
After visiting A-Ma temple, we go to A Lorcha, reputed to be one of the best Macanese restaurants in town. We go by the host’s recommendations and order an all sea food menu: codfish in cream sauce, char grilled king prawns, clams prepared in garlic and olive oil. Desserts are displayed in a glass case, the norm in most of the restaurants, and I opt for a lovely cup of Serra Dura that holds something that looks like a dry ice cream. Allerino nods in approval. Apparently, the name translates to sawdust in Portuguese: in this case, it is actually crushed biscuits layered with sweetened vanilla whipped cream, the creamy layer complementing the slightly rough biscuits.
Cafe Litoral is a quaint little Macanese restaurant located in Taipa Island along the main strip of restaurants at the end of Cunha Street. As we sit down with a nice Portuguese wine, Allerino narrates a story: Traditionally, Portuguese restaurants in Macau were a male domain. Authentic Macanese food was confined to homes where the ladies cooked from recipes handed down through generations. A few years ago, a revolution took place, when several ladies staged a walk-out, abandoning their home kitchen and taking with them their spices, seasonings and cherished family recipes. They started opening restaurants and bringing authentic Macanese family cuisine into the limelight. One of the leaders of this revolution, Manuela Ferreira — an accomplished cook and hostess — opened Restaurante Litoral, now acclaimed as one of the finest Macanese restaurants in the city.
I love the monster-sized whole crabs baked in their shells in a delicious curry sauce, served with stir fried vegetables and garlic pawns and enjoy dipping the bread into the broth. Fried bacalhau balls (made of dried slices of codfish) with rice, remind me of deep-fried fish cutlets back home.
Antonio’s is a charming place tucked away in the small lanes of Taipa, where we have yet another memorable meal. Not just in terms of food: the ambience and the warm-hearted hospitality too win us over. The portly and friendly Chef António Coelho personally oversees that his guests leave smiling and satiated. Mercilino’s soulful singing further enhances our creamed mushroom starter with bacon, Portuguese sausage and the signature dish, African chicken, served on the bone in a rich red sauce with coconut shavings.
Donning his chef’s cap, Antonio prepares a Crêpe Suzette, both dramatic and delicious. He fries the crepes in loads of butter, soaks them in orange juice, adds orange zest for flavour and taste and liberally adds brandy for the flames.
Away from the lights of Cotai, down a narrow alley off Coloane’s quiet main street, the Espaço Lisboa, housed in a refurbished Chinese house, exudes a true feel of Portugal in China. We polish off an entire wheel of melted goat’s cheese covered in honey, served on a thick slice of whole wheat bread.
The tender steak is delicious, soaked in its juices and served topped with Parma ham and a fried egg. For dessert, Allerino has some freshly-baked, melt-in-the-mouth egg tarts from Lord Stow's.
We burn the excessive calories by walking through Coloane village along the seafront.
