Where to Eat in Macau: Wong Chi Kei Congee & Noodle
March 29, 2012 § Leave a comment
Famous for their hand-made noodles, we searched for it and found it at the left side, sitting opposite McDonald’s as you enter Senado Square.
Many, my dad included, claim that they make the best Cantonese noodles in Macau.
Dark wooden interior make up what seemed like a tiny noodle shop until you walk in and realize that it has a mezzanine and a 2nd floor.
The menu was extensive but most of us went for the Wanton Noodle Soup while my brother decided to go for the one with Roasted Duck.
The bowls arrives from a dumb-waiter with noodles and in our case, wanton sans the soup. The waiter adds into the bowl piping hot soup from a big pot before serving. That simple.
The soup and the wanton were excellent; the hero however is the noodle. Cantonese noodles were (obviously) originally from Canton and became popular in the 1920s. Traditional noodles were made by hand using a long bamboo stick, producing some very smooth, springy noodles that yield a good bite.
Wong Chi Kei’s noodles deliver the same springy noodles as its founder started his business in Guangzhou and Dongguan before he moved his shop to Macau. This noodle shop has made customers happy with its noodles since 1946 and the family had a satisfying lunch of noodles after a good work-out walking to and from the Ruins of St. Paul’s with a bit of window shopping on the side.
A simple noodle or congee dish was the best neutralizer to the scrumptious Macanese dinner we had the night before.
Wong Chi Kei Congee & Noodle
Macau Old Shop: Rua Cinco de Outubro, No. 51 r/c Tel: +853-2892-2271 Macau Main shop: Largo do Senado, No. 17 Tel: +853-2833-1313Where to Eat in Macau: Restaurante Litoral
March 8, 2012 § 6 Comments
Walking along Rua do Almirante Sergio after our scrumptious lunch at A Lorcha last August, I chanced upon Restaurante Litoral – the other Macanese restaurant I wanted to try. I took note of it for when we return. I never thought that I would be trying this other famous Macanese restaurant so soon.
The family decided to spend the holidays in Hong Kong and Macau. For a family of foodies, what better way to spend the holidays than in gastronome paradise? Restaurante Litoral, when I suggested it, was a unanimous yes.
To others, Macau is more of a gambling mecca, to me it is a food haven. You will find Western and Chinese cuisines in hotels and clubs as well as in small sidewalk stalls, but the main point of a Macau visit (at least to me) is to delight in Macanese cuisine. The 500 years of multicultural influence lead to a fusion of Portuguese, Chinese, African, and Indian flavors that is now uniquely Macanese. Many dishes evolved from the spice blends the Portuguese women used attempting to replicate European dishes.
Housed in a 2-storey building in a quiet street, Restaurante Litoral is packed to the bream during our visit and I have a sneaking suspicion it is every night. We were shown to our table on the 2nd floor where (again), a Filipina served us.
We started with a squid salad tossed in lemon and olive oil dressing. Then came the clams, just as scrumptious as the one in A Lorcha. The soup infused with the delicious flavors of clams simmered in white wine, olive oil and lemon is fantastic especially when dipped in bread.
Then the dishes came one after the other.
Baked Duck Rice – a cut above the rest. Rice simmered in duck stock and fat with succulent duck confit thrown in and then topped with bacon and chorizo. A dish with everything I love.
With the Baked Duck Rice, who would think we’d order another rice dish? But by the sound of it, Suckling Pig on Fried Rice, we just had to try it. It had us at suckling pig. Glad we did. It was lighter than the Duck Rice but the flavor and the crispy skin of the suckling pig was to die for.
Bacalhau a Lagareiro or grilled cod-fish with potatoes and garlic. A common dish in Portugal, Spain and in some Portuguese colonies like Angola, Macau and Brazil. Its essential ingredient is salted codfish so be ready for the saltiness. I, for one, love Bacalhau, some are however put off by the saltiness. Salted cod has been around since 500 years ago when there was no refrigeration. Just like our daings and our danggits, drying and salting are ancient methods of preserving the nutrients and can actually make the fish tastier.
Braised Oxtail in Red Wine Sauce – extremely soft oxtail in very tasty sauce. Two thumbs up!!
For dessert, we wanted to try the egg yolk soufflé but they ran out of stock so we settled with their chocolate mousse, mango pudding and of course their version of Serradurra, biscuit mousse.
It was as yummy as the one we tried at A Lorcha. I will attempt to make this one of these days or I will be burning miles to get my fix of this very addictive dessert.
My verdict: Maybe it’s the number of dishes we tried but in my humble opinion, Litoral wins over A Lorcha by a hair. Both restaurants are worth visiting again. Perhaps I’ll need to go back to A Lorcha to try more dishes next time.
Restaurante Litoral Rua do Almirante Sergio 216-A r/c, Macau Tel: +853 2896-7878 Cafe Litoral Rua do Regedor, Bloco 4 Wai Chin Kok Taipa, Macau Tel: +853 2882-5255
Where to Eat in Macau: A Lorcha
February 12, 2012 § 11 Comments
“Where’s the best Macanese / Portuguese restaurants in Macau?” I asked many including a search on the Internet. It came down to A Lorcha and Ristorante Litoral.
A Lorcha won by a hairline. So before heading out, we reserved a table for 2 while keeping in mind to try Litoral next time we’re back.
One of the oldest and most famous Taoist temple in Macau.
We arrived before the restaurant opened so we walked to the Ama Temple and looked around.
Shortly after the restaurant opened, we were shown our corner table. When we saw how quickly the restaurant filled up, I was glad we made that reservation.
Known to offer the best Portuguese cuisine in Macau, it is popular with the locals and tourists alike. They serve home-style Portuguese cooking that is presented simply without much thought on food styling, but with food so tasty it needs none of the fancy tricks.
The server who happens to be Filipina immediately came to the rescue when the wide choice left us uncertain about what best to order.
We had the Grilled Charcoal Pork Chourico for starters and after tasting this, we asked if we could buy some from them, instead they pointed us to a nearby supermarket to look for the brand “Nobre”.
Shhh… this turned out to be better than what they served us.
The Clams with Garlic, Coriander & Olive Oil is a popularly ordered dish and we had to try it. It was heavenly. The soup sweet and so flavorful from the clams and the other aromatics we devoured it straight from the bowl.
It tastes better than it looks. It’s a promise.
We likewise had to give their African Chicken a try. Although we knew that we have probably over ordered by this time, our Filipina server managed to convince us to order the Portuguese Fried Rice.
Needless to say, we left her a huge tip. It had great flavors!!! It could very well be the best among the dishes we’ve tried. We ended up ordering too much but we just had to have their famous Serradurra – it’s a milk crème pudding topped with crumbled biscuits.
It was sooo good!!! I crave for it sometimes. Sweetness just right and the consistency of the pudding so smooth it melts in the mouth. The biscuit crumble completes it – definitely the icing on the cake.
What a pity there were only 2 of us, I’d love to try more of their dishes… Other worth trying are the grilled bacalhau (codfish), sautéed pork with clams, and grilled prawns.
Restaurante A Lorcha 289A Yua do Almirante Sergo, Macau Peninsula +853-2839-3193 Opens daily except Tuesday from 12:30-3:00pm; 6:30-11:00pmHappiness
February 7, 2012 § 4 Comments
Is it February already? Boy, what a hectic start of the year. It’s performance review again at work and I’m in the middle of moving with last-minute touches and changes here and there. So you can imagine what’s been keeping me busy lately. Except for the one weekend I was in Laos, I haven’t had much of a weekend since 2012 set in but my new flat is getting to look livable by the day. Not without glitches, I’m afraid. I hope I am still friends with my contractor-friend when we’re done. I wanted to move in 2 months ago but… well it didn’t happen.
Another problem came up today. I could sulk and brood about it but I chose to look at the brighter side. Today, I purchased the most beautiful and perhaps the most valuable piece of furniture I so far own. That makes me happy. And when I’m happy I make Tuna Mushroom Pasta.
Canned tuna never tasted so good. I passed by the deli before heading home and was even happier to find fresh dill.
This must be God’s way of telling me that everything is not all that bad. The problem will be solved (hopefully tomorrow) but tonight, we will celebrate.
Tuna Mushroom Pasta
You will need:
- 1 can tuna in Olive Oil
- 3-4 shiitake or brown mushrooms, sliced
- ½ a tablespoon capers, slightly mashed
- Baby Arugula
- A dash chili flakes (optional)
- A few strands fresh dill, (I snip it with a scissor)
- 200-250 gram pasta of your choice
What you do:
Cook the pasta as the pack directs. Meanwhile, sauté the capers with a bit of oil from the can, add the mushrooms and sauté for another minute or until the capers starts to crisp. Stir in the tuna with half of the oil from the can, adding more depending on your preference (I like mine drier). Add the dill and a bunch of arugula. Let it simmer until the arugula starts to wilt. Season with chili flakes, salt and freshly cracked pepper. I chose to have it with pasta, but this dish goes well with pasta, rice, and oatmeal or even on top of sliced baguette.
Everyone knows that the saltiness of the caper and the citrusy burst of fresh dill is perfect complement to tuna. We added a new dimension as the mushroom lends an earthy flavor, the arugula some tangy zest while the chili boosts all these up. Go ahead, give it a try and let this simple dish give a bit of happiness today.
Mozza in Singapore
January 25, 2012 § 1 Comment
Osteria Mozza and the more casual Pizzeria Mozza next door is Mario Batali and partners Joe Bastianich and Nancy Silverton’s first venture into Asia, bringing their über successful and unanimously adored restaurants closer to us. Along with some of the best celebrity restaurants lined up at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, the restaurant is packed most days. We made sure to reserve a table even before we left Manila.
A fan of Batali since Molto Mario, to dine in both Pizzeria and Osteria was heaven-sent. It was my dad’s 70th birthday and what better way to celebrate than to delight in his signature rich sauces and wonderful choices of Mozzarella and Burrata flown in from Southern Italy.
After biting into the chewy, crisp, puffy pizza, I had a feeling it will be a while before I devour another crust like this. Pizza is all about the crust after all and their chewy and charred crust is everything great bread should be. Loaded with toppings such as specks, squash blossoms, fennel sausage and chanterelle… what more can a pizza-lover asks for?
Clockwise: Funghi Misti; Nephew tasting his Margherita; Bacon, Salami, Fennel Sausage, pancetta; Pizzetta of Squash blossom, burrata and tomato
Among the many great tasting pizzas we ordered, Funghi Misti with fontina, taleggio and thyme came out to be the favorite. The simple Margherita remains a close second. Nothing beats a simple pizza with a perfect crust.
The more upscale Osteria Mozza on the other end of the duplex is still casual and loud, fostering a relaxed atmosphere amidst the elegant interior.
Clockwise: Crispy Pig’s Trotter croquettes; Red Endive, Fennel & Parmigiano Reggiano with anchovy dates dressing; Orecchiette with sausage and swiss chard; Buffala Mozzarella starter
A bigger menu with more of the good stuff from the famous Crispy Pig’s trotter croquettes to an impeccably seasoned Porcini Rubbed Wagyu Rib-Eye Bistecca.
Impeccably seasoned and grilled till the porcini crust is crispy. The meat cooked perfectly and the portions big enough to share. Wow!
Desserts should not be missed as well. All were delightfully great but one particular favorite that piqued my fancy was the Rosemary Olive Oil Cakes with Olive oil gelato and Rosemary brittle.
The flavors so interestingly subtle and melds so well together. An absolute delight.
If I find myself in Singapore again, I will definitely find my way back for more of Batali and Silverton’s goodness.
A Blessed Christmas
December 25, 2011 § 1 Comment
Christmas is here and I almost missed it. It has been crazy catching up with work, fixing my new flat, buying presents, getting together, family reunions… I could go on and on. So forgive me, if you will, for not posting a recipe this month.
I’m making it up now by featuring a yummy dessert I got as a present this Christmas. It’s called Sans Rival Chips and it’s brilliant for the season especially when you’ve had too much to eat. These chips sans the butter is a great alternative to a sans rival craving… perfect for the season.
Have a Blessed Christmas everyone.
Sans Rival Chips Fudgies by Jenny S Contact: (63) 917-888-1122; (632) 852-0557Din Tai Fung
December 5, 2011 § 3 Comments
Credits: Brown Textured paper by J Sprague; Stitches by Carina Gardner, Feathers by J Sprague, Button by LivE Winter Breeze Jewel Brad.
The waiter arrives with the steamer, sets it down before you and removes the lid letting a cloud of steam escape, revealing 10 dumplings.
You gingerly pick up one with your chopsticks and at first instinct, you want to bite right in, but you’ve been burned before so you set it on a soup spoon, bite a small piece making a hole through the skin.
You slather some ginger-soy-vinegar sauce on it before you take a bite and drink the broth from the spoon. You are in heaven… biting into dumpling with skin so fine yet firm, the meat steamed to perfection letting out soup that is so tasty it’s euphoric.
Din Tai Fung’s Xiao long bao never fails to evoke that sense of euphoria – at least for me. Funny how I planned the hotel in Taipei to be near a Din Tai Fung and it turned out to be the original shop to boot. On our first night in Taipei, we sallied forth for the best dumpling we’ve ever tasted so far. Alas the lines were so long, we gave up. We returned at 5pm on our last night and we were ushered in right away.
We walked passed a glass-in kitchen showcasing chefs at work in an assembly line – making dumplings. Each dumpling is said to have 18 exquisite folds.
The restaurant at 5pm on a weeknight is almost full, halfway through our meal, a huge group occupied the remaining empty tables and by the time we stepped out of the restaurant, a line has already formed. Amazing how a shop established more than 20 years ago has managed to maintain if not improve its stature over the years. Customers, mostly locals, still fall in line for a meal at Din Tai Fung.
Although their Xiao long bao is still the star here, they’ve mastered a few dishes that have likewise become favorites like the fried pork chops.
Another instant hit is a new dish called pork and shrimp pot stickers. This one is pan-fried to crispy perfection.
Rain Or Shine
November 27, 2011 § 1 Comment
Soup I have moods for. But if I have to choose, I almost always go for tomato soup. Chorizo, however, I always have a mood for. Scanning through Donna Hay’s cookbook, it did not surprise me that I couldn’t move pass the page, not because it has rained the past few days. This soup I can and will have over and over, rain or shine, for a very long time. Best of all, it being a 30-minute meal is such a come-on. With a few pieces of bread, it makes a great lunch or dinner that is fuss-free. In fact I like it better the next day when all the flavors melds into one hearty soup.
The chorizo adds an incredible depth to the soup, perfectly marrying salty and sour. The crisp chorizo adds more texture to a soup that has already so much texture – from the tomato chunks, crisp green beans to even the al dente but creamy bite of the chickpeas. I made it without the green beans. I just add a few strips before serving and while re-heating to keep the freshness and crispness of the vegetable.
Spicy Tomato-Chorizo Soup
(adapted from “The Instant Cook”, by Donna Hay)
What you need:
- 4 chorizo sausages, sliced (I use chorizo Pamplona)
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 x 400g (14 oz.) cans peeled tomatoes, crushed
- 4 cups beef stock
- 400g (14 0z.) can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
- 200g (7oz.) green beans, trimmed and chopped
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (baby arugula works well too)
What you do:
- Place a deep saucepan over high heat. Add the chorizo, oil and chili and cook for 4 minutes or until the chorizo are crisp.
- Remove from the pan and drain on absorbent paper.
- Place the tomatoes and stock in the saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil.
- Add the chickpeas and beans and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir through the salt, pepper parsley and cooked chorizo and serve. Serves 4.
Just Can’t Get Enough
November 3, 2011 § 4 Comments
Do you ever order the same dish again and again? At my gym’s cafe, I’d order a “Spinach Salad” almost every single time and the woman at the counter will give me a smile, already predicting the order. Not that there’s nothing else that is worth ordering… I simply love this salad to pieces even if in most days, there really isn’t a single leaf of spinach on it. Sometimes I’d get a plate of mixed greens or a mix of spinach and arugula… so I do get the variety in that sense. But whatever the greens are, it has become a staple lunch order when I’m at the gym.
It’s really not the greens but what goes with it that I love. Imagine… sweet caramelized apples and raisins with chunks of blue cheese and bits of bacon. A winner through and through, don’t you think? But because I can have that prepared for me once or twice a week, I thought to use this as inspiration instead. I loosely adapted Donna Hay’s recipe and came up with this terrific salad. It has the same sweet-savory combination that goes so well with the peppery taste of Arugula but with an added crunch from the walnuts.
Caramelized Apples and Arugula Salad
(adapted from Donna Hay’s The Instant Cook Cookbook)
Blue cheese and the sweet, buttery apple dressing contrasts well together, add in the peppery tang of the Arugula – perfect. If walnut’s not your thing, almonds are great too.
What You Need:
- 60 grams (2oz.) butter
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar (apple cider should be good too)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or 2 tablespoons coco sugar
- 1 med size apple, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup walnuts
- Rocket (Arugula) leaves
- Romaine lettuce
- 25 grams soft blue cheese, cubed
What you do:
- Place the butter, vinegar and sugar in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the apple and walnuts and cook for 4 minutes or until apples are just soft.
- Place the leaves on serving plates and top with the apple and walnuts.
- Spoon over the pan juices and top with the blue cheese.
Enjoy!
A Master Sauce
October 22, 2011 § 1 Comment
XO Sauce that is. It’s the sauce of all Chinese sauces; I call it a master sauce as it makes any dish extraordinary. XO Sauce – it sounds opulent and it is but alcohol it has not, not a drop. It’s actually chopped dried seafood, usually scallops, fish and shrimps, cooked with chili, onions, garlic and oil. Served once upon a time only in gourmet seafood restaurants, a few companies today produce it commercially – I love Lee Kum Kee’s XO Sauce and you can find it in selected high-end supermarkets.
Expensive yes but I love that it is made more available.
It is exquisite on its own but it adds oomph to noodles and pasta dishes, vegetable dishes and even on fried rice. When I’m famished and feel like something succulent, or if I want to impress but don’t have time, XO Sauce saves the day – never fails. Any vegetable available should suffice, really. Here’s a favorite!
Stir Fried Broccoli and Mushroom with XO Sauce
What you need:
- 200 grams Broccoli florets, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 100 grams mushrooms (shiitake or brown)
- 2 tbsp. XO sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. peanut or canola oil
What you do:
- Blanch broccoli in boiling water. Drain.
- Stir-fry broccoli in oil.
- Add garlic and XO sauce.
- Stir well and serve with rice.
Storm In My Kitchen 