Spicy Tiger Prawns @ Solmar Macau

In its heyday, Solmar was a restaurant patronized only by aristocrats before opening up to the public. It was set up in the 1960s, a decade or so before the casino boom. The old Macau as we once knew it relied on fishing and firecrackers and this one dish fits that era very well. Literally translated from Portuguese, it means the Sun and the Sea (solmar).

Solmar's signature Spicy Prawns is one that harks back to a time when Prawns were aplenty. The price is not fixed, and at market prices, it can be expensive but it is well worth the eats.

Cooked in spices which taste very similar to that of the Malaysian "masak merah" sauce, it simply shines when eaten with rice. The sweetness of the prawns combined with the sauce is something you just have to reach out to in your lifetime. It is not Chinese in design or Portuguese in creation, the dish is simply Macanese with a hint of Straits malay cooking. Such creations is not uncommon even though the Portuguese chose to abandon South East Asia to the Dutch and English. There are pockets of cuisine from that part of the world which has made an indelible mark on the food culture there.

There are no other dishes in Macau that comes close to this. Many restaurants serve a version of this but somehow they all fall short of the ones served in Solmar—as if they actually have this closely guarded secret recipe.

The restaurant is simply old school, no fancy tables, just good eats. The waiters may even be a bit rude, and have been known to be "potato nazis" where you will be told strictly that you won't be getting an extra potato even after getting down on your knees to beg.

The decor is so old school, you could be forgiven that they forgot to upgrade the furniture after repainting the restaurant, but that is the quirky side of this place, you deal with it when you eat here and no apologies are given.

Spicy Prawns @ Solmar Restaurant