Petit Croissant @ Mini Ones

As a snack food, Mini One croissants found at Donq Bakery is probably something I would eat only if I had to. Now as much as I love my Croissants, I do not think that the Japanese know a thing about making good ones and it shows.

Mini One is a branded version of a petit croissant, and it is pretentious. You get a bag full for roughly usd$ 2 bucks and there are five. Now there is nothing shady or bad about the Japanese made pastries, it's the pretentious branding that gets me. 

In Japan, there are queues forming at the counters for take aways but in Singapore, the lines are non-existence. This would probably give you a clue to why the Japanese has much to learn about a true European pastry. 

When you bite into one fresh off the counter, the first thing you'd notice is that it lacks any buttery fragrance. The sweet taste from the sugar sprinkles is the first thing that hits you, so if you are looking for a sugar fix, this could be the only high you are getting. 

Having tasted the petit croissants found on a side street in Macau, made with love and within the European tradition, the one from Donq Bakery just doesn't quite cut it. It lacks character, fragrance and taste. It is unfortunately quite bland. The sugar as a high note doesn't quite make it for me as I don't crave sugar like a five year old. 

It's like having a meal at a fancy restaurant and the very next day, you don't ever recall eating it. 

In a unlikely way, it has to do with the perception created with a fancy branding. You expect more out of it and when you don't get it, you start to wonder what the fuss is all about. Even when taken in a blind taste with the petit croissants I found in Macau, the ones from Mini One will still fail to measure up to my expectation in terms of taste. 

There is nothing sinister about branding a croissant, provided it is better than the average croissant. For Donq,  the Mini Ones still need some working on. 

Petit Croissant @ Mini Ones

Mongolian Tofu @ Ah Poh's Kitchen

Mongolians are never famous for their food. Being Nomads, they only ate what they found off the land and they are not farmers either. So when this dish came up, I had to figure it out if this was the genuine stuff. 

Ah Poh Kitchen in Johor Bahru isn't the easiest places to find but when I did, I was curious if this seemingly ordinary restaurant could offer anything better. Now for a moment imaging that you are having the rather famous Fried Yam Ring with vegetables, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Now imagine replacing the Yam ring with one that is made of smashed tofu with yam bits. That's what the Mongolian Tofu is all about. There are chicken bits, onions, slices of mushrooms with a sauce. 

The sauce is nothing extraordinary. I think it was a misfire on the chef's end. It is light, and lacks character. Since Tofu is bland, you will need a sauce that will personify its character, this obviously didn't. And what made it worst was that it was suppose to be a signature dish. 

Even after deep frying the Tofu, the dish still didn't cut it. But I must say this. It's healthy and well suited to older folks who do not want to taste anything too sweet or salty. 

I couldn't find a redeeming feature even though I wasn't turned off by the dish. It tasted ok, no ground shaking aftershocks. It was also reasonably priced, and eaten with rice, it could be a stomach filler. 

Mongolian Tofu @ Ah Poh's Kitchen

Fried Spanish Mackerel @ Seng Steam Fish Restaurant

Before you step into Seng Steam Fish Restaurant, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a sauna masquerading as a restaurant. With water vapours rising from the signage itself, it becomes a foreboding statement for those who dislike heat or steaming hot restaurants to which you indulge your lunch. Yes, it's only open for lunch and closes right after. 

What makes this place unique is that it is open air and yes, it gets really warm during the afternoons but the real reason why they only open during the heat of the day is because their food runs out quite quickly. Seng is famous for all things fish. And the menu is behind the signage, plastered with badly taken photos of dishes that has made them famous. So famous that they don't really care to open a full day. 

They have two signature dishes, the deep fried sea bass tail and the most unholy spanish mackerel. Personally I like the fried mackerel seen below, which I bet you will ask me about. This is a whole fish, with the meat removed and then reconstituted to make up a whole fish again, bones removed of course, fried and sliced up. This unholy union of fish is really quite splendid. The taste isn't overwhelming and the fish taste fresh even though the meat has been turned into a fish cake of sorts. The light drizzle of think soy sauce makes it very palatable. 

There are two places in the world which for me has stood out for fish dishes, one is in Hanoi, Vietnam at Cha Ca Street, famous for the Cha Ca fish and noodle dish. Something you'd die for. And the second one is this fried spanish mackerel. The fish meat is flayed from the bones and skin, and the skin is reused to house the whole fish before it goes into the deep fryer. The taste isn't strong or fishy, which is why I think it bodes well for people who dislike fishy tasting fish. 

Seng also has fried clams and pork, no crabs or shrimp. They also serve up a mean selection of seasonal steam fish but I will leave that for another day. 

Fried Spanish Mackerel @ Seng Steam Fish Restaurant
rating

Three Cup Chicken @ Zen Taiwanese Restaurant

Zen. The word conjures up images of Japanese monks sitting by a willow three meditating and hopefully find Nirvana in the process. In a forgotten time, it could even mean all manner of enlightenment but here at the Zen Restaurant, the Zen is put into practice by way of styling your food. I ordered the Three Cup Chicken. I have no idea what it is or whether it would fill three small cups with meat. My order arrives and is laid out in a Zen like manner. The dessert is made up of a glutinous rice ball with sesame seeds infused with a red bean filling. The Japanese cucumber too is infused with sesame oil, and for a bonus, there is a morsel of pork sausage.

The soup is made with vegetables and Chinese Wolfberry or Goji as you may know it, with a meatball obviously inspired in Taiwan which has a soft meat filling.

While the main dish isn't something to brag about, it is nevertheless a pleasant surprise. Fried with
sweet basil, dried chilies, rice wine and bean paste this Cup Chicken dish taste like home cooking.

The Chicken is soft, well flavored, without being too sweet or salty. The taste is delicate and the hint of basil provides for this. Not my preferred taste as I like strong and contrasty flavors in my food. The soup however was excellent. Light and tasty, you can skip the drinks and use this to wash down your meal. 

The whole meal cost roughly usd$7 bucks, which is quite a ransom to pay if you are only here to fill your belly but the restaurant itself is nicely decorated with an ambience to calm you before a meal. There are plenty else to order but I wasn't here for that. 

To be fair, I am not blown away by the chicken, the delicate taste isn't my thing but I would understand if you liked it. For me, a place like this can be a good dining choice though it's a little on the high side for a casual meal.  

Three Cup Chicken @ Zen Restaurant, Jusco Tebrau. Johor

Papa Roti the Polo Bun

During my sojourn in Macau, I came across this strange bun called the Polo Bun or Pineapple Bun as the locals would call it. I didn't know what it was and ordered it. It came fully buttered or drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Mine was fully buttered and only after I bit into it that I found out what it was.

This is essentially what the Papa Roti is about sans the cross like decorative layer that is made with a french style souffle. The difference is that this egg layer is infused with coffee flavors.
The ones sold in Macau and Hong Kong have a criss cross layer that gave them the pineapple reference while the one in Malaysia is flat.

The bun is also buttered but with vegetable margarine instead of full fat butter.
Papa Roti uses a unique approach as the flavor of the coffee souffle and margarine mixes well with the bread making it a nice tasty snack for both young and old.

The crispy top has a satisfying bite while the coffee taste further enhances the taste.
The only let down is the price, which at RM$2 (usd 70 cents) is a bit pricey. It sells for more at a Paparich cafe. The problem I have is this bun is that it's very light and made with normal baking flour instead of high protein bread flour. With each bite, the bun collapses on you. Bummer.

This is one bun that you can't cure hunger with though it can be satisfying snack. My gripe is the price, which basically isn't much but judging from the quantity of air you are biting into, is kinda pricey.

Papparoti

Thai tea @JCO Malaysia

I am not a big fan of cafe culture as the tropics prove to be bad places for Al fresco dining and hangouts. The humidity means you are better off indoors where you can stay cool.
This is where JCo gets to attract people in general. Classier than Dunkin Donut and catering to health conscious froyo consumers , this Indonesian cafe chain has it made. Each drink comes with a sugar glazed donut as a side bribe instead of the humble biscoti.
As a competitor to chains like the ever passe Starbucks,  JCo offers a much better selection of ice coffee than its American brethren.
The donut selection too is commendable even when the choices are rather plain. Each is topped off with a variety of sweet offerings and cost RM$2.50 or roughly usd $0.85 each.

Now about the Thai Tea, I can't say that it taste bad or is anything bad, but it taste like one of those Taiwanese Bubble Tea offerings. It's not a taste that I would associate with freshly brewed tea but I suppose some people like it. 

Having sampled the Tea, which coupled with the Donut could make you a diabetic statistic, I must add that this is not something I would like to have on a regular basis. The Donut is too light, and for some reason, seems to be minted on a production line for commercial consumption. Sugar addicts may find redemption by chewing on a morsel but this isn't one that I would line up to buy to eat. 

The whole experience cost me usd$3 bucks. That' a premium of sorts to pay only if you are in dire need of a sugar fix. 

Thai Tea & Sugar Glazed Donut @ JCOrating

Breakfast Buffet @ KSL City Resort

I never did like the name of the hotel. Pretentious and overbearing, it pretends to give you the feeling that you are checking into some beachside resort when the hotel is located smack in a residential area of Johor Bahru. Thankfully, the same can't be said about the breakfast buffet.

Malaysian hotels have in many ways suffered from poor service quality, and this hotel is no different. So I stumbled onto the breakfast spread, expecting the worst and was mildly surprised at the packed dining area and the rush of activity. Welcome to the Infusion Cafe, the one stop restaurant for all your buffet needs in the hotel.

Having eaten here several times, I wasn't impressed with the dinner spread even though they have a special dine in offer for senior citizens at 50% off as long as you are above 60. Nor was I thrilled at the Lunch buffet. Both of these weigh in at roughly US$20 including tax.

Breakfast on the other hand offers far more value for money.

Digging into the food, we have a wide variety of both western and asian (sans Japanese or Korean) and that should be about right. The local spread is pretty good, catering to both Indian, Chinese and Malay cooking. There was the Lamb Rendang and Nasi Lemak, then Roti Prata, and steamed buns and a small selection of dim sum. The western spread offers a little more. Cold meat cuts, three types of Cheese that included Camembert, a selection of danish style pastries, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, cocktail sausages, omelets, smoked beef slices, grilled tomatoes with rosemary and a fresh garden salad table. The bread and cereal selection was average, with white or wholemeal toast and the fruit bowl had everything you'd find in season in the tropics. All this is for a price of about US$10++. The garden salad was good while the curry and roti prata was of above average quality. The western breakfast selection is probably the best deal as you can load up on the many options you see on the spread. The scrambled eggs didn't exactly meet my approval but then again, I have a choice of omeletes as an option. The taste is of course important, but I didn't find any particular issues on taste that I would be concerned about.

Such a spread offers far better value for money than that you find in other similar hotels within the city. This is probably the best surprise for those who love to have a hearty breakfast in the morning with a wide variety of foods to indulge your palette.

Coffee, tea and juices are free flow but are of a disappointing quality. Coffee came in the form of Nescafe while the juices are not freshly pressed but of the commercial variety which you can buy off supermarkets.

Service is poor, as the Cafe is understaffed in the mornings. Coffee and tea is not served and the used cutlery and plates  takes forever to be cleaned out.

For me at least, I believe you should of course do your bit for the environment by reusing you plates after having eaten from them but it is not the case for everyone here who believes they should have a fresh plate to start with on everything they select. This causes huge problems for the understaffed kitchen as they struggle to clean out tables at each sitting.

Overall, the pros and cons of this place is simple. If you are not expecting good service but just want to indulge your stomach, this breakfast buffet offers the best value for money in town.

Breakfast Buffet @ KSL City Resort Hotel

Lord Stow Egg Tarts @ Lord Stow Garden Cafe

Yes, I know this is strange. Lord Stow doesn't have an outlet in mainland Macau for the simple reason that his former wife owns that turf. How else can you justify his non-presence on the Macau Peninsula?

The late Andrew Stow started the bakery outlet in Coloane, which is quite a nice and laid back place, since then, there has been two more outlet, namely a cafe and a Garden cafe. I know this sounds confusing, but bear with me. The bakery is a take out outlet. You don't get to sit down and get served coffee but round the corner from there is a Cafe, and just within an arms throw, is the Garden Cafe, which operates more like a Bistro. There is one more at UNIMAC, University of Macau, but I never found the need to go there for a cuppa.

The Garden Cafe is quite packed during weekends, even though it is quite a distance away from everywhere else, people still find time to go round to this place to have a pleasant afternoon. In particular, the Garden Cafe serves up full meals, which are fusion cuisines.

The bakery down the road makes all the egg tarts, so if you are wondering if you are getting anything different, rest assured that you aren't. The outlet at the Venetian Casino makes their own egg tarts as can be seen from the kitchen window, but it lacks the full service meals.

The egg tarts here are wonderfully rich, far richer and sweeter than the ones made by Margarets and this is how I like it. Bite into them and you'd be rewarding all your senses. This is not to say that Margarets version isn't any good or less in quality, it's just a different taste.

I have never had the Balem version of the eggtart to see if it has any taste resemblance, probably not since Andrew Stow could not find the fresh ingredients needed to make an authentic Portuguese version so the Macau version is probably the best there is.  The Garden Cafe gets all its tarts from across the road as you can see the bakers coming in with trays of the stuff whenever they run low on it.

The Garden Cafe is a nice place, but be forewarned as the garden has some nasty bugs hanging around. My partner got stung by a hornet when we ate there. The Garden is also houses two reptiles, tortoises, which are no use in getting rid of the bugs.

There are many others who have tried to make the tart and call it their own. I know Koi Kei and Choi Heong Yuen also make their versions which are worthy enough to stand on their own as well. But the ones made by Lord Stowe is still my personal favorite. Rich and tasty, the pastry is baked just right. I never found the need to verify if Lord Stowe's version was really the best after tasting all the egg tarts sold in Macau. One bite, and you know it is.

The Garden Cafe is really the place you should be getting a coffee while enjoying these splendid creations. The other cafe down the road is much smaller and less popular with the cafe going tourist but you can be assured that both places will be packed to the brim during weekends.

Thankfully, Lord Stow has not taken the more commercial route like Margaret's Cafe where the egg tart recipe is now sold at KFC outlets in Singapore. So for this very reason, you should make it a point to try Andrew Stowe's creation whenever you are in Macau.

Portuguese Eggtarts @ Lord Stow Garden Cafe

Grand Buffet @ Grand Lisboa Macau

In the tradition of consumption of mass quantities, the original Macau buffet was not thought of much until the likes of the Grand Lisboa opening its doors to foodies.

Since then, many have been trying to attract foodies by offering a buffet spread grander and greater than the Grand Buffet at the new casino hotel. The only bargaining point is really the price, which has of course increased substantially.

To beat the weekend crowd, you really need to book a place. You can call them up or if you are in the vicinity, drop by the restaurant and make a booking. You'd be given a card with the booking time and by doing so, avoid the walk-in queue.

Booking is free of coure unless you are booking during a public holiday or for a festive buffet—which will cost more.

Back in the old days, the price was only MOP188, but now, it has since gone up to MOP288. That's quite a jump really as it is sans service taxes. However like all foods, it's all in the eating that determines the good value of any food. You are only allowed two hours to wolf down your food, and you can choose a booking time starting at 6pm or 8.30pm. This restaurant doesn't offer ala-cart items so you can forget about eating here if buffet is not your thing.

The Grand Buffet is special as it has the longest buffet line in Asia and packs a mean punch when it comes to food selection. I won't argue with the Chinese spread, where you have fresh prawns, dim sum, roast meats etc, but the killer dish they had at one time was the Alaskan King Crab, this has since changed (from 2012) and has been replaced with steamed baby abalone.

I'm not a fan of abalone but that doesn't seem to be with the case with most Chinese who pile their plates up high once the queue opens.

The Japanese sashimi is nice, with a generous selection though no where near the likes of what you find in traditional Japanese restaurants. The North Indian food is nothing short of superb, you have a resident Indian chef who supervises the cooking of authentic Indian cuisine. Then you have the western meats, which is either leg of ham or roast beef, both of which I find excellent.The Tom Yam Gong is excellent too, prepared with the best ingredients so you know you're getting the real stuff and not from a commercial paste.

The pastries and bread are really good, and so is the desserts, which you have south east asian favorites as well as good Portuguese Serradura. Now the real value is in the price. At MOP288, it is a lot more than before. Even though it offers far more better value for money than ANY buffet you find in Singapore, it still represents a hefty jump. I would recommend you try this once in your life but if you are looking for other buffets in Macau, you can find many that starts at only MOP188.

Grand Buffet @ Grand Lisboa

Petit Croissants @ Postelaria Macau Street

It doesn't matter if you call it Cornetto or Croissant, when in Macau, you can't have either. Sure the ones in Angela's Cafe are already superb, those are super-size Croissants and is terrific if you want to have a meal but what about a snack?

Unfortunately, there isn't many places which I would bother getting any as it's not common to begin with. I remember walking into a western style bakery of sorts in Taipa to buy home some Croissants, and boy was I disappointed. Run by the Portuguese, and judging from the taste, the Croissant was rubbish.

It was during one of my photo walks that I discovered Postelaria Macau Street, just behind Tap Seac Square. Now the name I think is a misspelling of Pastelaria, I am very sure the Portuguese didn't find this funny but I sure did.

It is a traditional Chinese bakery of sorts on a corner street, patronized by locals. They are too far away from the tourist spots and are too local to appeal to foreigns, but that doesn't hide the fact that they make some pretty mean "petit croissants".

The sell them in a bag and are very inconspicuously labeled. But as with all fast food bakeries, the taste is what matters. Fresh, they are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, leave it alone for a while and it gets a little soft and chewy, but the texture is still firm. The pastry has a very strong whiff of butter and that's what makes it good.

They bake and make them with quality butter and these are just fabulous with coffee or tea. I never fail to pick a bag up when I am there. Each "petit croissant" is fragrantly delicious as you catch a whiff of butter just as you bite into it. You can even taste the butter than is made with it, giving the croissant a rich texture. What's more each petit croissant only cost one Pataca.

The problem with European bakeries these days is that they think they have a monopoly on good pastries just because it came from their culture, not so I say as these little croissants beats the living daylights out of those found elsewhere in Macau. If you are fan of croissants, you can't help but think what the hell is going on when a corner shop operated by Chinese people can make a better croissant. Trusted that the Portuguese are not French or Italian and their breakfast don't consist of such things but then, how difficult is it for them to maintain the quality? For now, this little shop will be a fav of mine until I find another that offers better quality.

Petit Croissants @ Postelaria Macau Streetrating 

Mother of all Sandwiches @ Angela's Cafe

When you want a fast and quick sandwich, the main thing to do is go down to grab one real quick and eat it along the way, not so if you happen to be eating at Angela's Cafe in Macau.

For those of you who do not know, there are actually two in the city. The first one is at New Yoahan department store on the second floor, the other is located at the Macau Museum.

Personally, I prefer the one at the Museum, as it is never crowded and the the staff is always attentive. The one at the department store is always full during lunch and dinner time, and high tea during weekends. So it is very difficult to get a seat.

To be fair, I brought over my Singaporean friends over to eat there and they were in awe. For a sandwich place, they make some pretty mean sandwiches. First, the sandwiches are massive! It cost around US$7 and you choose your filling, ham, cheese, pate, tuna or whatever, etc. It comes sprinkled with potato crisp and you can't possibly fit everything in one bite. You can't get something this good at any sandwich place in Singapore.

You have a choice of breads or croissants, that said, you can't go wrong with either. The value for money as a dining experience is pretty extraordinary as you never ask for seconds once you had one helping of these sandwiches. And the coffee is great too. There is no skimping on the fillings of choice, you can add on more if you want but that would be waste if you can eat it all.

This is not a take out place as some would imagine it. This is a sit in cafe to enjoy the mother of all sandwiches and that's a big deal in a small place in Macau. Years ago, I remember eating in Seah Street Deli, thinking that they serve the best sandwiches, well this beats that by many times over. So remember to take my advice about eating at the Museum, it's really a much better place.

Make your own Sandwiches @ Angela's Cafe 

Fried Wonton @ Wong Chi Kei Restaurant

Don't be fooled, Wong Chi Kei is a typical noodle shop found in old Macau and as such, serves hearty lunch and dinners. The place is always packed with foreigners but locals never want to go there as it is deemed too touristy.

Located on Largo Senado, you'd be forgiven to think it was a tourist trap of sorts, but it isn't. The place has been around for decades and the food is nothing short of splendid.

So what's the big deal about the noodles? Isn't there a signature dish?

Surprisingly, there isn't. The noodle and rice dishes are pleasant but nothing extraordinary. The noodles are made just right, al-dente, and the portions are filling. The wonton noodles is nice—hand made of course, but I won't be writing home about it. So what's so special about the place.

It's the fried wonton. That snack plate of crispy goodness is a killer.

For a place like this, you'd never expect the fried wonton to be such a hit, but it is. Look at the size of the thing as it arrives on your table, and you'll be whipping out a camera to shoot it. The thing is huge, and it's not made with the normal wonton skin as you'd expect it.

Instead the skin is crispy and crumbly. no doubt a mixture of different flour types to create the texture, and the filling is either shrimp or pork. Nice. But into it and you will soon find yourself wanting more, hey, this is a great snack. If they only sold this as a take away, I'd buy more.

The secret is no doubt in the wonton skin, it isn't too oily like the usual ones found in the street where you'd find it bleeding oil once you leave it on a paper towel. The Wong Chi Kei version doesn't do that and is not as oily as you'd think. And when it arrives fresh, that's when you start eating it. Don't wait till it gets soft, which is pretty quick if you leave it lying around.

The wonton dish alone is a signature dish. Forget what they tell you about the noodles, this one is pure eatzs.

Fried Wonton @ Wong Chi Kei Restaurantrating 

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

Milk Custard lovers flock to Leiteria i Son

Yee Shun Milk Company or Leiteria i Son, is a century old establishment that started life as a cafe and dessert house. They were evicted in 2011 from their original location at Largo Senado to their present shop just down the road from the General Post Office that said they haven't changed one bit. The waiters can be rude, the service poor, but the milk pudding is simply fantastic.

That's because they have their own farm cows producing the coveted milk used in the pudding and the taste does matter. I have tasted other milk puddings in Macau and none come close to this one. It is creamy and thick—with several different varieties. I have mine with red beans, which is very old school and love this. Best eaten during a cold winter night either hot or cold. Just remember that milk is warming and in summer, you'd best to avoid this.

I have tried similar milk puddings in Singapore and Malaysia, and believe me, none can hold a candle to the one in Macau. Flavor wise, you can't fight with the ingredients. Many use pasteurized milk from commercial suppliers but the Macau owners of this establishment uses raw fresh milk.

This place is packed during the weekends but surprisingly, many locals don't really eat here. The Milk pudding craze is only endemic to tourist who after hearing of it, make a beeline to the shop to get loaded on milk. Weekdays are much better.

When crowded, they would ask you to share tables with strangers and if you are in for just a quick eat, then be merry about it. It might appear rude to barge onto a table with occupants but it is an accepted practice in Macau.

Dessert isn't all they serve though. You could grab a sandwich, a cold drink or maybe even a bowl of instant noodle if you are hungry but everyone comes here for the milk pudding.

However if you are lactose intolerant or have a thing against milk or eating anything white, you could still grab a cold drink which unfortunately isn't one of the signature dishes.

Milk Custard @ Yee Shun Milk Company

Portuguese Egg Tarts: Margaret's Cafe e Nata De Macau

When in Macau, people use to say that you should try their Portuguese Egg Tarts or Pasteis de Balem which has a 175 year history. But if you look back, it was Englishman Andrew Stowe who was credited for creating the Macau version of the egg tart from Balem.

Now Andrew married Margaret, and with that they both shared the secret recipe for the egg tart and it is this that you find in tucked behind a back alley in downtown Macau. Simply known as Margaret's Cafe to many, it is a great place for breakfast if you're not into morning Dim Sum.

In the mornings, people line up to buy their breakfast to take to office, others still grab a coffee with cake or pastries or maybe a ham sandwich. But up for review here is the humble Portuguese egg tart.

When I first came to this place, I was shocked at the weekend crowd lining up for their chance to get some tarts, it was almost like a religious homage or sorts and you still see it today. My advice is not to turn up during any weekend or public holiday observed in either China or Hong Kong. It's no joke seeing them snake around the street corner....all for just some tarts.

It was one of my haunts in Macau in the mornings, coffee or milk tea with a two tarts. Avoid at all cost during weekends but when there is no queue, it is quite pleasant. It is an alfresco cafe of sorts, you buy your food inside and eat it outside. Drinks are served to you after paying at the counter.

Unlike the Hong Kong egg tart, the Macau ones follow closely to the Balem version, with a fluffy crispy puff pastry crust. The egg custard is somewhat different as it has been customized to suit local taste. There is no cinnamon powder to sprinkle over the tarts and Margaret's version has a distinct taste. Using less sugar than her former husband, she has found her own following with the more health conscious. Lord Stowe's version is a tad sweeter and more creamy.

Margaret has since franchised her tart recipe to Singapore, namely to KFC. You may not believe it but they do taste the same. The consistency and sweetness mirrors that of Margaret's version. It cost roughly US$1 per piece and you can only have two before you start to feel full—a testament to the richness of the ingredients. If you are from Singapore, then it's best to skip this and try Andrew Stowe's creation for a change. I am sure you can taste the difference.

Margaret's Cafe Portuguese Egg Tartrating 

Macau's Spring Onion Chicken at Casa De Cha Long Wa

To begin with, Long Wa is a tea merchant located across the infamous Red Market (mercado vermelhão) along the inner harbor of Macau. In the 60s, this stretch was a bustling business port that was trading in everything from fish too everyday produce. The market was famous for fresh vegetables, shipped in from all over including China.

Long Wa tea house probably entertained the rich Chinese merchants who did their trade there before the casino boom of the 1970s. Since then, it is looked upon as a traditional tea house serving its signature Spring Onion Chicken.

First, let me warn you about the tea house. It serves some of the best Chinese teas found on the planet....and you don't go adding sugar and milk to it. The Pu-er tea is nothing sort of splendid and goes well with the Dim Sum.

Since I am going to talk about the Chicken, I will leave out the Dim Sum. This will be for another post.

Getting back to the Chicken, it's fab. I must say that it may not be up to the same mark as that set in Singapore for Hainan Chicken rice but it comes pretty close. The chicken meat is smooth and moist. Flavored with bits of spring onions, you could be forgiven for thinking they were trying to pass of Hainanese Chicken Rice to their vocabulary but this is their own style. The chicken is fat, the layer of oil on the skin melts during cooking creating a texture that is hard to come by. And no, it is not steamed as you may be reckoned to assume, it is boiled in broth and then hung to dry.

There is a certain firmness found in the meat that tells you the chicken isn't ordinary broiler chickens. Farm raised to fatness, these fowls taste really good.

In traditional Hananese Chicken Rice, only mature egg-laying chickens are used as they have more flavor, here in Macau, it is no different.

Eaten on its own or with rice, it is a great comfort food for those who miss the Singaporean style Hainanese Chicken Rice, with the only exception being that in Macau, they don't have the chili sauce to go with it. Beyond that, I think I'll have this any day to keep the chill away.

Spring Onion Chicken @ Long Wa Tea House Macau

Todai Restaurant: Buffet of Crabs

In Asia, buffets have gotten a bad rap for being places where people waste food. And in Singapore in particular, this is probably true judging from the strict limited time you are allowed to eat even in fancy Casino Hotels.

Todai Singapore is different. This seafood buffet restaurant offers you lots to eat with no time limit. As an international food chain, Todai has to protect its reputation for offering great eats worldwide.

Since opening in the Marina Bay Sands Casino Resort, they have stole much of the thunder form MBS in terms of Las Vegas Style Buffet offering.
They open early and close late for patrons and that's a good thing.

Now here is the bad news, just coz you get to eat lots of stuff, that doesn't really mean you're getting good stuff.

First, let's get into the Alaskan crab buffet. There are three varieties on offer, the Red Crab from Japan, and the King and Snow crabs from Alaska. Great eats no doubt. But shame about the taste.

The reason for this is quite obvious. Crabs are thawed and offered as is. No attempt to convert them into tasty dishes. Just eat all you want crab meat and they taste pretty bland.

The best tasting crabs are always fresh but you can't ship fresh crabs to Asia without those creatures dying on you. So what's your best shot? Freeze them for export.
Once you have cooked them and freeze them for export, you gotta expect some quality problems. The sweetness of the meat has been leeched out during the cooking process and it could be placed in freezers for months before being thawed out again. So it's no fault of the restaurant for the crab to taste that way, instead, they should have come out with a sampling of dishes made with those crabs.

The buffet itself is wide, with roast meats, salads, pizza, sushi and sashimi all thrown in. Nice. I found the pizza to be best but the roast meats, that sort of disappointed me.

Even the roasted beef tasted bland. Now that's bad. I know it's not a signature dish but it can't taste this bad when you have a spread that is that good. Fortunately, I found something to eat everywhere I went so it was not a bad thing.

Drinks were free flow, dessert was good but not great. The staff was attentive and I could forgive them for the oversight on the crab dishes. What I find hard to swallow is the price. At $80 per person with tax, that roughly translates to nearly US$55 per pop.

For that, its fucking expensive. I know they have priced in the cost of the Singaporean glutton and that makes it very unlikely for then to be aiming for the casual diner. I'd be hard pressed to go back unless I suffered from some crab deficient syndrome that required me to load up on copious amounts of crab meat.

But having said that, it is the only place I know that has a crab festival in sunny Singapore. So this must be in someway cheap since you can't get it anywhere else.

For me, having tried similar experiences in Macau, I think I would rather go back there, take the two hour dining limit and load up on the buffet tables. It's money well spent there compared to Singapore.

Todai Singapore

Macau's Bifana or is it a Pork Chop Bun?

Which came first? the Chinese Pork Chop Bun or the Bifana Sandwich? In Lisbon, the Bifana is a splendid pork burger eaten as a snack or a after dinner dessert. If you are in Portugal, they even have a McBifana for you to tuck into.

But before you jump into the debate, let's look at the ingredients. First, you must have it on a Portuguese style Bread Bun, ditto in Macau. Then you need a piece of meat, normally pork, ditto in Macau.

But that's where the similarities end. The Bifana in Portugal is all meat—pork cutlet. Macau's version is a pork chop, with the bone sticking out. Then comes the seasoning that is put into the meat. Paprika, pepper and garlic are the norm for the Bifana, but for Macau, the seasoning is more Chinese, with a hint of five spice powder, ginger, soy sauce, etc.

If you put the two together, can you tell it apart?

I suppose not. So you can safely say that Macau's Pork Chop burger owes much of its heritage to its Portuguese counterpart, the Bifana. 

When I was in Macau, the favorite place to get one was in Tai Lei Lok Kei in Taipa. There is also another place that is a favorite with the locals, Cafe Cameron which is just behind Largo Senado. The humble pork chop bun is a staple in Macau, served as common snack. The bun is quite hard, as with all Portuguese buns, the outer crust is thick and if you are accustomed to the softer texture of buns from Chinese style bakeries, this may not be your liking. 

All you get is the bun and the bread. Nothing else. No salad, no sauces, no add-on condiments. It is a plain burger with just the taste of the bread and meat. This rustic approach is probably best if you hate sauces or bits of vegetables you find in other sandwiches or burgers. 

Tai Lei Lok Kei had quite a bit of drama in 2012, when they were closed down by the authorities after they discovered that they didn't have the required permit to operate a proper establishment. Apparently they fell foul of two laws, one that says that you cannot occupy public spaces for business (which they had been doing for years) and another with regard to the actual ownership of the license to sell food. They have reopened since then, as a take away counter. Anthony Bourdain was probably the last celebrity to have had a chance to sit in and eat there.

Tai Lei Lok Kei @ Taipa Village

Anyway, Tai Lei Kok Kei has a branch in Venetian Macau located along the shopping arcade. It is tucked away in a corner so you have to find your way to it. The burger there cost TWICE of what you'd pay in the Taipa branch not far from the Venetian. 

As for the burger itself, well, it is a pleasant surprise. I didn't find the taste all that fascinating as growing up, my grandparents and my mom use to fry pork chops with a similar marinade seasoning. It is nonetheless a recommended eat in Macau. 

Hong Kong too has this same snack if you went to a Cha Chan Tiang (tea restaurant), no doubt influenced by the Macau version. The taste will always be similar as they use similar spices to marinade the meat, and with that you sort of get an idea they are going to taste the same in some ways, the only difference with the Tai Lei Lok Kei version is that it has a much deeper taste than the ones from downtown—probably due to a stronger marinade. 

Cameron Cafe on the other hand is a local hangout, where orders are sometimes shouted out across the shop floor in a claustrophobic setting. That review however will be left for another day. 

Tai Lei Lok Kei Pork Chop Burger, Macau SAR. 

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