Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [261]
In the heart of Largo do Senado, this unpretentious restaurant has an assortment of Cantonese dishes (300-plus items on the menu!). It’s a handy choice for a delectable seafood experience.
OU MUN CAFÉ Map Cafe $
2837 2207; 12 Travessa de São Domingos; sandwiches MOP$20-35, set lunches MOP$80, dishes MOP$60; 9am-10pm Tue-Sun
This much-loved Macanese cafe closed down for a while, but it has come back with a modern facelift, decorated with colourful stained glass. The freshly made Portuguese pastries and chocolates are still here.
CARAVELA Map Cafe $$
2871 2080; Ground fl, Kam Loi Bldg, 7 Pátio do Comandante Mata e Oliveira; cakes MOP$25-45, set lunch MOP$75; 8am-10.30pm
Hidden in a charmless backstreet north of Avenida de Dom João IV is this excellent pastelaria (pastry shop), a popular hangout for Portuguese residents on the peninsula. Grab a befe a Caravela (Caravela beef) if you’re craving something more substantial.
RIQUEXó Map Macanese, Cafeteria $
2856 5655; 69 Avenida Sidónio Pais; dishes MOP$33-70, set meals from MOP$58; noon-10pm
This unpretentious eatery near the reservoir is one of the best kept secrets among the local Macanese community. Choices are sparse, but its homemade Macanese dishes like feijodo (pork with black beans) and minchi, as well as its flan, deserve a thumbs-up.
LONG WA Map Cantonese, Tea House $
2857 4456; 3 Avenida do Almirante Lacerda; dim sum MOP$7, dishes MOP$12-25; 7am-2pm
Next to the Red Market, this rare survivor of traditional Cantonese tea houses in Macau has a nostalgic charm, with age-old tiling on the floors and flights. There is no English menu. Just help yourself to the tea and grab what you want from the dim sum carts. No smoking here.
WONG CHI KEI Map Cantonese $
2833 1313; 17 Largo do Senado; rice & noodle dishes MOP$21-45; 8am-midnight
Decked out with traditional furniture, this eatery is where tourists and locals like to congregate for good, cheap noodle soup with wonton.
CHEONG KEI Map Cantonese $
2857 4310; 68 Rua da Felicidade; noodle dishes MOP$18-30; 12.30pm-1.30am
Peak-time queues at the door are a clue that this long-standing noodle joint on the ‘street of happiness’ has a loyal following. Try the stewed noodles with jelly fish (hoi chik lou mein; ). There are just a few communal tables; be prepared to trade elbows with the locals.
MARGARET’S CAFÉ E NATA Map Cafe
2871 0032; Rua Alm Costa Cabral; cakes & sandwiches MOP$6-25; 6.30am-8pm Mon-Sat, 9am-7pm Sun
If you want to try the legendary Macanese egg tarts but don’t want to go all the way to Lord Stow’s (see Click here ) in Coloane, this busy cafe is famous for its meltingly sweet, rich egg tarts and good-value sandwiches.
Serrdura Map Macanese Dessert $
2833 2880; Ground fl, Tin Fok Bldg, 15 Avenida do Coronel Mesquita; noon-11pm
This shop sells bite-sized (MOP$11) and large (MOP$88) versions of serradura, a rich local dessert made with crushed biscuits, cream and condensed milk. It also has a branch in Taipa Village ( Map; 2833 2880; Rua do Regedor; noon-10pm).
LAI KEI Map Dessert $
2837 5781; 12-12A Avenida Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida; ice cream MOP$7-16; 12.30-10pm
This ice-cream parlour oozes nostalgia for Macau in the 1960s, and indeed, the menu and prices haven’t changed for decades. The simplicity of the food conjures up bitter-sweet feelings of childhood. Fans of retro must try the perennial favourite wafer Neapolitan ice-cream sandwiches.
U TAC HONG Map Cantonese Dessert $
2892 0598; 19D Rua da Madeira; snacks & drinks MOP$4-10; 8am-7pm
Also known as Lee Hong Kee, U Tac Hong is a tiny local place that has been selling soya-bean products for 50 years, and is reputable for its silky tofufa (sweet beancurd with evaporated milk; ; MOP$4) and soya-bean milk.
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TAIPA & COLOANE ISLANDS
The arrival of hotel-casino-mall complexes in the Cotai strip usher in a host of new fine-dining scenes in Taipa, tripling the number of eateries in just a few short years. While restaurants serving international cuisine keep popping up, Portuguese and Macanese food