Just before returning to London for the new term I made a short foodie trip to Macau and Hong Kong with family. Away from the glitzy casinos and designer boutiques, there was a wealth of fine Cantonese restaurants to be found, and we were right at home. We visited 4 restaurants over 4 days, ate way too much and came home bursting the scales. This post and the few to follow will review our experiences at these establishments.
There are very few things that soothe the soul better than a sumptuous lunch after an unearthly early-morning flight (read: sleep deprivation), and right after we checked in at our hotel in Macau, we headed south to Four Seasons Hotel on Taipa Island, where our first foodie stop Zi Yat Heen was located.
We were immediately impressed by the impeccable service rendered by hotel staff upon arrival. I should explain - we had come to Macau with notes only in larger denominations given by the exchange bureau back home, and both our taxi driver and our mediocre hotel didn't have any smaller notes in their cash register to exchange for our larger notes; upon reaching our destination we explained our problem with loose change to the doorman, who readily asked the taxi driver to wait while one of his colleagues ran in her heels to the check-in counter to get loose change for us. She returned barely two minutes later with the smaller notes we needed to pay the driver and apologised for making us wait. The doorman, perhaps assuming that we didn't speak or read Cantonese/Chinese, even gave us a small card with names of major attractions in Macau printed in both English and complex Chinese, in case we wanted to get to somewhere else after lunch and needed to ask for directions. We were then welcomed into the hotel very warmly and given directions to the restaurant by the same lady who had obtained the loose change for us. This attentive and proactive reception was simply quite remarkable, and started off our afternoon on a very positive note. I definitely wished we could afford to stay here!
We were too early for our reservation, and the front of house at ZYH informed us that it was a pretty full sitting, so we walked round the hotel and its adjoining shopping mall whilst we waited for our time - first impressions of the surroundings were of grandeur, refinement and elegance. At 1.45 pm we returned to ZYH, where the front of house informed us very apologetically that my requested window table was still being occupied by an earlier party, and asked if we would mind another table for the time being. We were placed in front of the impressive wine cellar, with a good view of the interiors - not a bad alternative at all! We were very comfortable and decided to stay put even when offered a window table midway through our meal.
The restaurant is quite popular and reservations are mandatory; we observed that all walk-ins had to be turned away. It was a full lunch sitting, even at this hour, and apparently booked out for the next two days as well (hardly surprising as it is the holiday period).
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| Grand entrance portal |
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| Spacious, well-lit interiors |
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| Table setting with the customary two pairs of chopsticks for reasons of hygiene - one eats with the shorter pair, while the longer pair is for taking food from the communal serving dish. |
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| Our pot of Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea, with a pleasant aroma and a sweet mellow flavour that remained consistent through multiple infusions. The chilli dips were pretty good (especially for dim sum) - the one with shredded dried shrimp (at the back) was particularly tasty with a nice chewy bite. |
We decided to go for a mixture of dim sum and seasonal dishes from the à la carte and winter menus, and with some help from our kind waitress selected the following items:
Dim sum
Steamed scallop dumplings with pea sprouts and conpoy (瑤柱豆苗帶子餃) - MOP$54 per serving
This was exquisite - the thin and translucent dough barely concealing a whole tender and juicy scallop topped with chewy shredded conpoy. The delicate sweetness of the scallop and conpoy was well matched by the filling of fresh crunchy pea sprouts on which they sat. Each mouthful was a delightful and refined combination of textures and flavours. Light, wholesome and simply delicious.
Steamed lobster, shrimp and bird's nest dumplings (燕窩海龍皇餃) - MOP$45 per piece
What could I possibly add to this picture of sheer opulence? This giant dumpling was served in individual bamboo steamers to each of us. Bursting at its seams with a generous filling of premium crustaceans, the freshness of each dumpling was evident from its springy texture and juicy sweetness. A luxurious topping of bird's nest and fresh shrimp roe (look at that bright orange colour!) further enhanced each dumpling with both a delightful gelatinous bite and a mildly savoury edge.
Steamed fish maw and chicken wrapped in beancurd sheets (懷舊綿花雞扎) - MOP$30 per piece
A traditional Cantonese-style chicken and mushroom wrap (unfortunately, the English translation ignores the 'traditional' aspect) with dried beancurd skin, this was mostly excellent - the chicken was tender and succulent, the mushrooms had an intense earthy flavour and a juicy springy texture, and the fish maw (dried and rehydrated swim bladder - a Chinese delicacy rich in collagen) had a delicate cotton-like texture (again this is what the English translation omits) with an incredibly rich and velvety mouthfeel. However, the piece of char siew (barbecued pork) included in each wrap not only seemed strangely out of place, but was also rather tough and chewy - the one major letdown in an otherwise superb dish. Thankfully, the well-seasoned broth in which these wraps were served helped to alleviate the dryness of the char siew. Finally, the dried beancurd skin brought everything together with its characteristically concentrated flavour and a mild sweetness. Still pretty successful on the whole, I think.
Crispy taro puffs with roast goose and goose liver (鵝肝火鴨荔蓉酥) - MOP$48 per serving
These deep-fried puffs were plain indulgent and comforting. Beneath their delicate, fluffy and crispy outer layer lay a thick and smooth yam paste, whose sweetness and richness was aptly boosted by sporadic bits of creamy and musky foie gras in the mix. A further filling of tender and succulent diced roast goose contributed a deep gamey flavour to these already hearty morsels. Simply luscious and gratifying.
Baked whole abalone puffs with diced chicken (原隻鮑魚雞粒酥) - MOP$45 per piece
These were quite exceptional indeed. The whole abalones were precisely cooked so that they retained all their natural juices and an amazing tenderness - no mean feat, considering how even slight overcooking could reduce them to dry and rubbery lumps which would take ages to chew through. The bed of diced chicken on which each abalone was sat was equally moist and succulent. A lavish thick sauce (probably derived from abalone) poured over each tart contributed the most magnificent combination of sweet and savoury flavours. Even the puff pastry base was outstanding - firm to the touch yet incredibly delicate to the bite, with a lingering sweet and aromatic aftertaste.
Steamed rice rolls with barbecued pork and preserved vegetables (甘菜叉燒腸粉) - MOP$48 per serving
This was pretty good, though the diced filling of char siew was still a tad dry for my taste (but thankfully not as bad as in the beancurd skin wrap). The bits of preserved vegetables mixed into the meat filling contributed a juicy savoury crunch that immediately lifted its taste and texture. The rice rolls themselves were arguably the best part of this dish - thin to the point of translucence, and so smooth that they slid down the throat effortlessly, especially when lubricated by the excellent light soy sauce that accompanied them. A side of plain steamed baby kailan (Chinese broccoli) with a lovely tender and crunchy texture provided a healthy final touch.
Seasonal dishes from the special winter menu
Braised air-dried duck fillet, chicken and taro in coconut sauce (椰汁香芋油鴨雞煲) - MOP$180 per serving
The first thought that crossed our mind when this dish arrived was: it looks and smells really good, but how are we going to finish all that?! It was an unexpectedly generous portion served in a huge claypot that was enough to feed at least 5 people. This was an extremely heavy and warming dish, totally apt for the chilly winter climate. The air-dried duck had a nice deep flavour but its texture was way too dry and tough for my liking. The chicken fared much better. Large chunks of yam within the broth had a thickening effect with their starchy and creamy texture, and made for an extremely satiating experience. The velvety and sweetly fragrant coconut milk broth was really good (though extremely sinful!), and definitely compensated for any deficiencies in the duck. Bits of spring onion and ginger in the mix enhanced the warming effect of this dish with a mild spiciness. We couldn't help feeling that this dish was too much of a good thing; much as we hated to waste food, we had to leave a bit of it behind, as we were simply too stuffed by the end of the meal to even sit up straight.
Steamed seabass fillet with crispy garlic (香蒜蒸鱸魚柳) - MOP$120 per person
This was my favourite main dish of the afternoon, served to us in individual portions as you can see above. The fish was incredibly moist and silky, and both its delicate flavour and smooth texture were aptly enhanced by a tasty and oily soy sauce. A topping of deep-fried crispy chopped garlic contributed lovely aromas and a most agreeable bite with each mouthful of fish, while pieces of steamed pak choi on the side completed this picture of understated luxury with a healthy touch. On the whole, simple but extraordinarily effective.
One caveat: my family found traces of bones and scales in their portions (mine was perfectly fine though) - I believe that this is rather unacceptable for a restaurant of this rank, and when our server came round to collect our dishes I raised my concerns, to which he promptly apologised and assured us that feedback would be relayed to the kitchen. There was no apparent attempt after that to remedy the situation; I was a little disappointed but saw no point in kicking up a big fuss over a dish that was essentially superb. Imagine our surprise, then, when we got the bill - the cost of one portion had been taken off discreetly without us requesting for it. This proactive and concrete response to a customer's complaint was quite remarkable indeed, and all was forgiven.
Pan-fried beancurd with crab meat (香煎蟹肉豆腐件) - MOP$240 per serving
This was decent but unremarkable. Pieces of a smooth mixture of mashed beancurd and shredded crab meat were pan-fried till golden brown, then set nicely around a mound of blanched Chinese spinach (hidden). Finally, a thick and savoury seafood-based brown sauce was poured over the dish. To be sure there was nothing objectionable at all, but casual Chinese restaurants in London commonly serve an identical dish known as Pei Pa beancurd (琵琶豆腐) for far lower prices, and I failed to see how this Michelin-starred version was different and/or better in any way. Quite overpriced in my opinion for what was essentially a glorified take on beancurd.
From the main à la carte menu
Zi Yat Heen fried rice with lobster and seafood (紫逸軒炒飯) - MOP$220 per serving
I thought this was very enjoyable; every mouthful yielded tender and juicy bits of premium seafood, and the rice grains themselves had just the right texture - firm to the bite but not too dry (though my mother would have preferred her rice softer and more moist, as most older folk tend to do). Bits of chopped spring onions, egg, and a light seasoning provided additional aromas and a nice depth of flavour to the dish.
It was now time for dessert, and as much as I would have liked to go for the full dessert sampler (an assortment of 5 signature desserts), our waitress kindly advised us that it might be too much for us. She was right - we were already quite stuffed by this point, but desserts are obligatory! In the end, we ordered 3 of the signature items individually.
Baked egg tartlets (酥皮蛋撻仔) - MOP$40 per serving
These were simply wonderful. The glistening egg custard filling was very soft and wobbly in texture, yet incredibly aromatic and rich in taste. The crisp puff pastry was similarly delicate and fragrant. These fragile and ephemeral morsels only left one yearning for more.
Chilled osmanthus jelly (瑪瑙桂花糕) - MOP$40 per serving
A staple of Cantonese restaurants only in Hong Kong and Macau, I was really looking forward to this deep amber-coloured dessert but was somewhat disappointed. The jellies were too sweet for my comfort, and their cloying syrupy taste largely masked the more delicate sweet-smelling aroma of the osmanthus flowers as well as the subtle sweet-and-sour taste of the wolfberries, which was a real shame. Refinement and restraint should be the guiding principles for making this light and refreshing dessert.
Baked lotus seed paste puffs (崧化蓮蓉酥) - MOP$40 per serving
These traditional dessert puffs were very good indeed. A thin and flaky pastry layer concealed a generous amount of lotus seed paste that was very smooth and not too sweet. The rich flavour of the paste was well matched by the sesame seed toppings, which added a pleasant toasty aroma and nutty flavour to each mouthful. Modest in execution and presentation, yet exceptional in taste and texture.
Chilled sago cream with mango and pomelo (香芒楊枝甘露) - MOP$50 per person
An extra order for myself - this was acceptable. This dessert is a favourite of many ethnic Chinese people. The soup had just the right degree of sweetness and a decent smooth consistency, though it could have been thicker and creamier. It was punctuated by chewy sago balls, tangy bits of pomelo pulp and juicy chunks of mango. I would have liked more fruit in the bowl and less of the sago balls; that's the whole point of this dessert isn't it?
Some pictures of the restaurant just before we left, one of the last tables to do so after this long and leisurely lunch:
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| Imposing wine cellar! |
On the whole this had been a very pleasant afternoon after a tiring morning of flying, with refined Cantonese cooking, an elegant atmosphere, and exceptionally polite, professional and attentive service from the moment we entered the hotel. Definitely an establishment to consider again if I return to Macau!
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