Fado Portugese Restaurant, Hotel Royal Macau
I guess I could not argue that the best thing about traveling is the opportunity to indulge yourself in a variety of culinary experiences. As a Portuguese colony, Macau has remained faithful to the western influence that created the distinct look of this undeniably exciting city. While the remnants of the Portuguese occupation remain alive in the quaint streets of Macau, the Portuguese cuisine on the other hand is not as noticeable. Fado Restaurant at the Hotel Royal Macau is one of the few restaurants, and probably the best at it, who takes the effort to bring on a modern take on traditional Portuguese cuisine to revive a culinary heritage introverted in this part of the world.
We sat over for dinner encapsulated in the restaurant's Mediterranean textures from the water goblets to the stoneware. The walls furbished to exude a warm and celebratory vibe consistent to the restaurant's tasteful theme.
I was very excited to meet Fado's Executive Chef Luis Americo, a well-known culinary master from Portugal who graced our first Portuguese dining experience and prepared the dishes before us.
Our feast began with Acorda fria de santola com carpacio de polvo e vinagrete de pimentos or Crab bread stew with octopus carpaccio and bell peppers inspired by the Alentejo cuisine.
The combination of the crab bread stew and the thin slices of octopus, two seafood staples was something I didn’t think would pair quite well. The succulent octopus had the perfect balance of saltiness and spices while the crab stew’s flavours absorbed by the bread, had me wanting one spoonful after another. Portuguese cuisine has a lot of seafood in their menu being a country surrounded by the ocean making this experience very authentic. Initially, I thought the two seafood would overpower each other's taste but surprisingly, they complimented each other.
Next on the menu was the Bacalhau a Bras or Cod with egg and angel hair fried potatoes "a Bras", created in Estremadura. The creamy texture associated with the crispy potatoes makes the dish a gourmet national emblem. Chef Luis prepared this dish right in front of our table and just by looking at how delicately it is prepared to maintain the crisp of the angel hair, one can already tell how rich the flavours would be.
The main course was a dish very common to my taste buds but prepared in a different way, producing more flavour. Leitao com chips de batata e salada de laranja or Roasted suckling pig with potato chips and orange salad, inspired by the famous iconic piglet from Bairrada, presented in a contemporary way with traditional seasoning of black pepper and garlic was honestly a genius idea. The roasted piglet is kept pressed for at least twenty four hours trapping all the flavors inside. No matter how many times I have ever tried roast pork in the past, I could not find the perfect words to describe just how tender and juicy these slices were. The crispy sheet of skin on top and the flavorful tender meat below, paired with some greens on the side was my definition of absolute perfection.
As someone who is a massive fan of desserts, you can only imagine how excited I was to hear the Fondant de abobora com mousse de quelijo fresco a amendoas tostadas or Pumpkin lava cake with white cheese mousse and toasted almonds from the Beira region being served next. If the name of this dish did not excite you I don’t know what will. We have heard of chocolate lava cake all the time, but never have I seen nor heard of a Pumpkin dessert, let alone a Pumpkin Lava Cake. The plate already looks very satisfying and as soon as I took my first bite with oozing fondue and a dash of white cream cheese, I was absolutely gobsmacked. What's tricky about desserts is that people often prefer a dish that is not too sweet but still gives a perfect end to a savory meal and this was definitely spot on. It was genius how the white cheese balances the sweetness of the lava cake crust and filling, along with the crunch of the almonds. The best part was that the pumpkin taste was there, subtly disguised in all the flavour without forgetting it as the main star.
Fado Restaurant gives you a dose of Portuguese cuisine right in the heart of Asia. An inspiring story of bringing traditional recipes to modern plates, a culinary story deserving to be told to anyone wanting a trip to Macau.
