Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Click HERE for the full series of this Hong Kong & Macau Trip.

#1 – Framing a good shot of Ruins of St. Paul’s @ Senado Square (Largo do Senado), Macau

It took me long enough to continue this series. Picking up from the last post on Kam Fung @ Wan Chai, we shall jump to Macau where we spent the last two days of our trip at. Don’t worry, will come back to more Hong Kong food and sights in the near (or distant) future. A summary  of the trip to come in the next few days if possible, so that you can refer to all the places we ate and visited under one post.

VERY photo-intensive post ahead …. go for your toilet break or grab a cup of coffee. Ready?

#2 – Stop pouring the … CHILI POWDER?!! Actually, shrimp roe powder, a signature condiment at Cheong Kei Noodles Shop on Rua do Felicidade. They even sell them in bottles. Read our 2008 experience at Cheong Kei also.

#3 – And the magical addition of shrimp roe powder provided much oomph! to the dry egg noodles; this simple dish served without any sides (not even wanton/dumplings) is named “Har Ji Meen”, literally translated to shrimp roe noodles.

#4 – Clockwise from top left : Egg noodles with Boiled Squid dressed with sweet dark soy sauce, Arm-to-arm, knee-to-knee kind of close proximity, the fried dace fish balls dipped into a pungent concoction that reminded us of fermented beancurd (foo yee), and crispy prawn dumplings.

#5 – Pastelaria Koi Kee – THE place to get your souvenirs from Macau, fill up the tummy post-meal with FOC biscuits, confectioneries, drinks and more, and an exemplary model of how Macau folks put serious emphasis on tourism business.

#6 – A mishmash of cultures juxtaposed against each other in this overlapping layers of the new and the old structures. Taken from a corner at Senado Square.

#7 – Candlelight in the cathedral; St. Dominic’s Church @ Senado Square (Largo do Senado) since 1587.

#8 – Got a confession to make? Guilt-ridden because of all the eating?

#9 – Poon Weng Kee‘s ‘kam chin peng’ or Golden Coin Biscuits maker. The queue stretched for miles (exaggerated, but you get the point), hence we returned later but they close by evening.

#10 – Real bird, fake bird spotted @ grounds of the Ruins of St. Paul’s

#11 – Step by Step to reach the top. Ruins of St. Paul’s; a Macau landmark since the 16th century.

#12 -For THAT perfect shot. Everytime.

Princess in Green : “Swear you must make me look better than Miss Macau 2010, ok mou?”.

Photographer On the Floor (J-Lo/Pitbull come to mind, naturally) : “Ouch. Backache. Let me pretend that I am still working …zzz”.

Guy in Black : “Mum sent me to medic school but why am I lifting people’s skirt?!”

Barefooted Uncle behind the Scene : “Last time ah … I tell you, we cincai took wedding photos at home only. Why have to lie on floor and snap people’s knickers now?”

#13 – Waiting for their destinies come a-calling. Super 8 style? A group of Korean tourists were in awe of the Ruins.

#14 – Clockwise from top left :

Uncle in wheels : “Perseverance pays, my dear child. Why should I let my debilitation hinders me?”

Man in Blue : “I can show you my ultimate stance … the CRANE!! *ouch … #$%#@ cramps”

Golden Retriever : “I can smell the Lulu in you. Why oh why does she have to be thousands of miles away? *Whimper …”

The other Dog (sorry, is this a Yorkshire Terrier?) : “Wait, I can be your HERO baby ….”

#15 – Thriving lotus plant in a pond; outside of the Museum of Macau on the Fortaleza do Monte or Mount Fortress near to Ruins of St. Paul’s.

#16 – Sio Seong Hoi – A crowded dumpling and steamed buns stall on Beco da Palha (small lane in the midst of Senado Square)

#17 – Like Malaysia’s very own “lok-lok”, this stall serves various skewered goodies but best of all… the bowls of piping hot, fresh ngau chap (mixed beef offals)

#18 – A Sunday evening procession at the church. For the Portuguese, or so it seemed.

#19 – Yee Shun Dairy Company still makes the BEST ‘Siong Pei Nai’ (double layered steamed milk pudding), yet the service left us with a bitter taste in the mouth. Seen here was a very milky steamed milk pudding with red bean, and the background was a steamed egg custard. (about MOP20-25 per serving)

#20 – Escada Restaurant @ Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lou) is one of the more popular Portuguese restaurant in Macau. Slightly pricier than the usual restaurants, but well worth a visit for their rendition of Portuguese and Macanese fares. We had the Portuguese Boiled Clams with Lemon, Olives & Coriander (MOP108/RM43) and Portuguese Baked Duck Rice (MOP128/RM51)

#21 – A Portuguese style of baked rice with duck. Fluffy rice with a very faint hint of tomatoes, studded with olives and shredded duck meat. The two slices of bacon-like smoked duck were briny yet barely enough to satiate one man’s craving.

#22 – African Chicken (MOP148/RM60) – A tangy and rich gravy made from coconut that flawlessly reminded us of our very own ‘rendang’, minus the spicy factor.

#23 – Around the streets of Macau and the main road named “San Ma Lou”. The red car got into a fix, just see the signboards and make you wonder where it could have gone.

#24 – The unmistakably RED doors and facade along the stretch of Rua da Felicidade; was once the red light district of Macau. Infamous, but now transformed into a beautiful heritage site for tourists. And the many bakeries contributing to pleasant whiffs along the street.

*Here’s the summary of our first day in Macau :

1. We took a ferry ride from Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui to Macau; on New World First Ferry. About HKD150/RM60 for one way. The journey took about one hour, and we reached Macau pier before taking a bus to Avenida al Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lou).

2. Almost immediately after checking in into our hotel, we went for lunch at Cheong Kei Noodles Shop (Loja Sopa de Fita Cheong Kei) @ G/F, 68R, Rua da Felicidade (a street parallel to San Ma Lou, with all the shops painted predominantly with red).

3. Pastelaria Koi Kee is situated next to Cheong Kei, hence that’s the next logical destination to go. They have probably 1001 outlets all over Macau (actually 6, but you can’t help but be dazzled by their sheer presence around Senado Square). Try the almond biscuits made fresh on the spot (pricier than manufactured and pre-packed ones), or go for their other products. Guaranteed you’ll buy more than you planned. @ 70-72, Rua da Felicidade

4. A walk around Senado Square (Largo do Senado) led us to Ruins of St.Paul’s, St. Dominic’s Church, Fortress Hill, Museum of Macau, etc.

5. Saw a snaking queue in front of a shop with no signboard. Understood that the name’s Poon Weng Kee, and they sell only one thing. The ‘kam chin peng‘ or golden coin biscuits. Made from flour and lots of eggs from the looks of it. Opened from 12.30pm onwards, and they finish by late afternoon. We skipped this as the wait was almost unbearable under the hot sun. @ a lane off Rua da Palha in Senado Square. *Read Kampungboycitygal’s post instead.

6. A short distance away, at a lane off Rua da Palha which leads to Ruins of St. Paul’s, is this stall named Sio Seong Hoi. They make steaming hot (almost scalding!) pan fried dumplings (woh tip), various steamed buns, etc. People were seen buying 20, 30 up to 40 pieces! While we bought only a few to be shared. Not too bad, but nothing extraordinary. @ Beco da Palha. Here’s a post by Another Header on this famous stall.

7. Leitaria I Son (Yee Shun Dairy Company) has moved from their original location at Senado Square to the main road of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lou) @ shop no 60. Still serving their incomparable version of steamed double-layered milk pudding and egg custard. the service was far from lacklustre, but bordering on ridiculously hostile. I shall not comment further, but their heads must have exploded from sheer arrogance.

8. Last but not least, dinner was at Escada Restaurant; serving various Portuguese and Macanese specialties. The African chicken seems to be the MUST-try dish here, but if you’ve tasted Malaysia’s version of “rendang ayam” then you would have a rough idea on how this tasted. Not in a negative light, mind you. But at close to RM60 per portion you would have expected much more. The clams were brilliantly executed, boiled lightly then served in an appetizing lemon-based sauce. The baked duck rice was lacklustre though. Other dishes that come highly recommended from various reviews – Bacalhau (salted cod) served in different manners, and various seafood dishes. @ No 8, R. da Se, off Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. Very near to Yee Shun Dairy Company. Go up the flight of stairs between General Post Office and China Construction Bank (Macau).

And that ended the FIRST chapter of our eating spree in Macau. Don’t worry, TWO chapters only. Stay tuned for the second and much larger installment in a few days …