Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

If you have not read Day One’s story, go for that first. To understand the flow of the journey, so you won’t be gasping for air.

#1 – The Famous Nam Peng Sandwich – Beautiful, golden omelette, ham and slices of lean roasted pork layered between two slices of fluffy steamed white bread. Breakfast in Macau can’t get any better than this.

Second day in Macau was an even more eventful day, since we had the whole day to ourselves, and it was a Monday to boot! Yeah. That means lesser crowd, better traffic (don’t go out during peak hours, or you’d be squashed like sardines in buses) and shorter queue!

A glimpse of what to expect? The iconic Pork Chop Bun. Bird’s nest egg tarts. Red Bean Ice with Milk. Nostalgic moments from eating at cafes retaining their charm from the olden days. Coconut ice-cream made fresh on the spot. Shanghainese cuisine but we missed their Xiao Long Bao. Lord Stow’s Portuguese egg tarts and traditional desserts that will leave you in awe.

More than 30 photos right ahead, so once again ….. don’t blink.

#2 – Chinese doughnuts? Some places call this ‘sa yung’, an amazing calorie bomb of a deep fried dough generously rolled around in a bed of sugar.

#3 – Nam Peng bakes very good and fresh breads to go along with your cup of coffee/tea in the mornings. Just bear with the cramped condition and your senses would be delighted in more ways than one.

#4 – Cafe Nam Peng; a short walk away from the main streets of Macau (“San Ma Lou”, Senado Square, Ruins of St.Paul’s etc) but definitely worth the extra mile. We walked from Ruo da Felicidade; a very manageable 10 minutes walk.

#5 – Cocos Hung Heng – A hole in the wall establishment with no tables or chairs. Only go for their fresh coconut ice-cream or mango ice-cream, and you’d be thanking the guides for the recommendation. Creamy yet with a distinctively light twist, the ice-cream reminded us of sorbet instead.

#6 – Mr Poon himself, preparing the fuel for the day’s biscuits. Sadly, we were too early. Poon Weng Kee is this famous biscuit shop in Senado Square that opens from 12.30pm onwards. We missed this on the previous day too.

#7 – Trays after trays of delectable buns, tarts and confectioneries – Fresh from the oven; at this corner shop before you enter Ruo da Cunha; the definitive Food Street of Macau.

#8 – Rua do Cunha (“Koon Yeh Gai”) has been featured for countless times in the media before; and back in 2008 we also tried the crab porridge at Seng Cheong, and the famed Serradura (sawdust pudding) at Gelatina Mok Yi Kei.

#9 – Gambling Ain’t Healthy. But if you’re buying the chips as souvenirs, then by all means …. do so. At least you can be a ‘millionaire’ without paying with an arm and a leg. The souvenir shop is located on Rua de Regedor.

#10 – San Hou Lei Cafe’s bird’s nest egg tarts, milk tarts, normal egg tarts and the ubiquitous Portuguese egg tarts. A few doors away from the souvenir shop mentioned above. The tarts are priced at about MOP8 each, though the premium bird’s nest egg tarts tasted just like the milk counterpart. With a few strands of ‘bird’s nest’ atop.

#11 – Calm before the Storm. Wait for the revelation a few photos down.

#12 – The Taipa Houses – Facing a vast lake filled (or rather, overgrown?) with lotus, and The Venetian within sight on the horizon.

#13 – Floral Attack – The stretch of jade green colour houses along Avenida da Praia has become almost integral to the tourism culture of Macau. Featured predominantly in movies and TVB dramas, naturally; this tranquil spot is a wedding photography’s dream-come-true.

#14 – And no, I was not hired to do this. Nor was I in the way. Notice the green foliage above and on the right? Yup, a paparazzi in the making that’s me.

#15 – The BEST Red Bean Ice (“Hung Dau Ping”) in all of Hong Kong and Macau. For the moment, that is. Slurped with utter delight @ Hei Lin Cafe.

#16 – Hei Lin Cafe @ Rua de Fernao Mendes Pinto R/C, a short distance away from Ruo da Cunha, near to the roundabout that connects Ave. Dr Sun Yat Sen and Ave. Olyimpica. We had a pork chop bun (prior to the REAL DEAL shortly after), a very interesting curry puff, and the irresistibly refreshing and loaded with ingredients Red Bean Ice with Milk.

#17 – It was barely 2.30pm at Tai Lei Loi Kee; THE most famous pork chop bun brand in all of Macau. Guess the shots above tell more than a thousand words? You can choose to be seated and wait for the time comes when you can line up for the buns. From 2.45pm onwards.

#18 – Half-expecting to be treated like dirt, the good people of Tai Lei Loi Kee surprised me. I was in awe of their hospitality, even when faced with the endless stream of customers queuing up for their buns.

#19 – THE Pork Chop Bun. I was skeptical and gave this a miss back then. But this time around, I was adamant and endured the … shockingly brief wait. I was probably number 30 or so in line, but got our buns in a matter of 10 minutes. They were fast.

Verdict? BEST DAMN PORK CHOP BUN EVER! If you had heard from others about unappetizing dry buns and pork with no sauce etc etc (like what I have read/heard), then you must be in for a shock. Maybe one of their good days? But this darling of a Chinese burger was extremely delicious; the roasted bun had this crispy exterior with a soft, fluffy and almost airy centre. Then the juicy slab of pork (with bone, mind you) was a champ in its own right. And no, you do not need chili sauce, ketchup, mustard or mayo.

#20 – Amidst the hype and all, we unanimously voted this as the best so far. Wouldn’t mind lining up again for this, but remember this was a MONDAY, so the crowd was much thinner.

#21 – The canal @ The Venetian – Only made sense that we walked in dire (fruitless?) hope of burning off the calories. And this yodeling/singing gondolier was in his elements, his voice echoing throughout the area! (MOP118 for adults, MOP88 for kids)

#22 – And this kid was mesmerized. Though he wished that he could shuffle instead.

#23 – Lord Stow‘s Portuguese egg tarts; a sinful creation of wobbly, torched milky egg custard baked in a crispy and flaky pastry. Gone in two bites (MOP8/RM3.20 each), but damn worth the calories. Comparing this to the late Andrew Stow’s ex-wife (Margaret’s Cafe e Nata), the husband’s version wins hands down.

#24 – Lost Penguin @ the Fisherman’s Wharf, within walking distance from the Macau ferry terminal.

#25 – Fancy structures that will somehow remind you of Disneyland (a post on that much much later …. yeah, I succumbed to temptation and went, though I should not have), the Fisherman’s Wharf somehow brought to mind this perception that …. it has seen better days.

#26 – Indulgence come Cheap. Okay, reasonably-priced. A bowl of “Woon Zhai Chi” (shark’s fins soup) from MOP22/RM8.80 onwards @ Tim Fat Vun Chai Chi, Rua da Felicidade

#27 – Ou Mun Cafe; another missed opportunity. Two nights in a row we wanted to have our dinner here; to no avail. Either they closed early, or not as late. (Hint : Go before 6pm, to be safe) This quaint little cafe in the middle of the alley was voted at the #2 thing to do in Macau by Lonely Planet. What’s #1 you asked? Lord Stow’s Bakery @ Coloane. 🙂

#28 – Macau’s Shanghainese cuisine (with Cantonese influences, unmistakably) @ Seong Hoi Veng Kong Siu Kun (directly opposite of Ou Mun Cafe on Travessa de S. Domingos). Gotta make do with alternatives. It as drizzling on and Ou Mun Cafe chose to close much earlier than its reported 7pm closing hour.

#29 – Hang Heung Un Desserts @ Travessa do Auto Novo, a small lane off Rua da Felicidade. Passed Koi Kee and Ko Wah Hotel then turn LEFT at where Choi Heong Yuen Bakery is facing. Famous for their mango desserts (better than Hui Lau Shan), walnut cream soup, and almond sweet soup. But pricey, for a shop of this stature.

#30 – In this City of Sins; we all pledged our allegiance. Okay, interpret in whichever manner you’d prefer, but the bright lights along the strip proved that resistance was futile.

#31 – At the southern end of Rua da Felicidade (aka Fook Lun New Street), you can find this congee stall that’s smaller than what you can ever imagine. Serving hearty cooked by the bowl congee and steamed rice noodles (cheong fun), this was what we ended up with on the last morning before departure.

#32 – This uncle was having a whale of a time chatting us up, and was an instant live wire after knowing that we’re Malaysians. Century egg with lean pork porridge, crunchy dough fritters (you tiao) and steamed rice noodles with dried shrimps. Average at best, but at least there’s a place for early breakfast.

*Shops in Macau open way too late. Don’t expect breakfast at 7-8am.

#33 – Goodbye dear Macau. A beautiful run, and covered most of the places that we planned. Except for A-Ma temple, Coloane island and Macau Tower. There’s always another trip around the corner?

*Summary of our Second Day in Macau :

1. Breakfast @ Nam Peng Cafe (Openrice’s page) – Whatever you have planned for breakfast, make some time for this. Detour to Nam Peng for what could possibly one of the oldest cafe in Macau. A slice of history packaged into one very memorable breakfast of good breads, buns and coffee. People just loiter about reading papers and go on with their lives, while some dropped by and bought a few pieces of the gems, to be eaten on the way to office presumably. @ 85A, Rua Cinco de Outubro. Opens for breakfast-lunch. A short walk off the main road of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (“San Ma Lou”)

2. Coconut Ice-Cream @ Cocos Hung Heng (Openrice’s page) – What better way to cleanse the palate than a chilled, melting sensation from freshly made coconut ice cream? Hop over to Hung Heng @ G/F, 14 Rua da Tercena. The mango version was good too.

3. Rua do Cunha (“Koon Yeh Gai”) (Food Street of Taipa Village) – Took a bus from around Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro to Rua do Cunha. Getting around in Macau is not hard, you can either take cabs or buses, and should not cost you more than in Hong Kong. This street is lined with FOOD, FOOD and more FOOD. Cafes, bakeries, restaurants, snacks, and also souvenir shops.

4. San Hou Lei Cafe (Openrice page) – Bird’s nest egg tarts, Portuguese egg tarts, and milk egg tarts for about MOP8+ each. Stop by this when you’re walking towards or waiting for the time for your pork chop buns from the next stop. @ No 13-14, Rua do Regedor, Vila de Taipa.

5. Tai Lei Loi Kee (Macau Pork Chop Bun) (Openrice page) – For MOP20/RM8 per bun, the irresistible whiff of freshly toasted bun, sandwiching succulent pieces of pork sounds like heaven for a late lunch/tea time. Just be there early, about 2.30pm or so and line up like the many others. Usually sold off after the 300th bun or so, hence don’t waltz in late. @ 18 Rua Governador Tamagnini Banbosa R/C, Vila de Taipa.

6. Hei Lin Cafe (Red Bean Ice, Curry Puff, Pork Chop Bun) (Openrice page) – Was an accidental turn. Good thing was I remembered the name of the shop, coupled with the exterior from a review on Openrice. Best red bean ice with milk (“hung dau ping”), and a rarely found in HK/Macau curry puffs with dense, mashed potatoes redolent with spices. @ 84B Rua de Fernao Mendes Pinto R/C, Vila de Taipa.

7. Lord Stow’s Portuguese Egg Tarts @ The Venetian (www) – Delicious Portuguese egg tarts with a creamy, milky custard filling encased by a flaky pastry. @ Unit 2119a, Level 3, The Grand Canal Shoppes, Venetian, Macau.

8. The Macau Fisherman’s Wharf (www) – From the Cotai Strip, we took a feeder bus (FOC) to the ferry terminal. Then we walked a short distance towards the Fisherman’s Wharf for photo opportunities and to kill time before dinner. No, not a die-die must see stretch of world famous replicas, but can’t hurt to walk about and see the Coliseum, Forbidden City and Potala Palace.

9. “Woon Zhai Chi” (a poor man’s shark’s fins soup) @ Tim Fat Vun Chai Chi. (Openrice page) Priced from MOP22 onwards (to about MOP150 or so!), you will have to wait for the patrons to finish their bowls of shark’s fins in the half-sized premise on the Happiness Street (Fook Lun San Gai). Give your worry a rest, and indulge in the rich man’s soup in a poor man’s setting. @ 18, Rua da Felicidade, off Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro.

10. Shanghainese Cuisine @ Siong Hoi Veng Kong Siu Kun (Openrice page). Small premise that can seat barely 20 pax, hence you might have to wait it out on the outside. Can’t help that the weather was not on our side, and we were drenched from the drizzle. Sumptuous sweet and sour pork (cooked with pickled onions, hence the distinctive tangy taste), poached chicken in yellow rice wine, fried Shanghai style rice cakes and a Ma Bo beancurd with plenty scoops of chili oil. MOP190/RM76 for the four of us, inclusive of rice and Chinese tea. @ 1B, Travessa de S. Domingos, in Senado Square. Opposite of this would be Ou Mun Cafe (Openrice page) that we have initially wanted to go, but closed early on both days.

11. Desserts @ Hang Heung Un (Openrice page) Seemingly one of the more famous outlet in Macau for desserts aside from Yee Shun Dairy Company, this  is a short walk away from Rua da Felicidade (Fook Lun New Street). Slightly pricey though, but good quality desserts. Mango Ice-Cream Special (MOP45/RM18), Water chestnut with mangoes (MOP36/RM14.40), Walnut Cream Soup (MOP29/RM11.60). @ 13 Travessa do Matadouro, off Rua da Felicidade

12. Breakfast @ Congee Stall, south end of Rua da Felicidade, junction of Rua da Alfandega/Rua da Felicidade. On the last day, when we were rushing to catch the flight back to Malaysia, we had to make do with ANY stalls that were opened for business. Most shops in Macau do not open until way past 9am. Some at 10am onwards. So you’d either settle for McDonald’s at Senado Square (We did this in 2008!), or pray that your dim sum outlet is opened. The one we aimed for was not, hence we settled for this extremely small corner lot at the end of Rua da Felicidade. Had congee, steamed rice noodles (cheong fun) and you tiao (fried bread sticks).

*Finally, over and done with! Goodbye MACAU, and thanks for the (delicious) memories. Now to find the time to complete the Hong Kong posts, and we will start afresh (hopefully) with the subsequent holiday shots ……