Teru's Blog: Macau

I remember when Macau was a nice quiet place to visit on the weekends to get away from the bustling city life of HK. Not anymore. I visited on a Thursday last week and was stunned by the amount of people crammed into the city streets. This was a non-holiday weekday for crying out loud! The "freedom walkers" of Mainland China really are a boon to tourism wherever they go.

Anyways, the last time I visited was back in January 2006. Several new casinos have opened since then, although to me the attraction was minimal (I'm in the minority of people who never step into a gambling hall when visiting Macau).

But..I was attracted to the Venetian. Not for the gambling but for this:

The majestic food court; such a beautiful sight. More so for the inclusion of Fat Burger

Last week, I was disappointed to find out that Fat Burger was opening a branch in Wan Chai near where I work…scheduled to open after I switched to my new job over in Kowloon. But the Fates were kind because I got to try out the Double Fat Burger at the Venetian. Not bad for a chain restaurant.

The interior of the Venetian was obviously modeled after Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, but even though they shared the same kind of blue sky with clouds ceiling, the Venetian felt kind of…dank. It was the lack of lighting that killed the mood for me. So gloomy and dark.

The one saving grace is that many of the gondoliers had excellent singing voices. Their operatic performances echoed throughout the halls.

Standing motionless for hours...it's getting harder to make a buck.

The grand golden hallway.

For me, no visit to Macau would be complete with dining at A Lorcha. Definitely some of the best food I've ever had in Macau.

Damn...even their bread is awesome.

Chourico assado (Portuguese sausages)

Feijoda (pork knuckle stew with red beans)

Peixe grelhado na brasa (grilled seabass)

Serradura (a creamy pudding with biscuit crumbs. The best in all of Macau. Seriously.)

Another favorite of mine: the crab congee over at Seng Cheong in Taipa.

The famous Macanese pork chop bun

and Portuguese egg tart.

I find it a bit disturbing that there's actually a need to emphasize the authenticity of the medicine...
Look at how congested this street is. You don't even have to move your feet; the crowd moves you forward in waves.

Thanks to Gingie for giving me directions to Tim Fat. It's a tiny little place with room for 15 (tightly squeezed) but the shark fin soup is excellent.