The complete foodie guide to Macao

Another popular Macanese dish that combines both Portuguese and Chinese influences is gambas à Macao. Prawns are stuffed with a mixture of garlic, shallot, chilli and parsley, then fried in a hot wok, Chinese-style. The Portuguese touch comes in the olive oil they are cooked in and the finish with a splash of white wine and a knob of butter before serving. This is simple cookery, but absolutely delicious!

This wonderful sweet and sour dish combines Portuguese cooking techniques with flavours from India, Malaysia and China. The key, according to Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes, is in the balichão – a fermented shrimp paste that gives the dish a real savoury punch to balance out the tang of the tamarind. He recommends serving with a garnish of garlic chips, Thai basil, ginger and lime for a lovely aromatic finish.

Many claim the name 'minchi' came from the English word ‘mince’ and the English-speaking inhabitants of nearby Hong Kong, and this is another Macanese dish where every restaurant – and family - has its own recipe, each claiming to serve the best in the city. At its foundation, minchi consists of minced beef and pork, cooked down with garlic, shallots and spices, as well as a combination of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and sometimes molasses. The final rich, savoury result is served over fried potatoes and finished with a fried egg.

This braised prawn dish uses ground peanuts to give body and flavour to the sauce and also includes curry powder, tomatoes and okra, giving it a distinctly African vibe. In his recipe, chef Nuno Mendes maximises the flavour of his prawns by removing and toasting the shells, then boiling them to make a stock, which he then uses to braise his prawns in. The result is a wonderful, comforting braise that packs real flavour.

The pork chop bun is Macao’s go-to street food snack. A marinated pork chop is flashed across a very hot grill and served in a bun that is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It sounds simple, but it’s utterly delicious. Some places serve their pork chops in a pineapple bun (which, rather than containing any actual pineapple, gets its name from the sweet crust baked on top which makes it look a bit like a pineapple) for some extra sweet-meets-savoury deliciousness.

Pastéis de nata are famous the world over as a Portuguese delicacy – a delicious combo of buttery, flaky pastry and baked egg custard. In the late 1980s, Englishman Andrew created his own version of this sweet snack for his bakery in Macao, incorporating an English touch and introducing the 'Portuguese Egg Tart' to Asia. Today they are found all over Macao, but the most famous still come from “Lord Stow’s Bakery”, which is said to serve thousands of the tarts every day.

Macao makes a perfect addition to a Far East holiday or stop-over for those flying to Australia or New Zealand. From Hong Kong it is just a one-hour fast ferry ride or forty-five-minute journey across the spectacular Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, which opened in 2018. Alternatively, Macao International Airport offers flight connections from a large number of destinations around the region.

So, whether you’re in the mood to experience Macao’s east-meets-west culture, renowned food scene or buzzing nightlife, this is a destination that really does have something for everyone. This is a place unlike any other, and a must-visit for anyone looking to eat some of the most unique and delicious food in the world.

For further information about Macao: visitmacao.co.uk