NoJennyNo: Foods for Thought in Macau

Galaxy Hotel, Macau

Majority of my stay in Macau was a half hearted race to gain weight. I haven't been to Asia in two years due to travel conflicts, so I was determined to make up for the lack of Asian food during my 2 week stay in Macau.

Hence, the Battle of Ducks.

One of the Chinese foods you must try when you get a chance is the Peking Duck. The dish is so famous it is called by the main ingredient, the species of duck white pekin or just Peking. It's a special duck that's been bred since 1000AD for this particular dish.

The ideal Peking Duck

Raised, slaughtered, seasoned and roasted to perfection the dish was served to royal families before making a mark in history. They are typically carved at the table with skin and meat served separately to eat rolled in a pancake, with the rest of the carcass served as a second course of minced meat or soup.

Zi Yat Heen at Four Seasons
A Chinese specialty restaurant with a Michelin star must have great duck, right? Two ducks were ordered for three people. The restaurant originally had 2 Michelin stars and lost one this year, but the food should still be amazing, right?

Entrance

Like all other Four Seasons, the Macau location is top class. The grand marbled entrance with large staircases that resemble European mansions is a mixture of elegant beige and cream tones that's nothing but classy.

Finding the restaurant was a bit confusing, since it looked like any other corner of the hotel with nobody at the entrance. We had to flag down a waiter inside to help us find our reservation. Odd, but maybe they were busy.

The restaurant host area

We were seated in front of the wine display and presented with our drink menu. I asked for tea, another bummer since they didn't have a selection to choose from; weird since most high end Chinese restaurants have plenty of options since tea is a huge part of Asian culture. I asked for green tea and was given one of those cheap tea bags that tasted like misery.

But we were here for the Peking Duck. The gorgeous, perfectly roasted duck. All could be forgiven for this beauty:

Bird one of two

But... what about the rest of the course?
Typically you get fresh pancakes, veggies like cucumbers&green onions, and sauces to roll with the skin/meat. In high end restaurant like this one, they even roll it for you. We were presented with this unappetizing excuse of fine dining.

? Am I at a food court?

If you charge double for a meal, shouldn't the garnishments at least look presentable? The cucumbers with skins intact were cut like they were doing a blind challenge and they forgot to wash off the seeds from the peppers.

The skin on a pancake

Same as above, with some tattered veggies

Second course that would use the remaining duck meat was just as depressing.

They tried to make the lettuce pretty and gave up halfway.

Sauteed duck

$10 caviar dumping that fell apart faster than the ones you get at a hotel buffet.

This looks better than it tastes.

$25 lobster hot&sour soup that tasted like the lobster's been dead for a week.

If you look closely at the spoon you'll notice that extreme layer of oil.

Ok, the soup was actually my last straw. In comparison, this is what an ACTUAL 2 star restaurant Jade Dragon served:

NOT what I received at Zi Yat Heen

I've had better meals at a shopping mall chain food restaurants. As the meal progressed, I was convinced that they didn't even deserve a Michelin star, let alone two they originally had. With lackluster service, dining sets that look like they were picked up from Ikea, to stale foods with no attention to detail on taste and presentation... I could go on.

Dejected, we went to a local Michelin starred chef and asked him for possible recommendations. Turns out one of the better ducks could be found just downstairs in the lobby of my hotel, where they also prepare our room service food.

Beijing Kitchen at Grand Hyatt
Good news is that they claim to specialize in Peking Ducks. Upon entrance you see the open kitchen where they have many ducks already hanging in a real brick oven.

This is a good sign.

We got a private room where we ate in peace with at least 2-3 servers constantly checking up on us, making sure we are served correctly. The carving was done by the chef himself.

We were given first course in 3 parts. Crispy skin only, where you dip in only sugar. Then the skin+meat and just meat for the pancakes which they brought with beautifully arranged vegetables that had been skinned and seeded. Great attention to detail!

That skin... oh my. Thick, light, and crunchy like a buttery wafer.

A+

I didn't get to take a photo of the soup they brought as the second course since I was too busy eating. Honestly, this was one of the best ducks I've had. Despite the disappointments I had with Zi Yat Heen, my faith in Peking Duck was restored by Beijing Kitchen. The winner of the two is clear here.

Zi Yat Heen 0
Beijing Kitchen 1

Aside from the duck, there were a couple other honorable mentions in Macau.

Hot pot is a must when trying out Chinese cuisine. It's a very social activity with at least one flavor of continually boiling broth to share and plenty of raw meats/veggies to dip in. You dip whatever you wish until your desired cooking time and eat it separately on your plate with a dipping sauce. Once you feel full, you can also savor the soup seasoned with all the tasty ingredients you just added.

The place my friend took me has a Chinese name which I do not know, but by the looks of their live fish tank the seafood is fresh. It's a good sign that the ingredients will be fresh and high quality.

Ok, that turtle attempting to escape was a sad sight.

Various fish and shellfish

Oysters, clams, and abalone

We asked for half spicy and half pork broth, which came in a yin-yang shaped pot.

*not my photo

We ordered a few choice wagyu beef pieces, offal, and veggies, but the most memorable ones were the seafood. Lobster and geoduck clam sashimi are rare to find even in China, and the mantis shrimp was a first for me.

Lobster sashimi, which was recommended to eat fresh without cooking.

Geoduck, also known as elephant trunk clam. Google and you'll see why.

Mantis shrimp tasted like lobster

Lobster noodles made from the remaining shell/meat, out of this world!

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Galaxy Hotel

I didn't expect to get Italian food in Asia. But we were invited to the best Italian restaurant in Macau and couldn't refuse.

The restaurant is modern with a glitzy flair, but tame compared to the rest of the hotel. It's quite romantic with plenty of well-dressed couples about.

We were led to a private room where we let the chef choose the menu for us. And he did not disappoint!