Food you must eat when you are in Macau

Boss was so kind to give us a retreat to Macau for the effort we put in this year to achieve our target.

This has the 4th time I've been to Macau, though sightseeing is the same but I also don't know why I never get tired of this little city. Maybe the rapid entertainment expansion in the city has kept it lively all the time. Everytime I go, there is always something I see, discover and learn.

Beside Macanese cuisine, there is always these 2 food items that I never miss when I am in Macau.....

姜汁状奶. A dessert serves hot. Milk is boiled together with ginger juice to a certain temperature and left to cool. The liquid will curd and become like a pudding. Very delicious if you are someone who likes ginger. One of my colleague said it taste better than ginger chicken that maternity mothers always had during their confinement months and suggested that the ever popular confinement dish should be replaced with this as it is healthier. Haa....

You can find this dessert in almost all dessrt shops in Macau but this one is best found at a old shop near the foutain at Senado Square.


Next in line, the ultimate ........... 猪扒包 !!!!!!!!!!

I cam across to know this gem of Macau from an HKG TV food show. One evening about a year and a half ago, a late night tv programme was introducing Macau and showcasing its food. I wasn't really watching the programme but this just caught my attention during that few minutes. If I remember correctly, this pork chop bun was done traditionally and never change its method of marinating and cooking until now. Apparrently (if I am correct), the owner learnt the way of making this bun (marinating the pork) from a Portuguese chef and since then the bun became popular. I remembered it does mentioned it also uses brandy as part of the marinating items. In addition, the buns are all charcoal baked and thus it produces a very fragrant smell when you sank your teeth into the bun.

It was summer and the weather was hot and humid at 32 degree celsius. The queue was long and we actually queued 30 mins for it. Die die must eat mem...... You cannot imagine our satisfaction when each of us bite into the bun, the aroma complementing the hot juicy pork chop is simply perfect ! A divine afternoon tea delicacy, I will call it.

You can complement the bun with pork chop noodles which is also simply delicious .... and not forgetting the spicy curry 鱼旦 (fishball) ........

Another of this shop specialty is their hot milk tea. If you are someone who like (thick) milk tea, after drinking this one, you will never forget how good it taste. Unfortunately, there was no seating place available so we had takeaway and no chance to try the milk tea.

So where to find this ? It is located at Taipa island of Macau, and the name of the shop is :
大利来记.

I think every Macanese taxi driver knows where it is. They never fail me whenever I took a taxi there, just be telling them in cantonese, 'I want to go to tham zai, the very famous zhu pa bao shop' !