Our flight home was at 4 pm, giving us plenty of time to do some sight-seeing because Macao is small. So we hopped into a taxi and told the guy we wanted the best Portuguese egg tarts. He drove around, till we got to a little town, and pointed to an old shop. Bought 6 to go (MOP6/RM3/US$0.90 each), noticed the sign said 'Lord Stow Bakery' (' Creator of Egg Tarts Now Famous Throughout Asia estb. 1989') and behind the shop, a quaint little Lord Stow Cafe.
Lord Stow's Bakery in Coloane Town Square, Taipa
(photo grabbed from Yi's Flickr)
People tell me these tarts are over-rated, but I beg to differ. I find them very delicious: light crispy flaky pastry with perfect caramelized-top egg custard that's barely sweet. Apparently Lord Stow's tarts are made with the best ingredients sans preservatives. There are lots of egg tarts imitators and when I got home, I chanced upon an article in Food & Travel magazine (May 07) which featured Macao. In it, they only recommended Lord Stow's in Taipa and Margaret's Cafe e Nata, presumably on the mainland. Apparently these two used to be husband and wife. At least they still have something in common.
Next stop was to the best pork chop bun place, and again he knew exacty where to go, this time to the mainland. On the way, we passed Black Sands, a famous beach with black sand (what else), casuarina trees and well-maintained mansions and apartments. You get a feel of old Macao. I like the place. Kinda like KK when I was growing up.
Pork chop bun
Just a battered piece of pork chop on a bun but Yi liked it.
Freshly-made almond cookies
Gave them all away as presents so can someone buy me some?
Macao is really quite charming.
Ruins of St Paul
Everybody must go to The Ruins of St. Paul and take that customary photo, so we did. It was a hot 33 C day, and Yi was running a fever and chills at the same time. Hub was melting and complaining.
Cobble-stone/tiled streets around the Senado Square
Just came from Disneyland?
We walked through Senado Square quickly, with even me sweating from every pore. Back to the hotel, showered and slept till time to go! Now my advice is, do Senado Sq in the evening, when it's cool and romantic. Or go to Macao when the weather's kinder. It's small but there's lots to see (ok, it's still better than Penang but not the food ) and come December when that Venetian casino is more established, it'll be great to spend a weekend there. Not necessarily to gamble, but to gawk at the grandeur of the new casinos and hotels, plus grab some free drinks :)
Macau looks like a great little city. Would love to visit sometime and check out a casino or two for the heck of it :)
ReplyDeleteNee: great pictures really. seriously thinking of visiting hongkong and macau this coming jan cause hubby wanted to go see a toy fair which is supposed to be the biggest in asia or the world whichever.
ReplyDeleteI m not sure if you will be interested. i have some noodle making recipes which my cousin wanted. will cc a copy to you and aunt linda...i have make ours myself this day..like it much better. just check your emails if you are interested.
Shan, Nee: I'm told Dec to Feb are peak tourist times in Macao. also, hotel rates on weekends are 30% or more than weekday rates. d 1st phase of d Venetian will open this month but i'd wait till things settle. but yes, i'll def go when these ginormous hotels/casinos open. just learnt a new word recently: croupiers or dealers at the gaming tables. they were all so young, so deft and so controlled (expressionless). i wouldn't make a good one-can't add so fast or stop giving advice! u can c asian gamblers r real serious, all sitting at d roulette/poker/blckjack tables whereas those we saw in d US r mostly old ladies at slot machines.
ReplyDeleteyes, nee, i'd love any recipes u have. TQ!
NEE: I send the recipes to your yahoo acc. let me know if u got it. in kuching quite hard to find nice pan mee..so the pan mee one i used it quite a few times.. and also the the taiwanese style ones...all turn up well. a cook like yourself i think should find it quite easy to adjust the wetness of the noodles textures. good luck.
ReplyDeleteyet to find the honeycomb cake recipes...
nee: thanks, i did get d recipes but yahoo is so slow i couldn't wait. one of my friends will give a honeycomb cake recipe to me n i'll try it out, n tell u
ReplyDeleteBtw, i asked my favorite pan mien cook n he said the best flour to use, for noodles and potstickers, is "Blue Horse". try it.