Macau Kitchen
Growing up in Hong Kong, Macau was only a boat ride away and a frequent destination for my family's long weekend trips - not for the casinos, but for the local architecture, history and of course the fabulous Macausese cuisine, a fusion of the rich culinary traditions of China and Portugal. So imagine my excitement when I saw Macau Kitchen in Edinburgh in 2019. I don’t think I have come across a Macauese restaurant in the UK ever before, but we couldn't make time to go then, and the next time I was in Edinburgh, it was already 2022.
After a great first visit with my partner, I took my Scottish in-laws with us for a second visit: a weekend lunch. Things got off to a great start: the octopus salads (we ordered both original and spicy version) were so fresh and delicious, as you would expect of seafood in Scotland, as were the Bolinhos de Bacalhau (dried cod croquettes), a signature Macauese dish. We ordered two portions each but they were all gone in a flash.
For mains, Hoeyyn Ngu, the co-owner who runs the front of house, strongly recommended one of their daily specials: Crispy Duck Congee - a generous bowl of congee cooked in duck broth served with a side portion of shredded aromatic crispy duck. She instructed us to take a bite of the crispy duck and then have a spoonful of the congee. It was heavenly - that congee, bursting with duck and ginger aroma, was the one of the best I have ever had, anywhere.
Duck seems to be one of their strengths so we ordered another special of the day, Assum Duck Curry, served to us by the Head Chef and co-owner, Kei de Freitas, personally. The curry was flavourful, warming and rich and the duck was perfectly cooked and fell off the bone - great for a cold rainy day. We also had the Classic Minchi: fried spiced mince pork on a bed of rice and fried potatoes, topped with a fried egg featuring a glorious runny yolk. My mother-in-law remarked this double carb act was quite Scottish.
Now we had of course saved space for dessert: the unmissable pastel de nata and the golden egg torta. They were the perfect finale to a scrumptious meal.
Service is warm, enthusiastic and quick, with a clear pride in what they are bringing to the table. The cozy and richly decorated restaurant was pretty much full the whole time we were there - booking is highly recommended.
Edith Lai, 11 Jan 2023
Vice Chair, Hong Kong Business Network
93 Saint Leonards Street, Edinburgh
EH8 9QY