I love being a food writer. And I love discovering new places and reviewing restaurants. And I especially love it when people go to a recommended restaurant and appreciate it as I did. Such was the case with my boss, who just recently got back from Macau. While they frequent Macau (guess which boss I'm talking about!), they had never been to Antonio, one of the Portugese restaurants that come highly recommended among Portugese residents. And this place serves FABULOUS Portugese cuisine. I had heard about Antonio through the Miele Guide and from the recommendations of Singapore's Ate Consulting PR Director Lynn and Miele's Mario Miranda. The Pata Negra came highly recommended. It must be truly in demand as when I got there, the first leg had already been shaved to the bone; I had to wait for a second delivery.
In fact this second delivery arrived at the end of my meal but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. I had it as my dessert, haha.
My main course was the creamy bacalau which comes highly recommended in the Miele Guide. And also because it's the favorite dish of former President Joseph Estrada - so I was curious to try it as prepared by a real Portugese. But you know what, I guess even if this was recommended by Jesus himself, while I would be grateful for the opportunity to eat it, I will never understand the hype behind this fish. I mean, it's dry, flaky, salty (thus the term salted cod). Give me Lapu Lapu, Maya Maya or tilapia any day! If I wanted salty fish, give me danggit. If I were to choose whether to have the traditional bacalau or this one, though, I would choose Antonio's. Because the cream mutes the saltiness of this fish. The olives add bite, too.
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| Bacalhau |
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| Bacalau in cream topped with potatoes and cheese then baked. Yum. |
I also appreciated the duck fried rice. This is very popular in Macau. I guess similar to how Filipinos' bagoong fried rice is popular. You don't see the duck right away. But you will taste it once you dip your spoon into it.
All other factors that make a successful restaurant are also present. Starch white linens and table napkins. Impeccable service. The restaurant only seats around 20 (although there is also another small room upstairs for private functions - this also seats just around 20) so you can expect to be able to easily get a waiter's attention. The owner - Antonio - personally attends to customers. He is one of those chefs who truly want to share their cuisine and not just feed people to make money.
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| Geek takes photo op with the man himself: Antonio |
Of course in my biased opinion, the secret to their well flavored food and hospitality is the staff: 80% Pinoy. (They were kind enough to let me take a peek into their kitchen.)
If you take a cab to Antonio, make sure your concierge gives your cab driver specific instructions or writes the address down in their language. I had to patch a call to the resto and pass the phone to the driver for directions. Fortunately, I had my Miele Guide with me. When you get the area, Old Taipa Village, you will have to walk a bit into this alley. When you spot this awning, that's it.
ANTONIO. 3 Rua dos Negociantes, Old Taipa Village, Taipa, Macau. +853 2899 9998. www.antoniomacau.com. Reservations recommended. Major credit cards accepted. Approx 500 MOP / head.
