It’s not often you walk into a restaurant and instantly feel at home. Dillon’s Lagoa Azul sits on the Praia Grande, just a short walk from Nam Van. Its understated window front opens to a cozy dining room serving authentic Macanese food to lunchtime regulars.
The welcome is warm, and genuine. Joana Dillon de Jesus takes orders and chats with guests while her father finishes up in the kitchen as the lunch rush winds down. We like everything we try, including chicken roasted to perfection, crispy on the outside and juicy goodness on the inside. The minchi is also fabulous. For those not familiar with this classic Macanese dish, it consists of a portion of minced pork, a portion of rice, a portion of diced fried potatoes, and a lovely velvety-soft fried egg on top. The presentation is gorgeous, with eye-popping colors. After serving, you are supposed to mix the separate elements together; combined it forms something that looks a lot like fried rice. The flavors are subtler though, the minced pork delicately seasoned with onion, soy sauce, and even bay leaf. Absent is the oily heaviness of a typical fried rice dish.
We also like the fried fish fillet, which is lighter, brighter, and (we think) vastly superior to the usual British-style batter fried fish and chips. Again, the flavors are much more understated, with a minimum of oil and salt.
Are you sensing a pattern here? We certainly are, and we couldn’t be happier. Everything we try has the same understated yet distinct and well-balanced medley of flavors. Even the soup of the day—watercress—is vibrant in its restraint, a delicate broth somehow rich and satisfying while never overpowering.
Macanese cuisine in general often defies easy categorization. It certainly isn’t just a simple pairing of Chinese and Portuguese cuisine, but at the same time we can see (and taste) the history of these cultures intertwined through many of the classic Macanese dishes. Also reflected in these dishes is the history of Portuguese exploration, with flavors from Southeast Asia, Africa, and beyond. It is said that many Macanese flavors evolved through experimentation with local ingredients, in an attempt to recreate spices and flavors from home. Wherever we are, a taste of home is all we ever really want, isn’t it?
For a taste of home Macanese style, Dillon’s Lagoa Azul is open Monday to Saturday, 12pm–3pm. Set lunch with soup, main course, and drink MOP $98.
Dillon’s Lagoa Azul 337 Av. da Praia Grande, Macau, +853 2835 5540, www.facebook.com/lagoaazulmacao
