Macanese food is considered by gastronomy historians as the first-ever fusion cuisine in the world. However, its philosophy, ingredients, and history remain mostly unknown to a lot of people. Now, what do Edinburgh, Lisbon, and Malaysia have in common? They host Macanese restaurants! All these cities have their own little piece of Macau whether in the form of modern fusion or the real deal. Minchi and African chicken are traveling the world and shouting out “Macau!” everywhere it’s served. Read on to find out where to get a taste of Macau in these Macanese restaurants overseas.
Fat Tea
See featured from Fat Tea Facebook page
Hailing from Malaysia, this clean and minimalistic decor restaurant is responsible for spreading knowledge about Macanese food in Selangor. Beautifully laid on the dish is a pork chop bun, which looks incredibly fancy, almost making us forget it started as street food. Their tapas are also to die for, and great for sharing with friends and family. It’s usually the best way to experience different flavors and dishes without getting too full. Serradura and egg tarts are also on the menu, so be sure to keep some space for these! Check their Facebook page for more information and delightful pictures.
Fat Tea LG05, Emerald Plaza North, Jalan PJU 8/3a, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, www.facebook.com/FatTeaFood
Source: Macau Kitchen Instagram page
Macau Kitchen
Located in ancient Edinburgh, Macau Kitchen is geographically far from its namesake but it hits close to home when it comes to concept and tradition. This spot serves typical African chicken, but also an array of curries which you can also find in several restaurants around Macau. Even though not entirely Macanese, it focuses mainly on Macau food while offering other Asian delights as well. Their menu–crafted by chef Kei De Freitas–includes Portuguese chicken and Serradura for dessert. Their chefs are dedicated to promoting the heritage of Macanese cuisine, as the first fusion cuisine in the world. They also travel regularly to Macau so recipes can be updated, added, and bettered.
Macau Kitchen 93 St. Leonard’s St, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Source: Fat Rice Facebook page
Fat Rice
Chicago has its own freestyle Macanese fusion restaurant as well! Wisely named Fat Rice, it serves lots of Portuguese-inspired dishes, as well as Macanese food. However, what’s great about this joint is its easy and outgoing mood. With cool and simple decor, one can really focus on the food’s quality and how it appeals to people on this side of the world. Between minchi and fat rice (a combination of meats, vegetables in a fried rice mix) lays piri piri chicken, salt meadow lamb, chili prawns, salted codfish and so many other dishes full of history! Here, Macanese food is cooked and served in a laid-back environment and they change up the menu from time to time. Sound fun, right? To know more, check their website.
Fat Rice 2957 W Diversey Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, www.eatfatrice.com
Photo credit: Taberna Macau
Taberna Macau
In Portugal, people will usually know where and what Macau is. However, there are few spots where one can fully enjoy this special cuisine. Some associations and clubs organize themed culinary events during celebratory occasions such as Christmas or New Year’s Eve, but there are not that many spots offering Macanese food all year round. Taberna Macau is located in Lisbon and really does make up for the lack of others. Balichão algae chips, bao Macau, Riquexó shrimps, lacassá soup, algae tapioca are just some of the original and out-of-the-box titles from their menu. An old shopping mall was revamped and Chef André Magalhães decided to start, along with other chefs, a project to open three taverns where Taberna Macau was one of them. The shopping mall is now called Oriental Market and it’s a breath of fresh air for all those looking for all things Asian, including Macanese food!
Taberna Macau 41-41A Rua da Palma, Mouraria, Lisboa, Portugal, www.facebook.com/mercadooriental.martimmoniz
