May 9th, 2008 pkuan
Sure, everyone knows about Portuguese egg tarts – those creamy flaky melt-in-your-mouth pieces of heaven. But when you step into an authentic Portuguese or Macanese restaurant, chances are, the dessert menu won’t even feature egg tarts.
Last night, I took a few friends out for Portuguese food, and decided to introduce them to non-tart desserts. We went to O Porto Interior, which is just by A-ma Temple and the Maritime Museum in Macau peninsula – about 4 minutes drive from the Macau Tower.
This is now going to be my default location to bring tourists who want to try “local Macau cuisine”. On the same stretch, within 2 minutes walking distance of each other are 3 very well respected and popular restaurants – O Porto Interior, Litoral and A Lorcha.
O Porto Interior has framed black and white pictures of celebrities on their walls. It’s apparently popular with celebrities and government officials.
The interior has a Chinese and Portuguese feel. Wooden bird cages hang from the rafters but the key colors in the restaurant are Chinese lucky red.
It seems the Macanese love their sweet endings. In the same vein of their beloved egg tarts, most of their desserts are creamy, sinful, affairs – diabetics watch out. Most are surprisingly simple – cream, custard, fruit, milk and sugar is the main ingredients – and have a very homemade comforting texture. Comforting if you don’t think about the calories – that is.
Here are the 4 we tasted in no particular order:
Serradura – Sawdust Pudding
Serradura literally translates to sawdust. That pile of “dust” is actually finely crushed biscuits, which top a bowl of cream, sweetened with condensed milk. Surprisingly simple, but I have yet to meet a person who didn’t polish the bowl clean. People have compared it to the much more complex tiramisu, because if its creamy sweet flavor. Savor a large spoonful and let the cream and biscuits dissolve in your mouth, into a creamy bliss.
Pudim Flan – Cream Caramel
Similar to crème brulee, this is custard topped with caramelized sugar. It reminded me of the fillings of the Portuguese egg tarts, with the crisp sugar shell giving way to the creamy sweet custard. It’s more custardy than eggy though.
Warning – this rates a 10 on the sweetness level. If you’re like my flatmate, and like the fillings of the egg tarts but not the shell, this is how you can have your cake – and eat it!
Banana Caramel
Like an ice-cream sundae, without the ice cream. The slices of banana compliment the think gooey buttery caramel sauce a treat. Reminds me the banana crepes my sister used to make for special occasions.
Stewed Apple
The healthiest of the lot, an entire apple, seasoned with cinnamon is stewed in its skin and served hot with syrup. The baked apple flesh tastes completely different from a raw apple – and is reminiscent of homemade apple pie. A good choice for those who want to steer clear of pastry and dairy, yet still want a sweet ending to their meal.
That said, I think it’d be twice as nice with a big dollop of vanilla ice cream.
May 6th, 2008 pkuan
Last Sunday, the Macau Muay Thai Association held their annual Muay Thai competition at their headquarters in Tong Lei Building.
For those of you that are new to the sport - Muay Thai, which translates into Thai Boxing, is an ancient form of combat used by Thai soldiers in battle.
Ouch!
Known as the science of 8 limbs, it is a deadly form of martial arts, known especially for its lethal roundhouse kick, which when executed correctly, feels like being hit with a baseball bat.
The elbows are no slouch either, with a well place elbow able to cut skin like a knife, resulting in a bleeding wound that requires stitches and can signal the end of a match.
There were 12 competitors in 6 categories ranging from 51kg to 75kg. Contestants came from Hong Kong, Macau, Zuhai and Australia and competed.
To find out more about Muay Thai competitions in Macau or information on how you can learn, contact the Macau Muay Thai Association at +853 28523646.
May 5th, 2008 pkuan
I never considered myself to be a total scaredy cat. I hate using the brakes in go-karts, love the freedom of motorcycles, contact sports and martial arts, traveling to undeveloped countries by myself and telling parents of unruly kids that they should take lessons on parenting.
But looking down on skyscrapers (yes, down on skyscrapers) from the outer platform of the Macau Tower, I felt my stomach lurch. Yes, it was 223 meters above the ground, and but I wasn’t about to go anywhere lower than where I was. There was a sturdy steel cable securely attached to my waist – I had no hope of going anywhere. So why did I feel so ill while my two male friends were gleefully leaping around the circular platform, pretending to dive off and dangling limbs off the edge?
Look Ma, no hands!
At one point, the guide from AJ Hackett asked me to pose with my feet dangling over the edge. I inched 1 centimeter at a time, until I reached the edge, and then willed myself not to look down, with what I felt was a brave smile on my face.
Our guide tried to reassure me by saying that a fear of heights is easily conquered. Apparently he used to suffer from it, but got over it after working at AJ Hackett for a couple of weeks. I’m wondering what sort of person with a fear of heights would sign up for a job 223 meters above ground?
He also added that only 1 person has fallen off - a 200pound man who accidentally slipped and dangled while several staff to pull him up. I’m not sure I would have gone out after witnessing that.
Deep breath, check. Fake smile, check.
My companions later announced to the rest of the group that my face was pale, and I looked like I was about to faint. Yes, I have a fear of heights, and I only have admiration for those who dare to throw themselves off the highest bungy jump in the world.
A friend told me that it is a surreal feeling to look down, and see you knees involuntarily quaking beyond your control. And she was jumping in New Zealand, over water.
Even if I was offered a free jump, I’m not sure I’d dare to take up the offer. I’m told that 99 % of bungy jumpers jump within the count of 5-4-3-2-1, with a small percentage requiring a second countdown. I’d hate to raise up their statistics unnecessarily.
It’s not that anyone has ever died before doing an AJ Hackett Bungy Jump. I was told that Charlize Theron and P Diddy have been up there, although I’m not sure if they actually took the plunge. Charlie, the manager of AJ Hackett in Macau told me he’s done it over 200 times and still gets a rush.
I wonder if being scared of heights something which is inherited, shaped by environment or just dished out on a purely random allotment. And is it a true measure of how gutsy a person is?
After all, some people are terrified of roaches, yet have no problems climbing Mount Everest or enjoy getting into a ring gloved up to try and knock someone out (although that could be due to pure stupidity).
While I have no problems with mice, or rats, I will shriek if I come into contact with a cockroach or any insect larger than my fingernail.
April 24th, 2008 pkuan
And his name was Neoguri. He blew into town on Saturday and made a huge mess. But when he left, he took all the pollution with him, and left – according to the guys at AJ Hackett at the Macau Tower – “the clearest sky we’ve seen in a long time”.
I asked my best friend Google where the name Neoguri originated from. But all I found out is that Neoguri is the name of a rather famous brand of instant ramen.
I’d have to say that I like packet Neoguri with soup. But when it comes to Typhoons, I’d rather the dry variety
When I went to work on Friday, I did regret wearing a dress, what with the swirling winds threatening to make me commit indecent exposure. But by Saturday morning, the warning signal was already at 3. At that point in time, it was impossible to get a cab. So a group of us hopped on bus 10 to StarWorld Casino, where we had booked brunch at Temptations restaurant on the 16th floor.
The buffet, as always, was amazing value at only MOP128 and a 10% discount with Visa payments. There were truckloads of sashimi, which were more chunk-like than slices, a fresh wood-fire pizza station, and counter serving up laksa and mini burgers with bacon. The salad selection was also impressive, as was the 2 dessert counters.
No, we ate more than just greens. But the salad selection was impressive - roasted eggplant, cold mushrooms, grilled vegetables…
The mini burger with bacon. Mmmmm
Fresh pizza anyone?
There was 1 white chocolate fountain, 1 milk chocolate fountain, as well as a fresh crepe station with Haagen-Dazs. I went to town with the Belgian chocolate, (it had real chocolate inside!) but found pistachio a little strange. I dumped some into my soya sauce and tried to pass it off as wasabi to a friend. No, he didn’t fall for it.I had 3 journalist friends from Singapore in town, and the plan was, after stuffing ourselves silly – to go and get some outdoor exercise in the form of War Games at Fisherman’s Wharf (similar to paintball, but using pellets) and with a spot of go-karting in Coloane. The go-karting in Macau, by the way, is amazing value for money, considering it’s a fraction of the price of what you’d pay in European countries. And the track is challenging and long enough to make you feel like a real speed racer.
It’s only blurry cos I’m going so fastNow, if only they could teach the mechanics to smile just a little more – I’d be tempted to invest in my own kart. But anyway, I digress.
No chance for karting. By 3pm, the warning signal had been hoisted to level 8, so what were we to do, but keep eating. It was a good choice, because later I find out that Neoguri was so strong he actually blew away our Macau.com billboard. Now that is one big billboard, so imagine what he could do to us mere people.
Finally, when the rain and winds showed no signs of dissipating, we made our way to the casino levels, where we split up and hit the slot machines and Blackjack tables.
All of us are not really gamblers, but I now understand how addictive it can be. I’m a brave girl, I ride motorbikes in Malaysia, backpack around Thailand alone, and eat RMB1 meals in back alleys of Shanghai, but until now, I hadn’t dared to sit at a table and gamble.After watching my friends double, then triple their money, I finally built up the courage to take a seat next to them, and learnt how to signal Hit and Stay, and yes, even Split.
I even felt pretty smug when I realized one lady nearby couldn’t count, and required the croupier to tally up the numbers before making her decisions to Hit or Stay.
However, I knew I was in trouble when I had emptied my wallet and pockets of cash, and was asking each of my friends for a loan. After a 1 hour winning streak (including 3 Blackjacks in a row!) I was spent 2 hours at the same table on a losing streak. I had a feeling that the croupier actually felt sorry for me when he sighed, when he pulled a Blackjack or I busted time and time again. He actually made what I thought were some encouraging remarks, although as a non-Cantonese speaker, I couldn’t be sure.
When he finally whispered English – change tables – I took his advice and fled with the few chips I had left (to the opposite table). Later I find out he’d been telling me the same thing in Cantonese for the past hour. Time to improve those Cantonese skills.
The next table wasn’t my friend either, so we headed upstairs to catch the Thai lady boys perform. Direct from Thailand, they were gorgeous, and I have my doubts to whether the mesmerized middle aged guys watching with open mouths knew of their actual original orientation. I still prefer the Glamour Girls at Sand’s however. They look like they could be dancers for Justin Timberlake’s live performances any day – and guys, as an added bonus, they perform in g-strings.
We were planning to head to Lion’s Bar, simply because it’s the one place I could think of where the women are just as rowdy as the men and nobody bats an eyelid. The new band – The Freddie James Project from Canada have 2 pretty talented singers – plus a drummer that looks exactly like Owen Wilson (although you’ll have to wait till in between songs to have a look, otherwise he’s always head banging). It’s unfortunate that Freddie James fancies himself as a bit of a stand-up comedian however. His singing is a much better crowd pleaser than his toilet-humor.
One request Freddie? Hold the cheese.
And less talk, more rock!
Trying to get some food just after a Typhoon warning 8 is no easy task. On a Saturday evening, when Senado Square is usually a mass of bodies, it was a virtual ghost town. Even Watsons was closed – although I give Starbucks credit for still sticking around to serve up lattes. There were a few stores open selling beef jerky, and the sales women eyed us up like we were their first customers all week. It’s quite unnerving to see them charging towards you, brandishing sharp scissors and bright red slices of meat. Our plans for the night came to an anticlimax when we returned back to my flat to find the living room flooded.
Neoguri – he robbed us and then left us ankle deep in hot water.
April 18th, 2008 pkuan
Beautiful girls and pretty boys were the highlight of the Gucci store launch at Wynn Macau.
Designer brands are nothing new to Macau. Just take a walk round the shops in 5-star hotels like Wynn Macau, MGM Grand and The Venetian and you’ll see luxury boutiques like Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani, Dior, Versace and Ferragamo everywhere.Those in the know actually stock up on their designer goods here.
The prices are actually lower than many other cities like Singapore, since Macau’s imports are are not taxed.
And last Friday, one of the big players, Gucci, launched their first Macau store in Wynn, with the focus on accessories.
While it wasn’t a flashy affair - invited guests comprised press and VIP customers - there were some notable celebrities in attendance.
Macau-born model/actress Gaile Lok (above, right) showed off Gucci’s Spring Summer ‘08 line along with other models Patina Lin, Mikki Yao and Eunis Chen. Gaile (or should we say Mrs Lai), recently married Hong Kong superstar Leon Lai in an intimate ceremony in the Maldives on March 13.
In the later part of the evening, Hong Kong celebrity couple model QiQi (of SK-II fame) and her action star husband Simon Yam made an appearance hand-in-hand.
Six-footer QiQi was thoughtful enough to wear flat boots, though she still looked like an Amazon next to Simon, who is 5 foot 11 inches. QiQi’s 70s hairstyle makes the couple look like the Asian version of Sonny and Cher.
I dunno, maybe it’s just me.
The celebrity couple (bottom right) had dinner with (from left) Mimi Tang, President of Gucci Group Asia Pacific and Pansy Ho, daughter of Stanley, who has a stake in MGM.
Pansy, who is in her mid-40s looks amazingly young and fresh. We know QiQi’s secret lies in her SK-II products, but we’d love to find out Pansy’s beauty secrets - her flawless skin makes her look at least a decade longer than she actually is.
QiQi, may be endorsed by SK-II, but even all the pitera in the world cannot replicate the youthful glow that radiated from Gaile.
Newly married Gaile, appeared sans her superstar husband, but she looked every inch the radiant new bride.
Although petite Gaile admitted removing her breast implants due to health complications, there is one thing that is still supersized - her luscious lips!
We’re not sure how natural they are, but they certainly give Angelina Jolie’s puckers a run for their money!
1 comment »
