It\u2019s been almost two decades since Macau\u2019s handover from Portugal to China \u2013 but a new wave of entrepreneurs is harking back to the city\u2019s colonial past. Pavan Shamdasani searches for old-school-style establishments around the city\u2019s backstreets<\/p>\n
Most people see Macau as its moniker: the Vegas of Asia, a hedonistic city of gambling and gastronomy, chic casinos, and high-end restaurants. To some (particularly those who remember the city before it was handed back to China), it\u2019s still a place where ancient Portuguese charms thrive.<\/p>\n
Away from the rambling backstreets of Macau\u2019s old quarters, a new breed of nostalgic entrepreneurs is infusing the city with hints of its colonial past. Latter-day bars, caf\u00e9s, and restaurants may have opened long after the 1999 handover, but these businesses still hark back to the city\u2019s Portuguese heritage alongside contemporary touches that fit in with modern Macau. Here are four places that keep the city\u2019s unique spirit alive.<\/p>\n
THE RESTAURANT: Antonio What separates Antonio from its counterparts is the restaurant\u2019s attention to detail; a blend of classic and contemporary that feel as natural in the d\u00e9cor as it does in its cuisine. The interiors also possess a nautical theme that pays homage to Macau\u2019s port status \u2013 with striking white, yellow, and blue tiles, and intimate candlelit tables set closely together.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the menu takes classic Macanese dishes and gives them modern twists, \u201cThe societal bond of Macau society is quite di\ufb00erent today compared to the old times, especially with the everincreasing number of casinos making life in Macau constantly busier,\u201d says Antonio Coelho, chef\/owner of Antonio. \u201cMacau is a small place, but many people still enjoy it here. For me, that enjoyment is re\ufb02ected in the simplicity of the restaurant, where locals and tourists have shared serenity.\u201d<\/p>\n THE BAR: MacauSoul The extensive drinks menu of MacauSoul is dedicated solely to Portuguese wine, featuring an impressive 600-plus labels on o\ufb00er, while the food is predominantly traditional tavern snacks, such as cured ham and cheese. Also, the d\u00e9cor is crisp, boasting handsome dark wood and leather furnishings set against conventional paintings.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also evident that the Higginses are passionate about Macau\u2019s lesser-known jazz scene, with regular live showcases playing in a dedicated basement performance venue. It\u2019s one thing to talk about Macau\u2019s heritage, and another altogether to experience it. \u201cTo appreciate Macau, and MacauSoul, you really need to make a personal visit,\u201d says owner Jacky Higgins.<\/p>\n THE CAF\u00c9: Cathedral Caf\u00e9 First opened in 2012, Australian owner Stephen Anderson was heavily inspired by Europe\u2019s relaxed caf\u00e9s. He also felt that the only natural Asian venue for it would be the continent\u2019s most recent former colony, Macau.<\/p>\n By day, Cathedral Caf\u00e9\u2019s name rings true as a bright, airy eatery, with European breakfast menu of eggs, cheese, and Portuguese buns. As the evening crowds come rumbling in, the place transforms into a quintessential tavern, serving up Portuguese wine, port and beer, as well as heaping plates of chorizo.<\/p>\n \u201cMacau\u2019s past is evolving, and the romantic memories of its Portuguese history are attracting attention from people travelling to the city and focusing on the importance of Macau as the first truly international port \u2013 400 years before Singapore or Hong Kong,\u201d says Anderson.<\/p>\n THE COMPLEX: Albergue SCM But it\u2019s the former mansion\u2019s restaurant \u2013 a charmingly old-fashioned spot called Albergue 1601 \u2013 that is indeed the nod to the structure\u2019s glory years. \u201cThe recent arrival of contemporary hotels and casinos has created an immense contrast between modern architecture and Macau\u2019s heritage,\u201d says Regina Gan, Operations Manager at Albergue 1601. \u201cIn some ways, rather than eradicating history, the new era has helped to make Macau\u2019s colonial charm even more appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n Albergue 1601\u2019s food menu is strictly Portuguese \u2013 none of the fusion Macanese dishes such as African chicken and baked \u2018Portuguese\u2019 rice dishes will be found here. Rather, look forward to classic Portuguese fare, including codfsh cakes, sardines, and steamed clams.<\/p>\n And to ensure that the surroundings fully complement the menu, interiors have been restored; new furnishings and tiles are imports from Portugal, and the restaurant\u2019s ambient music is era-appropriate with songs from 1930s singer Amalia Rodrigues.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a lot of potential for Portuguese culture to revive and thrive in Macau,\u201d says Gan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s been almost two decades since Macau\u2019s handover from Portugal to China \u2013 but a new wave of entrepreneurs is harking back to the city\u2019s colonial past. Pavan Shamdasani searches for old-school-style establishments around the city\u2019s backstreets Most people see Macau as its moniker: the Vegas of Asia, a hedonistic city of gambling and gastronomy, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=482"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":492,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482\/revisions\/492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vagal.lakhanitechnology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong>Antonio only opened in 2007, yet the restaurant has already won dozens of international awards over the past decade, including a coveted Michelin rating. This famous dining spot is also a standout for traditional Portuguese cuisine in Taipa Village, a historic area long renowned for its fair share of age-old, homestyle restaurants.<\/p>\n
\nincluding codfsh done four ways, seafood stew in a copper pot, and African chicken
\nwith coconut sauce.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Compared to neighbouring European countries \u2013 France, Italy, Spain \u2013 Portuguese wine is often underappreciated. Macau\u2019s history as a former Portuguese colony keeps the country\u2019s viniculture alive, but it wasn\u2019t until MacauSoul opened in 2008 when the city began to truly appreciate its wine. Set in the shadows of St. Paul\u2019s ruins, the bar is run by retired British husband-andwife David and Jacky Higgins, a \u00a0pair whose love for Macau\u2019s heritage is firmly on display throughout the entire space.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The classic-style co\ufb00ee stop of Cathedral Caf\u00e9 is an intrinsically European ideal \u2013 especially in Portugal, where a laidback lifestyle is high on the agenda. This javahouse revitalises that appealing concept through a simple hangout spot set in an old shophouse building, just a stone\u2019s throw from the historic Senado Square.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Situated in the quaint St. Lazarus district, the then-abandoned mansion of Albergue SCM now stands as a throwback complex that pays tribute to the city\u2019s past, complete with a local art gallery and a retro-Portuguese store.<\/p>\n