As the delicate goldfish slips down my throat I
can only think, “Wow, that sure tasted good!”
That’s because although it looks like a goldfish you’d see
swimming in the tank, it’s actually a cleverly crafted dim sum.
I’m lunching at the first and only Chinese restaurant in
Macau that has been awarded three Michelin stars for two consecutive years and
it’s easy to see why. Eight is an intimate Chinese restaurant offering contemporary
Cantonese cuisine and a true dining experience.
From the moment I step outside the lift in the Grand Lisboa
Hotel, it is clear a special lunch awaits.
The lobby is all about drama with embroidered goldfish on expensive Chinese
silk. I walk through a darkened hall
where goldfish apparitions glide under my feet into a classic dining room
created by Hong Kong designer Alan Chan. It is all based on the traditional
Chinese elements of goldfish and the number eight, representing energy and
wealth.
There are over 50 kinds of dim sum to choose from for lunch
but we cut to the chase with a curated menu chosen for drama and flavour.
Our dim sum collection included goldfish-shaped steamed
Cristal Blue shrimp dumplings, purse-shaped puff pastry containing river shrimp,
crab-topped tartlets with crab meat in curry sauce, porcupine-styled pork bun
and a steamed rice flour roll with a shrimp spring roll.
The mains included signature dishes of steamed whole crab
and shrimps with stewed rice and lotus leaf.
Amongst my favourite dishes was the unusual combination
shredded chicken with crisp skin and pomelo in a honey-flavoured lime
sauce. I also had to admire Head Chef Au
Kwok Keung’s skill in creating a steamed pocket of bean curd with curling
asparagus.
The Eight also shares a wine cellar with over 14,900
bottles along with the 13 other restaurants in the Lisboa Hotels complex. There are also three other Michelin starred restaurants in the Grand Lisboa - Robuchon au Dome, The Kitchen and Don Alfonso 1890.
The Grand Lisboa Hotel is located 15 minutes from the Macau International Airport and five minutes from the Macau Maritime Terminal.
Recommended for: This
restaurant has wow factor.
Best tip: The goldfish shaped steamed dumplings with Cristal
Blue Shrimp are a must try.
Bottom line: Go here
for lunch and expect to pay around $100 A per person.
Disclaimer: Eat,drink+beKerry explored Macau courtesy of Macau Government Tourist Office and
travelled from Brisbane to Hong Kong Business Class thanks to Cathay Pacific. Cathay Pacific has over 70 flights a week, including daily flights from Brisbane, to Hong Kong from six major Australian cities, offering a choice of flying in economy, premium economy or business class.