Asia tripping - part IX: Macau

This is the ninth of several brief posts of my recent trip to Asia: photos, food and a few thoughts.

Ruins of St Paul's, Macau

Macau is a speedy, somewhat bumpy, just-over-an-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong; home to, it seems, casinos, Portuguese custard tarts, and sub 10 degrees Celcius weather when I visited in January this year.

In fact, the cold and subsequent shopping for puffy jackets are overriding memories of the overnight trip.

Streets around St. Paul's ruins, Macau

The historic centre of Macau is a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, showing off the strong Portuguese influence dating back to the 16th century.

The streets around the tourist attraction of the St. Paul's ruins are filled with, expectedly, tourists (many from mainland China) and somewhat unexpectedly, bakeries and sweets stores, which all provide generous samples of almost everything they sell: pork jerky, almond cookies, nut brittles and more.

Street sign

The Museum of Macau is also right near the popular ruins, though for some reason it isn't nearly as popular as the church facade. Because it's further away from the food and samples, perhaps.

Canons on Monte Fort, Macau

The museum is set on Monte Fort, a 16th century military fortress that has left many remnants of its past behind. There are impressive views of Macau to be seen from here, and as ever, casinos in sight.

Views from Monte Fort, Macau

Views from Monte Fort, Macau

Views from Monte Fort, Macau

Ruins of St Paul's, Macau

Malay steamed cake at yum cha at restaurant in Fu Hua Hotel, Macau

Our brief trip to Macau was typified by yum cha and lots of it. Two consecutive mornings of yum cha in two different venues was enough for me to be craving a meat pie (weak, I know).

But rather than trolleys, chosen dim sum and dishes are elected and ticked off a menu which is then handed to the kitchen, ensuring steaming hot dishes arriving fresh to order. Not as democratic and visual-driven as we know it in Australia, but a feast all the same.

Yum cha at Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant, Fortuna Hotel, Macau

The way it went was that someone would normally be in charge of all the ordering, and food would turn up in pretty random order. It doesn't take long for the lazy susan to fill up with dumplings, buns and vegetable dishes; most plates with designated serving chopsticks for hygiene too.

Claypot rice dishes at Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant, Macau

And just as we had stuffed our faces, the claypot rice arrives - three steaming hot clay pots with rice cooked in it and assorted toppings, like lup cheung Chinese sausage, egg and pork mince, and stewed chicken pieces added on top.

Stuffed as we were, there was no leaving without sampling a few mouthfuls from each hearty, warming bowl before facing the chill of the Macau streets again.

Portuguese custard tarts from Padaria New Mario, Macau

The morning of our departure from Macau, we were treated to a sweet, shiny breakfast of Portuguese custard tarts. These were bought by a friend who went a fairly long way, on a scooter, in pouring rain.

Had I known the circumstances, I wouldn't have requested the tarts - which I initially experienced many years ago in the very same city. But I think that made me appreciate them even more.

Portuguese custard tarts

I find it difficult to have more than two of these seriously cloying tarts, with wobbly eggy custard and delectable burn marks in flaky, crunchy pastry shells, even washed down with hot tea. But what a fortifying way to start a day where the weather outside was hideously cold and rainy.

Egg stall at street markets, Macau

We still made it to the outdoor markets, which I also remembered from my last trip, where the fashion was definitely puffy jackets. Everyone wore one and it was the silly tourists freezing their bits off while the locals just went about their day of groceries and other routine.

The markets were fantastic though; a combination of fresh food (lots of vegetables), snacks, socks and accessories, clothes (did I mention puffy jackets?) and almost anything else you could think of.

But I was really on the lookout for the stall that eight years ago served me the best tofu fa tofu dessert that I have ever had.

Tofu fa stall at street markets, Macau

And my goodness, I was so stoked (or cold) that I was jumping when I spotted the familiar face of the stallholder, who seemed to have added brightly coloured steamed cakes to her offerings of tofu fa and soy bean milk.

We find out that she's had a stall there for almost 20 years; and I'm pretty sure she was amused that some Australian would remember her dessert from a random visit eight years ago.

Tofu fa

What was so good and memorable about this bowl of tofu in syrup? The warm, silky, white slices of delicate, subtle tofu, cut jaggedly (yet cleanly) from a whole pot with a flat ladle, and especially the ginger-tinged sugar syrup that's spooned over the imperfect bowl that's scoffed standing in front of the stall.

Another eight years will be too long between us, tofu fa from a random stall at a random street market in a part of Macau I really don't know.

Dragon's Treasure multimedia show at City of Dreams, Macau

It's not a trip to Macau without venturing into at least one casino. Well, we made it to (the sort of half Aussie) City of Dreams for the confusing Dragon's Treasure show (as in, who on earth are they trying to entertain?), the stunning Venetian, and one smaller downtown one of which the name eludes me. Macau in a flash of an overnight trip.

More Asia tripping to come in Hong Kong and Malaysia.