Inside Macau’s hottest new F&B openings after the pandemic: from Sichuan delights at Studio City’s Deng G and Pin Yue Xuan at Venetian Macao, to Fujian cuisine at Galaxy Macau’s Putien
It’s been a long three years of Covid-19 restrictions in Macau, but China’s ‘mini Vegas’ is back in full force, with a plethora of new dining establishments at luxury hotels
Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau opened Shanghai-style Hua Ting and Mesa by José Avillez, while MGM’s Sushidan at Rossio offers a unique takes on the Tokyo omakase experience
For three years, Covid-19 restrictions meant that Hong Kong and Macau were cut off from one another. That didn’t mean that Macau stood still, though. If anything, travel restrictions forced the city’s hotels to up their level when it came to F&B. After all, with many fewer travellers coming to the city, operators were aware they needed new incentives to get locals eating out – as well as to entice travellers back to the city once restrictions were removed.
Finally, the barriers have come down and normal travel between the two sister SARs has resumed. After a lack of interactions for three years, Macau is at once both familiar and dissimilar to Hongkongers. Any readers wondering if there are any new attractions to see, or simply curious if the city retains its old charm, should be happy to know the answer is yes – especially in terms of new culinary delights.
Despite three years of disruption, Macau’s dining scene has not halted its evolution, with new mid-range and fine-dining restaurants opening even during the pandemic, with more coming now that restrictions have been dropped.
Putien’s master chef Ng Man-kin. Photo: Handout
The latest addition to Macau’s fertile dining scene are two Chinese restaurants highlighting contrasting regions’ cuisines.
The first, Putien, named after its namesake city in Fujian Province, debuted in Galaxy Macau earlier this year. The original branch in Singapore has been a regular fixture in the city’s Michelin guide and currently holds one Michelin star. This Macau outpost is led by chef Ng Man-kin, whose experienced team are offering dishes that embody the essence of Fujian cuisine – light in taste, rustic in presentation and rich in culture.
One of the dishes available at Deng G Sichuan in Studio City, Macau. Photo: Handout
At Studio City, chef Deng Huadong has dedicated almost half a century of his life to the legacy of traditional Sichuan cuisine. Guests can savour his fiery delights at Deng G Sichuan, which has been open for little more than a month. Diners can expect tremendous variety as Deng G boasts of “100 dishes, 100 flavours”.
Upscale Sichuan dining is not something new to Macau – 100 Top Tables awardees Sichuan Moon and Five Foot Road being the among most outstanding examples – but comfortable Fujian dining is contrastively rare in city, even the city is happy to celebrate a significant local Fujian community. Whether for everyday dining or special occasions, authentically executed Fujian cuisine is a welcome addition to Macau’s dining scene and Putien should do well if it can match the high standards of the original in Singapore.
Sushi at Sushidan, Rossio, MGM Macau. Photo: Handout
Whatever other changes happened in Macau during the dark days of the pandemic, the city’s love of Japanese food remains unaltered. Feeding that love is MGM Macau, which last year opened Sushidan at Rossio. It’s an odd combination – a popular Tokyo omakase experience Sushidan alongside Rossio, MGM Macau’s premier Portuguese/Macanese restaurant. The two concepts, though wildly different, are neighbouring and separated by little more than a curtain at their entrances.
