Forget him
Forget the fact that Joel Robuchon is, undoubtedly, one of the most celebrated chefs of the last century. Forget that he runs the only Three Star Michelin establishment in Macau. Forget the fact that his place is not that expensive and not at all off the beaten track. What you don’t know (and we’ll tell you) is that there might just be dinner after Joel. We’ll give you all the ESSENTIAL Fine Dining options that Macau has to offer. And if you don’t like them, you need a palate transplant.
Sashimi it straight
All you need to know in nippon dining etiquette Mine host
You’ll have your guests eating out of your hands Sex and food
More phallic greater the aphrodisiac
E
3.3
Fine Dining by the #s.
The most expensive stuff on the planet and other untold numerical gems, discovered deep in cyberspace
1,537
Number of restaurants in Macau at the end of 2007
6
Number of Macau restaurants that gained stardom in the Michelin guide. One, Robuchon’s A Galera, achieved the highest mark: three stars.
US$600
Average price for a pound of Kopi Luwak, the most exquisite and luxurious coffee in the world. Found only in Indonesia, this coffee is made from beans partly eaten, digested and excreted by the common palm civet.
Weight, in pounds, of the record-breaking white truffle sold for US$330,000 (MOP2.63 million) to casino tycoon Stanley Ho last year, beating competing bids from British artist Damien Hirst and Sheik Mansoor Bin Zayed al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi.
1.08
Weight, in kilos, of the white truffle Stanley bought this year, 500g lighter than last year’s specimen, for US$200,000 (MOP1.6 million).
1,700
Number of diamonds in the most expensive pair of champagne glasses in the world, made of diamond and crystal by designer John Calleija.
US$15,250
Price for the most expensive tea bag in the world. Produced by Boodles jewellers, it’s handcrafted out of 280 diamonds.
¥2.5 Mil
The price, in Yen, for the world most expensive pair of Yubari melons, sold in Japan’s Sapporo City Central Wholesale Market.
FOREWORD We all love to eat. It’s an ESSENTIAL human need and we take great pleasure in it (ask Freud). This enjoymemt needs time. The Portuguese “Nitro-caipirinha have their long with tarragon lunches, the concentrate”, French their a 2004 creation from “nouvelle cuisine the worlds’ most française” celebrated master chef, Ferran Adrià. (grand name, arguable outcome), the Australians the “barbie” in the backyard and the Brits... well their can’t cook for s***, but hey, they have beer, so they’re not all bad. This time round ESSENTIAL offers you the complete gourmet experience. It may have taken some time but, at last, our city’s fine dining scene has a lot to offer. Next month, ESSENTIAL will bring you the fastest, meanest, most expensive and luxurious motor powered transportation devices on land, sea and air (well, maybe not air, but we’ll give it our best shot). We’ll take you for a virtual spin inside brandii
© Photographer: Francesc Guillamet
new concept cars and yachts and might even bring you a special feature - ‘the fastest lap’ - but we don’t want to give away our secret ingredients. As always, we crave your feedback. The inaugural issue of ESSENTIAL was met with enthusiasm (aplause!) from many readers and we thank you for your
comments and suggestions. If you have something to share please keep it clean and write to us at ESSENTIAL@macaubusiness.com. Enjoy and bon appetit… The Macau Business Team
ESSENTIAL gourmet This is not a collection of articles about Fine Food as you might have thought but a mouth-watering feast especially for you.
ESSENTIAL #2 is all about the guilty pleasures of food. Forget, for a moment, about the calorie count and the new digital scale under the sink. We dug deep into the recipe book and came up with a tantalizing buffet to satisfy every taste. We have a dash of danger, a handful - and then some - of sins, a pinch of intrigue and red-hot competition. There’s also a sprinkle of excess, a splash of exuberance for the perfect host, silver screen glamour and a healthy dose of passion in our new column “& Sex”. Quite simply, you can’t afford to miss the ESSENTIAL gourmet. Now go stuff yourself with the eye candy we’ve prepared for you!
Ferran Adrià vs Ronald MacDonald
How does arguably the world’s greatest chef, Ferran Adrià stack up against Ronald McDonald.
Who’s faster? Adrià developed the fast good concept. Healthy and cheap food
Ronald is the king of fast food
Marketing El Bulli, Adrià’s restaurant in Spain has been named best in the world since 2006
Ronald’s outlets are one of the most recognisable brands in the world
Role in a movie Adrià lent his voice to the Spanish version of Ratatouille (Adrià wins, the movie is better)
Ronald had a cartoon series about him.
Stars El Bulli has three Michelin stars (Adrià wins, Ronald would never get a star)
Who cares? Ronald sells hundreds of millions of burgers everyday
Food taste Adrià has fun deconstructing everything until a paella no longer looks like one but retains the taste
You don’t want to know what is in your burger as long as it tastes good
Fame Adrià has been on the covers of the New York Times, Le Monde and Time Magazine and does not spend millions on ads
Ronald loves being in the spotlight and spends billions on ads (Ronald looses, Adrià is the anti-hero that everyone wants to know about)
Irresistible Chefe of the century Joel Robuchon named Adrià his heir and successor in 1996
The very same Robuchon confessed he sometimes eats McNuggets and French fries with his grand-children
Because Ferran Adrià is just a ‘little’ man up against a money-making machine, he is the victor, we invite Ronald to learn a few of his recipes.
The Seven
Deadly Sins - a fine diner’s guide
We assume you have good table manners but if you have sinned, our confession box is open all hours Envy - Obsessing over anything other than your company. The other table may look more inviting but your guests should know their company makes up for any loss. Pride - Presuming to know better than the Chef. Don’t ruin his prima obra by emptying the salt shaker onto your plate. Gluttony - Eating too much too fast. The days of Caligula are long gone. Meals must be light to enjoy what’s coming next.
Greed - Bad tipping is worse than no tipping. If you had a memorable experience, let everyone know, including yourself. Lust - Choose, but wisely... Your choice of dish may very well reveal your desires. Hate* - Last minute cancellations. These will cause much grief to both the venue and your guests. Avoid at all costs.
Sloth - Reluctance to try new things. Make an effort to experiment with venues and new dishes or you’ll tire yourself and your guests.
* As a side note to Hate: smokers can be considered criminals in some venues and chefs have been known to severely harangue patrons who light up a cigar (even if it is a Churchill Cuban!).
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The ESSENTIAL eye candy: Each month we unveil something worthy of your cravings
Truffle gets first class treatment Despite the global financial meltdown, casino boss Stanley Ho Hung-sun splashed out upwards of MOP1.6 million at an international auction on an Italian white truffle weighing a little more than a kilogram. Simultaneously held in London, Abu Dhabi and Macau in November 2008 the auction saw Mr Ho open his wallet for a second truffle in 12 months. In 2007 he outbid the rich and
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Essential famous to land a 1.5 kilogram beast - considered one of the biggest found this century - for MOP2.5 million. As a result Macau is gaining a reputation as the truffle buying capital of the world, at least for now. The tuber auctioned in November was flown first class to Macau and Alfonso Iaccarino, the Italian Michelin starred chef, prepared a feast at the Grand Lisboa’s Don Alfonso’s restaurant. Crisis, what crisis?
Abalone
A gastropod mollusc, used fresh, canned, dried or salted in Asian cooking. Its shells are a source of mother-of-pearl and to taste a proper specimen a discerning diner usually needs a lot of money.
Blowtorch
Gas pistol commonly used for crême brulées, charring Mediterranean vegetables, searing and sealing meat, charring tomatoes and peppers for easy peeling. It can also be used as a defense weapon or to light stubborn cigars.
Zapper/ Nuker
The name most cooks give to that machine they hate, the microwave.
Legs
Legs are the viscous rivulets that run down the side of the glass after swirling or sipping, a mingling of glycerin and alcohol. It sounds very cool to say ‘your wine has a good legs….’
Scare the octopus!
Considered a delicacy in some Mediterranean countries, boiled octopus (with baked potatoes, paprika and olive oil) is cooked in a very particular way. It all begins by “scaring the octopus”. Usually cooked in a big copper pan (or even cauldrons), the raw octopus should be doused three times in boiling water. This will tease out the tentacles and ease the meat boiling process. Once the octopus is ‘scared’ you should put it in the pan again. Once cooked, take it out, cut it into thin slices, add the potatoes and cover everything with salt and paprika. One last important thing, it MUST be served on wood – NEVER on metal or porcelain.
Paella
Considered the most famous Spanish dish, a war over the origin of its name has been fought for years. While nowadays almost everyone calls the pan where the paella is cooked ‘paellera’, history tells us that ‘paella’ comes from the Latin ‘patella’ - an ancient name for ‘pan’. So it should have been ‘patellera’ instead… and... it is not the rice nor the other delicious ingredients which make for the finest paella, it’s the right pan. When ordering, try to come over all sophisticated by pronouncing it “pie-eia”.
Buffet
The modern buffet was developed in France in the 18th century. The term originally referred to the sideboard where the food was served. Buffets became popular in the English-speaking world in the second half of the nineteenth century. And in the Chinese-speaking world - particularly Hong Kong - it has become a competition to see who can pile the most food on a small plate.
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Each month ESSENTIAL interviews someone in the know, talking about what they do best. For Fine Dining, we searched for the most infamous creature we could find heading a kitchen.
Make-believe Master Chef Magnus McSpoon is one of the world’s most recognisable culinary celebrities. Never off the TV, his shows are always aired after the children are in bed because of his foul mouth. Here, with expletives deleted, he reveals all about his life in the kitchen. What attracted you to the food business, your foul language suggests you despise it? Easy. Where else could I make so much money meeting a basic human need ? I mean, just like people will always need shoes, they’ll always need to eat. Even better, people don’t need new shoes every day. What a business model!
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Do you eat your creations? You’re joking right? I just sell them. What do you want to achieve, then? A big fat bank account and a never-ending line up of young, nubile food groupies. I don’t cook to satisfy myself. I only care as long as my creations are edible. My patrons can judge for themselves. I could probably serve them a desert of raw eggs with coffee beans and dehydrated orange peel and it would still make page one of Cooking Today. The most important ingredient is price, expensive equals exotic in this game. Are you saying your food is overrated? Absolutely not. Can a Picasso or a Miró be overrated? It’s all in the eye of the beholder. You can look at their work as a random batch of colours, structures or loose images or a thing of beauty. But you can’t eat them, unless your mad. So the fine dining industry is a lie? Not at all! A huge amount of time and effort is spent in seeking out the right ingredients to satisfy the discerning palate. On top of this, menus are constantly changing.
Turning the raw materials into a dish that is easy on the eye and the stomach takes time and money. A lie is an untruth, a factoid which doesn’t exist. My creations are there on the plate, how can they be a lie? Can you justify those prices? Of course. Take my lentils stuffed with truffles and caviar. Truffles and caviar are extremely expensive, yes, but lentils are not. My assistants - often using mircoscopes - work for hours on them. Isn’t it wonderful to eat lentils that taste like truffles and caviar? Even if you don’t like the outcome, you won’t forget it. This experience ought to be paid for. When did you start cooking? I was a very bad student. I left school at 15. My goal was to be rich and famous and one day I saw a TV show on luxury products and the wonderful world of haute cuisine opened up in front of me. I now sell pans, get paid for opening cooking schools and own several big houses - and all because I mastered the art of small portions and big prices. Where did you learn to cook? At home, watching my mother - like everyone else. Sad thing is mothers never get the credit they deserve. My mother developed 800 ways of cooking the same vegetable so that each time it was served up you were never absolutely sure what you were eating. That is a rare skill. I’ve simply developed it to cover all food types, and placed a diamond on the side.
Magnus McSpoon is renowned for his peculiar and creative recipes. His vocabulary consists primarly of the F-word and he claims to have kicked a life-long heroin and cocaine habit, however, still manages to “work’’ 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Having worked with some of the world’s best gastronomists, he now ignores them in the pursuit of small, expensive and unrecognisable dishes.
For that crowning glory, just clap your hands… The traditional butler is often seen as the epitome of personalised ser vice, but at Crown Macau something quite different is on offer. Their core philosophy is to offer an exceptionally friendly and impeccably personalised service a niche only a few have developed in Macau. Because their efforts are concentrated on the Asian VIP junket sector, they promise to go wherever necessary to enhance their position in the market. So, how do they do it? General manager for F&B Mark Brugger explained the lengths to which they will go, at a price no doubt. “Occasionally, we do have special guests looking for bottles of fine vintages such as magnums of Chateau Cheval-Blanc 1947, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1949. Once, one of them wanted a DRC Romanee Conti 1990 of which there are only 4,000 bottles produced each year, with only a couple of hours’ notice. This is impossible to get in Macau, so we checked with vendors among Hong Kong’s private collectors and sent someone in a helicopter to bring it back. This is the level of service we want to sustain, not only for the sake of our property, but also the overall development of Macau’s hospitality industry,” he says. Can you think of something you want them to get to you?
ESSENTIAL Japanese You can eat sushi with your hands, but NEVER sashimi. Find out more about the Nipponic gastronomic jewel
Sashimi it straight From New York to Singapore and Las Vegas to Macau, everyone knows chef Hirofumi Imamura.
Chef de cuisine at Wynn Macau’s Japanese Okada restaurant, Hiro began his career as a line cook at Kawashou, one of the most renowned Sushi Kappo restaurants in Japan and was chef at Waketokuyama in Tokyo, a restaurant founded by mega-cooking star Hiromitsu Nozaki. After a decade on the go, he ended up mastering traditional Japanese cooking methods and gaining a license for handling blowfish. Since ESSENTIAL wanted to know more about sashimi, who better than chef Hiro to give us the lowdown? What is the best way to prepare sashimi, must the fish be alive? Freshness is extremely important. Skill in cutting fish is also very important as it affects the quality, freshness and taste of the sashimi, as does draining the blood immediately. Finally, the best way to cut the fish is with a sharp knife made from hard steel. With white meat fish, cut the meat and then refrigerate it for 2-3 hours. This technique helps the meat release amino acids, which enhances the taste. For blue skinned fish, it is best to kill it immediately and eat it right away, as the meat is easily damaged.
How can a diner best enjoy sashimi and what drink best compliments it? The best way to enjoy sashimi is with lemon and salt, but this really depends on the type of fish you are having. For example, blue skinned fish doesn’t go with lemon. Normally chefs will provide guests with recommendations on the best way to enjoy the sashimi. If you are enjoying the fish with wasabi, the wasabi should not go in the soy sauce, as this affects the wasabi’s flavour. Instead, the wasabi goes on top of the sashimi and then the fish should be dipped in the soy sauce. If you are having sake with your sashimi, the best type is sake with a smooth fragrance.
Wasabi
A piquant paste made from the grated root of the wasabi plant. Real wasabi (hon-wasabi) is Wasabi japonica. Hon-wasabi has anti-microbial properties and may reduce the risk of food poisoning. The traditional grating tool for wasabi is a sharkskin grater or samegawa oroshi. Mix it with soy sauce at your own risk since it’s the chef who’s holding all the knives.
Utensils for preparing sushi:
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Fukin: Kitchen cloth | Hangiri: Rice barrel Oshizushihako: a mold used to make oshizushi Ryoribashi: Cooking chopsticks
It’s not wine and it’s not beer either - it’s something else all together. Sake is a 6,800 year old beverage made from four main ingredients: rice, water, yeast and koji, an enzyme that converts starch into sugar, and imparts a distinct flavour. An all-natural rice-based fermented alcoholic beverage, sake is essentially brewed like beer but the end product is served like wine, with tasting characteristics and alcohol content very similar to wine. Hot or cold? Full. Sake can be enjoyed either way depending on why and what kind you’re drinking. Read on... Kinds? There are several styles of saké, from dry to sweet, from delicate to robust, just as there are different styles of white grape based wines. Main Course? Saké is no longer just for sushi. It pairs well with fish, chicken, pasta, and pork. Sweeter sake is a great foil for spicy food and is wonderful with desserts, especially berries and chocolate. Robust sakes have sufficient flavour and body to stand up to light beef dishes. Cheers? The correct expression while toasting with sake is “Kampai!” We guarantee you won’t forget after your first drinking session. Toxic? Alcohol content varies from 13% to 16%. Better aged? Short answer, no. Long answer: there’s an ultra-premium kind of sake (Daiginjo) that is aged. The good stuff? Daiginjo, or ultra-premium sake uses a special sake rice that has been milled to less than 50% of the original kernel size, special rice koji and yeast, and the brewing process is even more refined at each stage. Many of the flavour differentiators are quite subtle. Story? Sake-making implements have been discovered in the Yangtze River Valley in China dating back to 4800 BC – that’s more or less when nomadic man was settling down. A theory (our favourite) holds that the reason for man to settle down was to grow rice so he could enjoy sake on a regular basis!
Sashimi
Not to be confused, taken for, or mistaken with sushi. A speciality of Japanese cuisine, fresh fish served raw. The fish, which must be totally fresh, is sliced paper thin or alternately one-quarter to one-half inches (0.75–1.5 centimetres) thick, cubed, or cut in strips, according to the nature of the fish. Sashimi is always part of a formal Japanese meal, served early while the palate is still clear in order for its nuances to be appreciated. Popular cuts include salmon, squid, shrimp, tuna, mackerel, octopus, yellowtail and the infamous puffer fish Fugu.
Sushi
Much more then sashimi w/ rice. A staple rice dish of Japanese cuisine, consisting of cooked vinegared rice with and a variety of vegetables, egg, or raw seafood garnishes and served cold. There are various types of sushi: served rolled inside nori (dried and pressed layer sheets of seaweed or algae) called makizushi or rolls; sushi made with toppings laid with hand-formed clumps of rice called nigirizushi; toppings stuffed into a small pouch of fried tofu called inarizushi and toppings served scattered over a bowl of sushi rice called chirashi-zushi.
Tekkamaki
There are dozens of types of sushi depending on the presentation, technique, or ingredient. Tekkamaki, for example, is a kind of Hosomaki – a small cylindrical piece with the nori (seaweed/ algae) on the outside – filled with raw tuna. While some argue that the name “Tekka”, meaning ‘red hot iron’, alludes to the color of the tuna flesh, it is believed it actually originated as a quick snack to eat in gambling dens called “Tekkaba”, much like the western sandwich.
Makisu: Bamboo rolling mat | Shamoji: Wooden rice paddle Makiyakinabe: Rectangular omelet pan | Oshizushihako: a mold used to make oshizushi Hocho: Kitchen knives ix
Want to know where to take your date for that first night out and guarantee a happy ending? Read on. Afraid you’ll upset the delicate palate of your business contact? Read on. Feeling adventurous or into the hard-core table stuff? We’ll keep you right…
Imperial Court Chinese Cuisine One Michelin star
Cosy Imperial Court offers very high quality traditional Chinese style food. Famous Hong Kong chef, Chow Chong, lends the knowledge and Macau-based sous chef Louie Wong takes the reigns in the kitchen. Recently awarded one Michelin star it will surely become one of the ‘it’ establishments in town. Service can be very slow and sometimes not what you expect from a great restaurant. Appetizers range from MOP$80 to MOP$488. Its Chinese barbecue and cold dish selection start at MOP$68. The menu is composed of over 100 items and some can be over MOP$1000. It is a safe bet...if time is on your side. MGM Grand, Macau Tel: 853 8802 8888 Daily 12:00 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:00
Robuchon a Galera French cuisine Three Michelin stars
This is Macau’s most exclusive restaurant. Joel Robuchon, once labelled ‘chef of the century’ by Gault Millau Guide in 1990, flies in at least four times a year to supervise changes in the menu in his ‘house’. Its haute cuisine is served in the surroundings of conservative European décor by a small group of extremely attentive staff. Its wine list was awarded the first ‘Grand Award’ by Wine Spectator and offers more than 3,000 labels and its cheese and dessert trolleys are as famous as its main courses. Be ready to spend a few thousand per person for a complete meal with wine. You won’t regret it. 3/F Hotel Lisboa, Macau Tel: 853 2837 7666 Daily 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30
Don Alfonso Italian cuisine
Close your eyes and savour ‘real’ Italian food flown in from Alfonso Iaccarino’s farm in the south of Italy. The Michelin starred chef’s menu can make you cry. Though very pricey, Don Alfonso offers set-lunches for less than MOP$500, a great opportunity for a first trial, and its wine list, 3,300 labels-strong, borrows from Robuchon A Galera as well as from the finest Italian wines. It is a perfect place for business meetings or lovers’ special moments. The staff are extremely attentive and the selection of little breads is a great way to start your experience. 3/F Grand Lisboa, Macau Tel: 853 8803 7722 Daily 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 23:00
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exquisite food Just when you thought you had tried everything?
For those in search of the ultimate taste
Fish with chocolate
The pan-fried wild turbot fish is presented bedded in slightly fried chopped eggplant with three dressings, pure dark chocolate, cocoa powder and eggplant puree topped with Madagascar vanilla stick and a Japanese flower. Made to order, you can find this delicacy at Don Alfonso. 3/F Grand Lisboa, Macau Tel: 853 8803 7722 Daily 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 23:00
For those who think life is an adventure to be lived to the fullest
Blowfish sushi
Ying
Chinese Cuisine One Michelin star Traditionally, Crown Macau offers excellent service and high quality gourmet food for very reasonable prices. Chef Tam Kwok Fung, former executive chef at the Peninsula in Bangkok and Gold Medal winner at the fifth World Championship of Chinese Cooking, was given the green light to create and import whatever organic produces he desired for his kitchen. The result is traditional Chinese dishes, including rural recipes, recreated in full. 11/F Crown Macau, Taipa, Macau Tel: 853 2888 0156 Daily 11:30 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30
The ideal gourmet meal in Japan, the Fugu (Japanese for blowfish) requires a licensed chef to prepare and often ambulances can be seen outside fancy restaurants “just in case” there is a little problem. Blowfish can be fatal if cut in the wrong way giving the chance for its poison to spread across its meat. Wynn Macau’s Okada’s chef, Hirofumi Imamura, is one of the few licensed blowfish experts. You can call and order in advanced at Okada. G/F, Wynn Macau, Macau Tel: 853 8986 3668 Daily 17:30 - 00:30
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Dinner and a
ESSENTIAL presents the popular date format, with a culinary twist. We’re even throwing in some freebie advice on whether to watch the movie before or after the meal - just to avoid, let’s say, any unpleasantness... Gangster, best
The Godfather (1972)
Michael, still a civilian, agrees to avenge an attempt on his father’s life. A meeting is set at a local restaurant, famed for its veal. Michael excuses himself in the middle of the meal, goes to the bathroom, collects a snub-nosed pistol, re-enters the restaurant, and assassinates two men thus taking his first step towards becoming the head of the Corleones family. After dinner Eccentric
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
While an old flick, it introduced the audience to the more eccentric cuisines around the world. Who doesn’t remember the scene where Indiana and Wilhelmina are presented with a feast of monkey brains in the black temple? At least those monkeys were already dead, in China you eat them alive! After dinner
Caligula
Caligula (1979)
This chap redefined how to throw a feast in pagan Rome so we gave him his own title. The flick is among the most controversial to ever grace the silver screen and thus a must see! Also known as “the emperor who devoured Rome” he revealed some gripping
Prelude
9 1/2 Weeks (1986)
To brush up on your prelude techique, dust off your copy of 9 1/2 Weeks (it’s around, somewhere). The scene with a young Kim Bassinger in front of the refrigerator being hand fed will bring back the dominant/ submissive roles in you. Ingredients to have on hand: grapes, cherries, strawberries, jelly, honey, peppers and whatever else you have in the fridge. Don’t forget the ice cubes. Before dinner
Foreign dialogue
Eat Drink Man Woman, 1994
Group therapy
Like Water for Chocolate, 1992
Young Tita, charged with taking care of her mother instead of marrying the man she loves, Pedro, finds a way to share her affection and desire for him at the dinner table while giving everyone a taste of her quail in rose petal sauce. After dinner
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Master Chef Chu lives in a large house in Taipei with his three unmarried daughters, Jia-Jen, a chemistry teacher who has converted to Christianity, JiaChien, an airline executive, and Jia-Ning, a student who also works in a fast food restaurant. Life in the house revolves around the ritual of an elaborate dinner each Sunday, and the love lives of all the family members. “Eat, drink, man, woman. Basic human desires. Can’t avoid them. All my life, that’s all I’ve ever done. It pisses me off. Is that all there is to life?” asks Chu. Yup. After dinner
Food & SEX
Gangster, runner up
Goodfellas, (1990)
This flick shows the intimate relationship between the mob and their food. While in prison, the boys prepare sumptuous meals with smuggled ingredients. Paulie was known for using a strait razor to slice garlic paper thin which would liquify in the pan while Vinnie would always use too many onions. Definitely before dinner
Obsession
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Yeah, Tim Burton did a great job of the remake in 2005, and we know how they react to Johnny Depp on the big screen but, an original is an original. And the punch line, just before the closing credits is too sweet to miss: Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted. Charlie Bucket: What happened? Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after. After dinner
The plot thickens
The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Too many great scenes in a great film. Besides the breaks in the cellar between meals, there is this one particularly vivid scene where the husband, told about his wife’s indiscretions, sticks a fork in the neck of his henchmen’s girl. Dare we say during dinner?
Choice
Woman on Top (2000)
Some people never truly appreciate what they have until it’s gone. Not us. We’d be OK with Penelope either way: topside/ backside/ sideways, her choice... is there a best side? or a best scene? We’d take it all, the red pepper, everything. After dinner
Cucumber salad anyone? The ancient Greeks and Romans pioneered the parade of food before engaging in even more sensual pleasures, a practice that has endured the centuries. This ritual holds that the more phallic the food, the greater its power as an aphrodisiac. This leads us nicely to the world of vegetables. Most noteably cucumbers, carrots, eggplants and asparagus, or in some cases, mushrooms. Whether you agree with their qualities as aphrodisiacs, when engaged in lovemaking, there is no argument over your need for the nutrients and resultant energy they provide. Less phallic vegetables like tomatoes or avocados are major key-players in this sensuous game of loving and eating. Tomatoes or “love apples’’ are a powerful antioxidant – a much sought after libido enhancer. The more you eat them, the more “sensitive’’ you become. By replacing tomatoes with fruit an erotic feast can be conjured up. Meals rich in fruit and vegetables keep your organ(s) in tip-top condition. Then comes the avocado which is not only ideal for home made spa skin treatments, its sensual creamy texture is a powerhouse for stimulation. The reputation of Truffles as love enhancers, like that of abalone, oysters, scallops or lobsters is often overstated usually because of the price. Sea fruits are also known to enhance performance. Rich in zinc - a sexual nutrient (I zinc I love you) – they are a must when it comes to hormone production in both sexes. If you can’t afford such pleasures, bet on proteins to help your muscle(s) along. Making love burns calories and often knee caps, so you might want to be well stocked up on lean meats and make pine nuts and pumpkin seeds part of you love fantasies. And maybe a pillow or two.
A Racy recipe Secret ingredient
Chocolat, (2000)
Vianne offers Yvette a handfull of unrefined cacao nips from Guatemala to awaken her husband’s passions. After noting the effect Yvette runs back to Vianne’s shop and the following memorable dialogue unfolds: Yvette Marceau: Do you have more of those bean thingies, please? Vianne Rocher: Oh, sure. Um... How many do you want? Yvette Marceau: How many have you got? Obviously after dinner
Fill a bowl with cucumber, a creamy avocado, mushrooms, other phallic veggies and some cold lobster. Add a touch of freshly squeezed fruit juice and some nuts. Finally, take some lean meat and wait for the right person to come…
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MINE HOST
Throwing a bash ‘chez vous’? We bring you the ESSENTIAL choices that will have your guests eating out out of your hands
ESSENTIAL dinnerware
by Bernardaud Babylone. Like to wear haute couture? Why not dress your table the same way? Bernardaud’s Babylone Cobalt-incrustation made partly of gold and limoges porcelain will do the trick. Each order takes three to six months to deliver. Each plate goes for MOP12,000 (you make the calculations for a full eight person set). For this you have to cross over to the other side: available in The World of Joyce or Seibu in Hong Kong.
ESSENTIAL silver flatware by Puiforcat. Founded in 1820, the silver manufacturer from Paris stamps its sterling with the Drench Minerve 950 mark. A 170 piece complete Cannes model fish and meat dinner set for six can be yours for up to MOP1,500,000 - yes 1.5 Mil. You can find Puiforcat at MGM Grand.
ESSENTIAL corkscrew
By Sveid. Only custom made by order, this corkscrew comes with a personalised presentation box. The corkscrew is partly made of aviation titanium and the tip can be made of platinum or standard 18K gold with a choice of wood and colour of the chagreen that lines the box. Starting price? a measly MOP420,000 (sveid.com).
ESSENTIAL blades
by William Henry. This set of knives is made from 45 layers of stainless steel bound together in wave Damascus wood. Each USmade Maestro’s Culinary knife set costs around MOP20,000. They are now a rarity as they are no longer produced.(available in Hong Kong at Supreme Co., garyc@supremeco.com.hk).
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ESSENTIAL Caviar
by Chefs Garden. The Australian supplier of prime ingredients to local kitchens can fix you up with some extravagant items: for HK$565 they can get you a 300g net jar of Salmon Caviar from the Yarra Valley - who also make an exquisite Truffle Infused Honey (HK$830) for the sweet tooth. If you’re into veggies, pick up a box of super rare and ancient species of South American cucumbers, Pepquiño, and a bucket of Persian Fetta Cheese (HK$574 for 3.3 kilos) for your king salads.
ESSENTIAL aperitif
The Lisboa Complex Aveninda de Lisboa, Macau Tel: 2888 3888 frontoffice@hotelisboa.com
Ar
und Town
By Summergate. Any host will try and seduce his guests as soon as they step through the door. Avoid the “what’s your poison” line and impress everyone by offering a tulip of ice breaking elixir: Delamain é de la Famille Grande Champagne Cognac (MOP 4,500), an exceedingly rare, unblended, singlecask Cognac distilled by one grower in the village of St.-Preuil, First released in 1984, it is the epitome of the Delamain style. Any connoisseur will recognise the bottle, appropriately dressed with a handmade, pure hemp paper label produced at the Moulin du Verger near Angoulâme. If they don’t, you do, so take comfort in its extraordinary delicacy in a rich, full flavoured cognac, floral spice aromas give way to complex scents of underwood, raisins, vanilla, licorice and honey. Aged 15 years by the grower and 40 in Delamain’s cellars, it has achieved a natural alcoholic content of 43 percent from 55 years in a cask, the strength at which it is bottled, undiluted. As you might have noticed, we like it so make sure we’re on the guest list!
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ESSENTIAL goblet
by Saint-Louis. Born of a fireball and shaped by the breath of men. What else would you want from a perfect drinking glass? The tradition started in 1586 but in 1767, almost two centuries after its foundation, Louis XV of France named the Muntzthal glassworks in Lorraine, France, the Verrerie Royale de Saint-Louis. Its crystal creations are works of art. Each goblet costs more than MOP3,000 but will surely make you sparkle in the dark (available at MGM Grand).
ESSENTIAL Balcon du Guadalquivir
by Hermès. You can never have enough Hermès limoges porcelain around the house, be it an ashtray - MOP4,000 upwards - or a complete dinner set. Be prepared to wait a few weeks depending on your order (available at DFS Shoppes at The Four Seasons).
L, for Lisboa; X for xcelent; G for gourmet; 2 for the nonidentical two towers. We call it the Lisboa Complex, the ‘original’ Hotel Lisboa (a much preferable term to the unintentionaly negative ‘old’) together with the spanking new Grand Lisboa Hotel. An aerial passage joins the two so you can avoid the crowded streets and the gaming tables on the ground floor. The Lisboa experience features 33 eateries, nine of which have been reviewed by the new Macau dedicated Michelin Guide. Inside you can find something for any occassion and every budget. The Cantonese array covers everything from high-end fine dining – at either the recommended ‘Tim’s Kitchen’ or ‘The Eight 8’ – to the casual ‘Noodle & Congee Corner’. For Japanese, there’s the ‘New Furusato’ (although we preferred the ‘original’ its still pretty good) and the Mediterranean pallets is catered for by D. Alfonso, arguably the best Italian in town. And, the crown jewel, the cherry on top, and the only Three Starred Michelin Master Chef (he’s definitely worth the capital letters), Robuchon a Galera, where you “eat superbly” and the “distinctive dishes are precisely executed, using superlative ingredients” (that’s what the guide says and we concur: it’s an experience worth the detour, even if you’re stopping over from Dubai). Even if you’ve only heard about Macau and never set foot here, you should know how to find the Lisboa(s). In Macau, all roads lead to the casinos, and the Lisboa is, and always will be, the original. xv
ESSENTIAL
àRolodexlaof where-to-eat-and-spend carte
Aux Beaux Arts
Imperial Court
MGM Grand, Macau Tel: 853 8802 8888 12:00 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:00
2/F Hotel Lisboa, Tel: 853 2888 3888 12:00 - 22:30
Camões
Inagiku
Okada
Canton
Kira
Portas do Sol
Tim’s Kitchen
Red 8
The Eight
Rossio
Robuchon A Galera
Square 8
ROKA
Tenmasa
Ying
MGM Grand, Macau Tel: 853 8802 8888 18:00 - 23:00 Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, Macau Tel: 853 2872 8818 12:30 - 23:00 The Venetian, Taipa, Macau Tel: 853 8118 9930 10:00 - 23:00
Clube Militar de Macau 975 Av. da Praia Grande, Macau Tel: 853 2871 4000 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 23:00
Don Alfonso Macau 1890 3/F Grand Lisboa, Macau Tel: 853 8803 7722 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 23:00
Fernando’s
StarWorld Hotel, Macau Tel: 853 2838 3838 12:00 - 14:30, 18:00 - 23:30 10/F Crown Macau, Taipa, Macau Tel: 853 2886 8868 18:00 - 23:30
Kwun Hoi Heen
3/F The Westin Resort, Coloane, Macau Tel: 853 2887 1111 11:00 - 23:00
La Paloma
2/F Pousada de S. Tiago, Macau Tel: 853 2837 8111 12:00 - 22:30
9 Hac Sa Beach, Coloane Island, Macau Tel: 853 2888 2264 12:00 - 21:30
Morton’s of Chicago
Il Teatro
NAAM Thai Restaurant
1/F Wynn Macau, Macau Tel: 853 8986 3648 17:30 - 00:30
The Venetian, Taipa, Macau Tel: 853 8117 5000 17:30 - 22:00 G/F Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Macau Tel: 853 8793 4818 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30
New Furusato
G/F, Wynn Macau, Macau Tel: 853 8986 3668 17:30 - 00:30 2/F Hotel Lisboa, Macau Tel: 853 2888 3888 12:00 - 22:30 G/F Wynn Macau, Macau Tel: 853 8986 3663 24 Hours MGM Grand, Macau Tel: 853 8802 8888 11:30 - 14:30, 18:00 - 23:00 MGM Grand, Macau Tel: 853 8802 8888 24 hours 11/F Crown Macau, Taipa, Macau Tel: 853 8803 6611 11:30 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30
2/F Grand Lisboa Hotel, Macau Tel: 853 2828 3838 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30 2/F Grand Lisboa Hotel, Macau Tel: 853 2828 3838 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30 3/F Hotel Lisboa, Macau Tel: 853 2837 7666 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30 The Venetian, Taipa, Macau Tel: 852 2882 5666 12:00 - 23:00 11/F Crown Macau, Taipa, Macau Tel: 853 2888 0156 11:30 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30
Listing of the
ESSENTIAL shopping arcades and where to find them:
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The Shoppes at The Four Seasons
Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian
Inter linked with The Venetian and set within the Four Seasons Macau, The Shoppes at Four Seasons houses more then 160 designer and luxury brands. The mall is renowned for high-end limited edition shopping, opulent surrounds and Asia’s only Möet Bar and DFS Galleria. The bespoke image consulting service, along with the option of a personal shopper and limousine service, enables visitors to The Four Seasons a stylish and luxurious way to shop for the latest trends. Call for bookings. Mon - Thu: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Fri - Sun: 10:00 AM – midnight (853 8117 7800 shoppesatfourseasons.com)
With more than one million square feet to stroll away, you’re bound to find something to bring back home to the Christmas Tree from The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian. More then 350 internationally renowned stores, offer some of the best in fashion, jewelry, accessories, gifts, services and sporting goods, all under the trademarked theme blue sky. Mon - Thu: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Fri - Sun: 10:00 AM – midnight (853 2882 8888 venetianmacao.com)
Esplanade at Wynn
Mandarin Oriental
Housing an exclusive selection of luxury boutiques in an elegant and tasteful setting, the Wynn Esplanade is a transcendent shopping experience which caters to the most discerning tastes. From the plush décor and design, to the careful selection of premium brands and attention to detail, the Wynn Esplanade blends seamlessly with Wynn’s spectacular entertainment and dining, creating an unforgettable shopping experience. Daily 10:00 am – 12:00 am (853 2888 9966 wynnmacau.com)
The first, and for a very long time the only, shopping arcade in Macau featuring international labels. Conveniently located in the heart of the Peninsula, the Mandarin Oriental arcade offers shoppers an outstanding array of high end luxury brands in a superb setting. The cosy atmosphere and the exclusive selection more than make up for the limited number of shops. Daily 10:00 am – 11:00 pm (853 8793 3261 mandarinoriental.com/macau)