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Lai Heen at The Ritz-Carlton Macau balances Cantonese authenticity with innovation

  • Sensational dim sum and other traditional dishes get international treatment with gourmet ingredients

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Lai Heen at The Ritz-Carlton Macau is a well-appointed Michelin-starred restaurant.

The signature Cantonese restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Macau has recently launched a new menu featuring authentic yet innovative dishes created by new chef Jackie Ho Hong-sing, who has more than four decades of culinary experience in the world of Cantonese cuisine.

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We started with some dim sum at the well-appointed Michelin-starred restaurant. The deep-fried Iberico pork dumpling with shrimp and egg yolk was airy outside, tender and juicy inside; the crispy spring roll filled with shredded chicken, taro and mushroom in black truffle sauce was appetising, light and crunchy, with a pleasant nutty flavour from the black truffle sauce; and the steamed codfish dumpling with shrimp, cuttlefish mousse and vegetables had good umami flavours.

We then tried several of the restaurant’s signature dishes.

Lai Heen pan-seared superior bird's nest with crab meat
Lai Heen pan-seared superior bird's nest with crab meat

Next, we had stewed prawns with port wine sauce in a casserole – a twist of a traditional Cantonese dish that features oysters. Instead of oysters, the chef used prawns from Vietnam and cooked it with the sweet Portuguese wine, which added a nice fragrance to the delectable dish.

The flavoursome deep-fried codfish fillet with crispy garlic, inspired by the iconic Hong Kong delicacy crispy garlic crab, was our favourite. The codfish from France was smooth, the crispy garlic adding a golden crust and a rich taste to the dish.

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We wrapped up our meal with simmered free-range chicken with jade whelk and lemongrass in a casserole. The chicken was tender and juicy, and the lemongrass brought a Southeast Asian touch to the dish.

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