At Bella Taipa in Macau, tuck into authentic Italian fare

Taipa is known for the Cotai Strip where flashing lights and grand hotel complexes dominate the skyline. However, behind the glitter and glamour is Taipa Village, or Taipa old town, whose narrow streets with traditional gas lamps alongside quaint multi-storey residential buildings give visitors a glimpse of what Macau used to be like before its economic boom.

Located smack in the middle of Taipa Village, Bella Taipa is under the command of Tuscan chef Jonathan Dominguez, who happens to be the first member of the Italian Chef Federation (F.I.C.) in Macau, so diners can look forward to superb, authentic fare.

Like all other establishments accommodated in the small houses of Taipa, the premises are quaint and allow for only three or four tables per floor. If you’re able to get a table on the rooftop on a clear day, then you’re in luck.

We start our lunch with a lobster salad with tomato, fresh basil, red onions and pine nuts. The crustacean flesh is tender albeit slightly stringy but it’s soaked with the right balance of dressing and infused with the tangy flavour of tomatoes and basil. This was followed by risotto with scampi and orange cream, smoked with prosecco. The citrus notes go amazingly well with the seafood and the fragrant aromas of the smoking process pair well with the rice, making the carb the focus of the dish.

The star of the meal was the whole Italian fresh sea bass baked in salt with asparagus. The fish has a silky smooth texture and the salt lingers on the palate, enhancing the sweetness of the fresh produce.