A Lorcha, Macau.

May 24, 2009 at 2:12 am · Filed under Eating Out, Food, HK & Macau, non-halal, Travel

I have heard of A Lorcha even before I arrived in Macau. Reputed to be one of the best Portugeuse/Macanese restaurants in Macau, one had to make a reservation to get a table. “A Lorcha” actually means a light Chinese sailing vessel, combining the best of both Chinese and European influences as it looks the latter, but is rigged like a Chinese junk. We spotted the restaurant with its sailing vessel illustrations as we were walking from our hotel towards A-Ma Temple and decided to try our luck. As it was already past lunch hour, we managed to get a table after a very short wait. And every table in the tiny restaurant was filled and the chatter of conversation was all we could hear.

The interior is a bit tight, but very cosy. And as we were one of the late lunchers, we managed to get a glimpse of an empty restaurant as we were leaving.

The complimentary bread rolls were frankly, quite a delight. Served warm, it was crusty yet pillowy-soft inside, it was perfect to mop up any sauces of any dish.

We had a salad to share and it was drenched in olive oil, which reminds me of the yummy Greek salads my uni housemate used to make. Generous amounts of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and olives maketh the crisp and fresh salad.

We had a portion of clams in white wine and I enjoyed dipping the bread into the broth. Bit too much parsley for a non-lover like me but still tasty with the sweetness of the clams.

Seeing how Bacalhau dishes is typically Portuguese, decided to try that. Bacalhau is normally referred to salt cod, or rather cod fish which has been dried and re-hydrated before being cooked. Served with a side serving of fresh salad and boiled spud, the fish was also topped with garlic slices. The fish itself still retained some of its saltiness, which was balanced by the potato therefore shedding light on the reason why the potato is used as a common accompaniment to the fish. The taste can be a tad strong if it’s your first time, so ordering the codfish cakes (bolinhos de bacalhau) would probably be a gentler introduction to the salt cod.

It was a really filling meal and we didn’t get to try other Portuguese favourites that were highly recommended such as the African chicken, or Rissois de Camarao (crescent-shaped shrimp parcels) etc. so another visit? Hehe. That seems to be my favourite line for Macau these days…

A Lorcha 船屋葡國餐廳
289, Rua do Almirante Sergio
Macau.
澳門河邊新街289號
Open: Wed-Mon 12:30-3pm and 6:30-11pm

other reviews;
– oh sirin…eating out loud
– chowhound
– jules eating guide to Malaysia

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