Estabelecimento De Comidas King 帝皇樓 (Macau)
The typhoon signal was hoisted and predicted to hit 8-9 when we arrived on Tuesday 13th August 2013. The chauffer warned us that ferry services may stop operation should we want to go to Hong Kong the next day. JJ and I told him we had no such intentions. That said, even in Macau, our outing would be limited to very few places (no more than 3) because of the domino effect; floods and thus traffic jams. Our dinners would be confined to the best Cantonese restaurant that happens to be in our vicinity until JJ and I rebelled on the eve of our departure. We sneaked out on our own by cab, to savour a hotpot dinner which JJ had always wanted to go.
Our gracious host had Estabelecimento De Comidas King 帝皇樓 prepare our dinner for 3 nights. Signatures items were dished out. Little did I know they were cooked by 2-starred-Michelin Chef Cheng Kam Fu. I only knew that the food tasted great and made compliments. Only then was I introduced to the Chief Chef whom many affectionately called Fu Ge (福哥 – brother Fu). To call someone brother (哥) when there’s no blood relations is a sign of respect to the addressed party. And the humorous Chief Chef Cheng, erm… Fu Ge has certainly earned mine.
As I was doing this post, I was afraid you might become nauseaus with the amount of food we had but do keep in mind they were for about 10 adults over two meals. Let’s take a look…
Estabelecimento De Comidas King Restaurant (帝皇樓) offers a wide range of alcoholic beverages.
This was the private room where we had our meals.
Soup is always served first or after the small eats and we had several types, all nutritious with Chinese herbs and cooked according to traditions.
The soup trolley.
Most Cantonese style soup requires long hours of cooking or double boiling.
Arrowroot Soup 粉葛湯.
This tuber is very much like a big sweet potato with radish like flesh. It is is high in protein and fiber. In the Chinese yin and yang category, this soup is considered neutral and is refreshingly sweet in taste.
Arrowroot Soup 粉葛湯.
Cooked for hours till the creamy flesh of the roots absorbed the colours of the beans and bones. We usually separate the ingredients from the soup so the broth remains clear.
Can you guess what this soup was?
鸡鲍翅 Superior Sharksfin Soup in whole Chicken.
According to Wikipedia: Chinese culture has lauded shark fins alleged properties to boost sexual potency, enhance skin quality, increase one’s qi or energy, prevent heart disease, and lower cholesterol. It is alleged in old Chinese medical books that shark fins helps in areas of rejuvenation, appetite enhancement, blood nourishment and is beneficial to vital energy, kidneys, lungs, bones and many other parts of the body. It contains slightly more iron, zinc, riboflavin, and phosphorus than normal vegetable soup.
More Soups (Click to view description).
My publicity shy HK girlfriend.
The not so shy me 😉
Appetizers that we called “small eats – 小吃” (click for larger view and description).
Chinese Style Black Pepper Beef Steak – for lack of vocabulary, Iet’s just say it will “moo” in your ears.
九肚魚 literally translated to 9 stomach fish. It’s kind of small white fleshed and very sweet tender fish filleted.
Crispy Chicken Wings stuffed with Imperial Bird’s Nest is one of Fu Ge’s signature dishes. Macau Pataca (MOP) is the official Macau currency and each wing cost MOP120 minimum two wings per order.
Crispy Chicken Wings with Birs’s Nest and Steamed Baby Lobster.
Steamed Baby Lobster in soya sauce topped with crispy fried Garlic and Scallions.
Steamed Baby Lobster.
The white-pink-tinged flesh of these babies were lean, firm yet delicate and very tasty indeed.
Steamed live fish is a must-have whenever there’s a celebration at a Chinese dinner. Fish signifies 年年有鱼/余, meaning there’s always extra or abundance in life. By the way, the best part of the fish is the cheeks!
And to serve two at one table is VIP treatment.
Steamed Live Red (Star) Garoupa 清蒸红星斑
Steamed Live Rose Fish 清蒸玫瑰魚
龙胆魚 literally translated to Dragon’s Liver Fish is any giant sized fish particularly from the garoupa family.
I doubt this fish was live as the other two above, most probably chilled, but nevertheless the flesh was very tender and sweet. One has to be very careful for fear of easily accidentally swallowing the bones along with the slippery smooth flesh.
Crispy Roast Chicken is actually deep-fried and we eat them dipped with flavoured salt and black vinegar.
Pipa Tofu.
This dish is so called because the mashed tofu is shaped like a pipa, a musical instrument known as the Chinese four-stringed lute.
Beef Brisket casserole stewed with Tendons and Radish.
The bland radish had absorbed the sweet meaty flavours and the gravy was good on rice.
The manager was announcing she’s ready to serve. What’s cooking?
Spiny Sea Cucumber
Most cultures in East and Southeast Asia regard sea cucumbers as a delicacy. There are a number of dishes made with sea cucumber as this ingredient is expected to have a strong cultural emphasis on health.
Sea cucumbers destined for food are traditionally harvested by hand from small watercraft; a process anglicised into “trepanging” (after the Indonesian noun trepang). They are dried for preservation purposes and have to be rehydrated by boiling and soaking in water for several days. They are mainly used as an ingredient in Chinese cuisine soups or stews. It is typically used in Chinese cuisines.
The Asian market for sea cucumber is estimated to be US$60 million. The dried form account for 95% of the sea cucumber traded annually in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, and Japan.
There is a fresh form and there is a dried form. Both the fresh and dried form are used for cooking. The taste is described as “tasteless and bland”. Individually, the dried form is also used for traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese folk belief attributes male sexual health and aphrodisiac qualities to the sea-cucumber, as it physically resembles a phallus, and uses a defence mechanism similar to ejaculation as it stiffens and squirts a jet of water at the aggressor. It is also considered a restorative for tendonitis and arthritis. ~ Information credit: Wikipedia
Braised Spiny Sea Cucumber with Duck’s Web and served with Bok Choy.
Eight Jewel Duck also known as Eight Treasures Duck 八宝鸭.
The ingredients stuffed inside the duck are usually Lotus Nuts, Bamboo Shoot, Gingko Nuts, Salted Egg, Glutinous Rice, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Chestnuts, Chinese Sausage, but I’d forgotten if these were the exact ingredients used in what I ate. I don’t remember rice in it, hmmm…
避風塘炒蟹 (Bi Feng Tang Chao Xie).
The name of this dish in Cantonese, Pei Fung Tong Chau Hai, literally means “Shelter from wind pavillion stir-fry crab”. Lol… Hope I got this right. Pei Fung Tong 避风塘 is a place in Hong Kong.
Prawns and Scallion Omelet.
Bittergourd fried in Salted Egg Yolk.
Crunchy and creamy. I liked this.
Pan-fried Salted Fish and minced Pork patties.
Hong Kong Choy Sum (Mustard Greens) with strips of Chinese ham.
Quick stir-fry Asparagus.
Crunchy and sweet.
Sweet Almond Cream with Egg Whites for dessert.
Watermelon, Oranges, Grapes, Dragon Fruit and Imperial Honeydew.
And you thought the feasting would never end? Lol…
Two-Michelin-Starred Chef Cheng Kam Fu and I.
How’s his cooking? Thumbs up!
Read more about Chef Cheng Kam Fu here and here.
Estabelecimento De Comidas King 帝皇樓 (Macau)
King Restaurant
Address/地址：澳門澳门南灣商業大馬路友邦廣場地下 G05-G07
G07, G/F, AIA Tower, 251A-301 Avenida Commercial De Macau.
Tel/电话：(+853) 2875 7218/ 2875 7396
Operating hours:
Lunch: 11.30am – 3.30pm
Dinner: 6pm – 11pm
Happy eating 🙂
Wow. Just… wow! What an amazing feast. I have so much respect for the Chinese use of a whole animal, rather than just the prime fillets. I do admit that the ‘pigs lungs’ made me squirm a bit though (as did the spiny cucumber!). Glad that you had a great time. Thanks for sharing this with us! xx
Hahaha… Laura, the Chinese waste nothing and eat animals parts corresponding to the parts they intend to “repair”, Squirmish yet again? Lol… 😉
YES! Squirmish again!! 😉
The “masking” of your friend’s face, too funny. Food pictures mad me jealous. Hope the internet issues are resolved.
Hehehe, this not the first. I have another friend in my previous hi tea post also masked but with stars, lol… and she wants me to call her space donut in my post, wahaha…
Hi Sam ,elegant and impressive.The restaurant ,the surrounding and specially the food.Jalal
Thank you Jalal. Have a great mid week 😀
I think I spent a good 5 minutes looking at this post. Just going up and down at all that food!!
5 minutes for 2 nights’ dinner? you sure eat fast, lol…
What a feast! Have you recovered yet (D’oh, silly question 🙂 )?
Butt hurts still :p
I am impressed !!! All that food looks delicious I definitely will try every single dish 🙂
If you like salted fish, you will love these dishes, Pat 😀
Sam, what a gorgeous feast. I could eat every vegetable dish put on that table. YUM! And that pepper steak? I must be low on iron because it was calling my name. 😉
Did you have fun with your friends?
Hi Janet, I did have fun catching u with some who were in Macau (but did not come to Sg with the rest) whom I have not been in touch for 8 years! Wow, how time flies. They could not believe it too. 😀