Monday, March 4, 2013

A foodie goes to Macau ( Part 3 ) Fernando's - Best Kept Secret in Macau



Fernando's is not a place one stumbles upon, you need someone to have known about it or recommended it. This restaurant was one of the places my cousin loved in one of her recent trips to Macau with her husband. We decided to have lunch here today. We got directions from the front desk of our hotel. According to the front desk manager, Jackie, we could easily take a taxi cab ( which will cost us around 80-100MOP ) or the local bus ( which costs 4MOP ). He suggested we take the local bus to get there since  Fernando's was located in front of the bus terminal of Coloane -- by Hac Sa Beach. We took bus number 25 which took around 30 minutes to Hac Sa Beach. Once we arrived at Hac Sa Beach, the restaurant was right in front. Its entrance was quite small with no obvious signs so you have to look for an entrance with a lot of ferns growing all over it. I would suggest that you come early--- Fernando's do not take reservations and most of the time it is full... and another tip is they do not take credit cards in this establishment... make sure you bring cash!!

Located on Coloane Island's beautiful Hac-Sa beach, the restaurant is housed within a simple red bricks structure, surrounded by flourishing shrubs and vines.  The decor is simple and nice, with bamboo furniture, red/white checked tablecloths and old-style ceiling fans. Upon entering the restaurant you will see walls filled with money bills, name cards from customers all over the world. Yes, there is no air-con and for us visiting in February, it wasn't a problem at all. There are huge ceiling fans at the main dining hall.


Here was what we ordered:

Entrecosto de Porco na Braza - Charcoal grilled pork ribs


Bacalao au Braz Style - The Portuguese have 1001 ways to cook bacalhau, but this is one of the best of their recipes. This definitely is a MUST TRY. It had shredded Bacalao with sliced onions, potatoes , tomatoes, scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil. It is usually garnished with black olives and sprinkled with fresh parsley. It is a very common dish in cafes and restaurants.


Macau style Fried Rice -- Macau's version of the Chinese fried rice. It had Bacalao slices, black olives and Portuguese chorizos.


Camarao Frito con Alho -- Fried prawns with garlic on a bed of lettuce. These was the best dish of the  day... it was simply the piece de resistance! They will leave you craving for more! Use the crusty bread and mop up the garlic, olive oil and other spices, and you will really understand why Fernando's commands the reputation that it has.



What I liked most about the place:  the cozy atmosphere --  it was relaxing as I enjoyed a jug of sangria and their hot bread rolls which was served while we waited for our dishes. All the dishes we ordered were outstanding. Highly recommended for those who enjoy family style dining.  Restaurant is really popular so best get there before 12pm if you want to go for lunch. Don't miss the opportunity to go there.



Restaurante Fernando
9 Hac Sa Beach Coloane
Praia de Hac Sa Macau