A tale of two restaurants in Macau, a foodie's paradise

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Jeanie Li
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From the Portuguese delights of Gosto to the multi-cuisine fusions of Cha Bei, Galaxy Macau is a foodie’s paradise

Jeanie Li |
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Agonising over what to choose? The Gosto Tapas Board has a little bit of everything.

Gosto

Gosto Tapas Board

If you don’t know what to order, the tapas board is a good pick for you. The board consists of six small but fun dishes, ranging from Macanese salads to Portuguese meats and cheeses. It’s perfect to order for when you’re out with friends, as everyone gets a little taste of everything. The sweet and savoury selection will cater for even the pickiest of eaters.

The Shrimp on Bread was a messy dish (you have to peel the shrimp shells off yourself) but very tasty.
Photo: Jeanie Li

Shrimp on Bread

The succulent shrimp are cooked in a tomato sauce, before placed in a small pot alongside a few slices of crusty bread. To eat this, you’ll have to peel the shells off (so get those napkins ready) and place the juicy shrimp on the bread – sort of like bruschetta. The combination of textures really compliment each other, and the sour tomato base opens up your appetite for what’s to come.

The Macanese Spring Chicken was just a perfectly alright dish – nothing special.
Photo: Jeanie Li

Macanese Spring Chicken with Chorizo, Coconut Cream and Olives

The spring chicken is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. It’s served with a humble side of vegetables as well as a signature sauce for you to dip the meat in. In all honesty, it’s pretty underwhelming. The meat itself is alright, but there’s no wow-factor to the overall dish. It’s not necessarily a let-down, but don’t expect too much!

Cha Bei

Avocado Toast with seaweed? Not the first thing you’d think should top this dish, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it – it’s not as bad as it sounds!
Photo: Jeanie Li

Avocado Toast

Avocado fans will love this one: ripe avocado is spread on toast and decorated with refreshing tomatoes and ... seaweed? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It is served with a healthy tossed salad, which means after your main you’ll be able to order dessert and not feel guilty about it. This is definitely a very Instagrammable dish.

Meat in Buns

A bowl of filling – a mixture of pork, greens and mushrooms – is surrounded by little half buns. The presentation itself is very nice, though sadly the taste doesn’t match up to the looks. It was quite disappointing, as they look very much like the meaty buns you would expect to find in Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. It was served with very cute cutlery.

The Portuguese Style Roasted Sea Bass is, sadly, nothing to write home about.
Photo: Jeanie Li

Portuguese Style Roasted Sea Bass

This is another fairly mediocre dish. It’s basically grilled fish that’s served with meat and potatoes, and is something you could order at any restaurant. It would pretty much taste the same as well. Nothing special.

Seafood Rice with Prawns, Crab, Mussels and Clams

This red-sauced risotto is the tastiest dish of the lot.
A range of seafood, garnished with spices, is laid on a bed of soft and chewy risotto. The presentation alone is enough to make your mouth water, but just wait until that first bite. The key to this dish – like the shrimp one – is the sauce. It’s light but packs a punch with a mix of delicious flavours. You’ll want seconds!

Salmon

A base of cauliflower and green beans is topped by a perfectly-grilled salmon. The salmon was tender, juicy and flaky – just how salmon should be served – and the veggies complimented the fish very well. This is great for those who don’t want a huge meal.

Fall in love with the Chocolate Dessert – I certainly did!
Photo: Jeanie Li

Chocolate Dessert

Dessert is obviously the best part of any meal, and while this dish may not look like the most appetising dessert on Earth, just wait until you bite into it. The rich chocolate melts into a pile of exquisite gooeyness, and the mini chocolate mousse balls give it an interestingly crunchy texture. The best part of the dessert was the sticks of what tasted like a mixture of cake and ice cream. It’s heaven in a mouthful – and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t normally opt for a chocolate dessert. If you’re only going to order one thing off this menu, skip the starters and mains and get this.

Edited by Andrew McNicol

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