Summer 2018

72 RE180083 António Restaurant is a Michelin-recommended dining revelation, where guests come for the hospitality and experience, as much as the food. Earlier this year, LUXlife Magazine named António Restaurant in the esteemed Restaurant and Bar Awards with the title of Best Authentic Portuguese Restaurant in Macau. On the back of this success, we profiled the restaurant to shine a light on their extraordinary approach to dining. Established in a region inspired by its Portuguese roots, António stands out as the dining institution for those that want a truly authentic experience that transports you to the Iberian Peninsula. Since 2007, Owner, Founder and Head Chef António Coelho has – simply- created a culinary delight. The perfect accompaniment to the food is found in the décor, with a cosy, inviting dining area that harks back to European café culture. The colour palette evokes the Moorish influences that are common in Portugal, a delight of deep blues and striking golds. Housed inside a quaint, rustic village home, Antonio’s is a vision, and an invitation to step over the threshold and relax. Of course, the food is the starring feature of Antonio’s, and the reason why reservations are essential if you wanted to visit. This is, in part, a result of Antonio’s ethos, “cooking is like an art”. Each dish is a masterpiece – like the strokes of a paintbrush – an experimentation of mixed materials, the use of oils, pastels, pencils like seasoning, spices, herbs and final flourishes. A refinement of a dream or a vision to create something unique, something that leaves a lasting impression. António creates every dish with this in mind. A journey for the tastebuds, and the soul. From the octopus salad, a favourite, to the delicately seasoned clams, and traditional European fare, Antonio’s has perfected his take on continental cuisine with a regional, modern twist. Embracing Macau’s love for ginger and lemon, he has cultivated a menu which is utterly unique to the restaurant, elevating typical Portuguese dishes beyond the constraints of stringent traditionalism. Lastly, the third element to this triumvirate of success, is in the hospitality, which Antonio’s seems to have nailed down to a fine art. António himself proves a bombastic and enthusiastic host, greeting every guest personally before delighting them with his culinary talent. As your meal comes to an end, the dining area relaxes with Portuguese fado, a soothing guitar-led musical serenade, reminiscent of early rock n’ roll. It is the perfect cap to a perfect meal, closing a perhaps not-so traditional evening with an altogether conventional, decidedly Portuguese custom. By all regards, António Restaurant is a must-visit dining experience, and – naturally – a worthy winner of recognition in LUXlife’s Restaurant and Bar Awards, a list of the very-best establishments around the world. Contact: António Coelho Company: António Restaurant Address: Rua dos Clerigos No. 7, Old Taipa, Macau, China Website: antoniomacau.com Telephone: 00853 2888 8668 An Authentic Award-Winning Portuguese Dining Experience Taste