In gaudy Macau, the Las Vegas of the east, there exists a serene gastronomic refuge from the excesses of sin city. While many of Macau’s finer restaurants are housed in soulless hotels, Casa de Tapas is tucked away in old Taipa village, a well-known area that’s gained a reputation for its culinary, arts and culture scene. Matching the scene and surroundings, Casa de Tapas is set in a historic three story townhouse and serves Iberian inspired cuisine, popular in this region thanks to Macau’s Portuguese past. It’s no surprise that the restaurant’s Latin footprint has been glowingly received, especially in the wake of the boom of Spanish tapas joints in nearby Hong Kong.
Zigzagging through lanes of souvenir shops selling almond pastries, pork jelly and other Macanese favorites will eventually lead you to a quiet alley with a narrow renovated house. Both the exterior and interior are bare and reserved, with off-white, cream and grey an underwhelming theme thankfully punctuated by a colorful bar setting. Despite the steely neutral tones the atmosphere is welcoming and ‘homey’ thanks to the intimate and cozy nature of the place, situated on three levels with the bar at street level, a tapas setting on the second floor and an alfresco dining terrace on the top.
The contemporary menu is extensive and encourages sharing with Spanish classics such as Iberico ham croquettes and garlic (tiger) prawns, but visitors flock to the restaurant for their famed suckling pig. The menu is so extensive that it can be slightly daunting at first to choose dishes but the friendly, professional servers are more than happy to walk you through everything.
Presentation is of as much concern to Chef Alfredo as taste, which he ensures using simple but fresh ingredients. Many of the dishes are neatly served on a black slate, providing a nice contrast between the vibrant colors of the Latin dishes and the hard charcoal colored stone. Of particular note is the langostino al ajillo – bright pink garlic tiger prawns with a slightly reddish hue beside a smattering of light sea-flavored sand.
Starter tapas standouts include the pulpo a la gallega – octopus, potato and paprika; and the pincho moruno – lamb skewers complemented by potato and sweet onion confit. The octopus, sourced from Cataluña, is simply prepared and arrives to the table silky soft and tender while the caramelized smoky lamb brochette is equally tender and well-cooked, with the potato providing a nice crunch and contrasting texture.
The restaurant’s standout dish, however, is the cochinillo confitado – sous-vide suckling pig with sautéed apples and a fresh lettuce bouquet. The light, crispy skin peels off the juicy flesh, which practically falls off the bone just as easily and the entire dish is tucked into by all parties as soon as it arrives sizzling to the table.
Predictably, the wine list is dominated by Spanish regionals, although a few other New World Californian, Chilean, Australian and New Zealand reds and whites show up as well. Regrettably, not many of the wines are served by the glass. But a jar of sangria, served how you want it with your choice of wines and fruits seems to be the ultimate order of the day at Casa de Tapas, the perfect way to round off a sunny day spent sharing small eats with friends.
Note from the author:
Although tiny Macau is fairly easy to navigate, we recommend arranging transportation with your hotel as the restaurant is a bit hard to find.
Also, advise booking well in advance.