Delish Eats: Cais do Porto, Taipa Village’s Newest Portuguese Restaurant

Restaurant history: Cais do Porto is the latest modern Portuguese restaurant to open in the vibrant Taipa Village, situated north of the Cotai Strip. The hidden spot specialises in Portuguese-style teppanyaki, offering a unique table service with grilled steak, seafood, and delicious vegetables.

What is the vibe and venue like: Located on the second floor of a historic Portuguese village house, Cais do Porto is sleek and modern. The restaurant houses three teppanyaki grills, with 11 chairs dotted around the stage of the gleaming chef.

How much does it cost: MOP588 for the steak and seafood teppan course, featuring six filling courses of appetisers, sizzled meats and fish, and dessert. 

What is the menu about: The a la carte and teppan course menu is brief, but features hefty protein selections from the U.S. and fish options for lighter bites.

What did we order: Portuguese Style Salad with Sardine Sauce, Grouper Fish Tomato Soup, Salmon with Portuguese White Wine Cream Sauce, USDA Prime Angus Rib Eye Steak, Seasonal Vegetable, Homemade Gelato

Portuguese Style Salad with Sardine Sauce: The sardine sauce draped over the lettuce and sardines was simple, yet tangy and addictive. Matched with the Portuguese cheese, each salad bite was a good palate cleanser to prepare for meatier plates later. The chef seasoned the lettuce on the grill, which tainted the fresh vegetable with an oiling covering.

Grouper Fish Tomato Soup: The grouper fish was seasoned well with salt and pepper on the grill to keep the sweetness of the fillet, which is aided by the fruity tomato broth. This dish is one of the more distinctly Portuguese dishes at Cais do Porto.

Salmon with Portuguese White Wine Cream Sauce: While the presentation is cute with the salmon dish, the flavour combination does not hit. The topped julienned white onion clashes with the light creaminess of the sauce, and the salmon is charred with a carbon-like taste.

USDA Prime Angus Rib Eye Steak: Already feeling full at this point, the rib eye steak tempted me for more. I was unable to finish each bite, but the fatty body of the steak blended well with the rareness to boost salty-fruity flavours.

Homemade Gelato: Completing a filling meal, the vanilla gelato is a pleasant ending, cleansing my palate and leaving me feeling light and happy.

What we liked: The sardine salad is simple, as mentioned, but who cares about complexity when you have an addictive sauce like that? It's perfectly salty and great to chomp down. The vanilla gelato is key to send me off with a light, frothy sip at the end.

What we didn’t like: The serving of the rib eye steak should have been adjusted to ensure a minimum of food wastage. The grill searing of the salmon needed to be lighter to keep the light flavours of the fish.

What you should order: The Teppan course menu is suitable for a hearty lunch or dinner tasting with friends.

Location: Cais do Porto, Rua Correia da Silva, No. 170, 2 andar, Taipa, Macau

Contact details: +852 2838 1008

This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by the Cais do Porto in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.

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