Nightlife
The nightlife in Macau is centred on the hotels, many of which have
nightclubs with cabaret, Portuguese folk dancing, lively dance bands,
discos, international menus and bars.
During the summer there are several open-air esplanadas serving
soft drinks. Many locals, however, tend to relax in the evening
in some of the many lively restaurants.
Gambling
is a big attraction for visitors to Macau and the casinos
are open 24 hours, providing famous entertainers, baccarat, blackjack,
roulette and Chinese games like fantan and dai-siu.
Food
& Drink
Many restaurants have table service and inns, hotels and restaurants
offer a wide range of food. Some specialise in Portuguese
dishes, while others offer cuisine from Japan,
China, Korea and Indonesia. Local Macau
food is quite spicy, a distinctive combination of Chinese and Portuguese
cooking methods with influences of African and Indian
spices.
Dishes include bacalhau (cod served grilled, baked,
stewed or boiled), caldo verde and sopa a alentejana
(rich soups with vegetables, meat and olive oil), ‘African
chicken’ (grilled with hot spices), galinha
a portuguesa (chicken baked with potatoes, onions, eggs
and saffron – the appearance of curry without the spice),
minche (minced meat with fried potato and onions),
Macau sole (fried fish generally served with salad)
and feijoados (from Brazil, stews of kidney beans,
potatoes, pork, cabbage and sausage).
The speciality of dim sum (Chinese savoury snacks
steamed and served in bamboo baskets on trolleys) includes har
gau (steamed shrimp dumplings), cha siu bao
(steamed pork dumplings), and shui mai (steamed
and minced pork with shrimp).
Alcohol is available in Macau, with no licensing laws. Restaurants
offer a wide range of Portuguese red and white wines and sparkling
vinho verde, as well as port and brandy, all at cheap prices.
Social Conventions
Entertaining generally takes place in restaurants and public places.
Spirits are usual gifts in return for hospitality. Apart from the
most formal occasions in restaurants and nightclubs, casual wear
is quite acceptable. |
