Noodle & Congee Corner

Upper 1st Floor, Grand Lisboa Casino, Macau
Visited 13th June 2010 When I first visited Macau people referenced the Macau Tower as a certain part of Stanley Ho's body; however I'm not sure what they make of the new, sparkling shrine that is the Grand Lisboa. I visit Macau relatively frequently, yet apart from the mandatory sightseeing trudge through the Venetian I tend to avoid the casinos. Gambling in a crowded, smoke filled room holds little appeal, especially when the minimum bets are so ridiculously high. Despite all I found myself exploring the shinny depths of the Grand Lisboa, but only so we could try Noodle and Congee Corner. This place has gained a bit of a reputation with TV appearances and a Michelin 'bib gourmet' recommendation. It's a big restaurant that overlooks the gaming floor with the Kitchen proudly on display. We watched the dumpling making team, before starring starry eyed at the main kitchen were hand-made noodles are cut, pulled and in the case of their famous yi gen mian, tossed into shape.

As you can probably guess they specialise in noodles and congee as well as an assortment of dumplings. We went for poached Tianjin Dumplings, a rice paper roll, barbecue pork buns and the famous yi gen mian. First out were the tender pork and vegetable dumplings which were pretty good, but lacked flavour. The single, foot long rice paper roll was filled with scallops and enoki mushrooms; it was delicate and totally delicious. The soft pork buns were pretty good with an obvious hint of honey to the pork. Ordering the noodles are a matter of selecting the individual components and we went for stewed beef and wontons in a beef broth and of course the mighty yi gen mian. This house speciality is a big ball of fun; a single noodle that's over 10 feet long. We saw the chef making these and the impressive display involved throwing a continuous stream of dough into the pot from several metres away. The accompanying wontons were OK, but were overshadowed by some mighty tasty, tender stewed beef. The noodles itself was good; I just wish I could find the end. Joey also liked the fact that she could add her own sugar to taste to the glass of soy milk she ordered.

I enjoyed my meal at Noodle and Congee Corner. The food was well prepared and quality of ingredients was obvious, especially the tasty scallops, beef and handmade noodle. The fact you can see the dishes being prepared adds an element of theatre, especially when the chef starts throwing around a ten foot noodle. The service was good and the small army of waiters (wearing what would have to be contenders for the worst trousers in the world) were very attentive and professional. Our meal came to MOP162, which I think is certainly fair value considering the quality of the grub. Casinos aren't my favourite places, but if they don't bother you then Noodle & Congee Corner certainly presents a good value option for a casual feed. Visit restaurant website.

Lord Stow's Garden Cafe

105 Rua da Cordoaria, Coloane Village, Macau
Visited 13th June 2010 A weekend in Macau with Joey and Sunday morning we found ourselves exploring Coloane Village. While there’s plenty to see in terms of temples, dragon boat shipyards and muddy channel views, Colane is really famous for its egg tarts. The place responsible is Lord Stow’s who have built a little empire that includes Lord Stow's Cafe, the original Lord Stow's Bakery and Lord Stow’s Garden Café where we found ourselves. With an outlet at the Venetian and franchises in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines Lord Stow’s has certainly grown from its humble Coloane roots. Though I'm always a little sceptical about "must try" and "best in Macau" style claims we decided we had to sample a couple of egg tarts. The Garden Café itself is a nice airy restaurant with a few outdoor tables.

The menu is a bit of random mix; there’s a selection of Thai dishes, but also plenty of other stuff including Cornish Pasties, lasagne, salads, baked potatoes. It actually reminded me a lot of café menus in the UK, though that could have just been the baked potato. The emphasis is on healthy ingredients and nearly everything is homemade on site. We ordered Thai fried chicken with rice for simple reason the people on the next table were munching into it and it looked good. The chicken was crisp, well cooked and tender. It came served with rice and a couple of homemade sambals. I got really old school and ordered a coke float while Joey went for a honey and fruit tea. While the float was awesome unfortunately the coffee I had to finish was terrible; weak and lacking flavour it was really disappointing. Oh and the egg tarts you ask; best in the world? Well they were delicate wee things and really liked the custard filling; however the oily pastry was a touch burnt on bottom. While I really liked them ‘best in the world’ is a big call.

To be honest I wasn't expecting much apart from hype from Lord Stow’s, but I really did enjoy my visit. The café itself was a relaxed and pleasant place for lunch, while the staff were efficient and ultra friendly. Our grub came to a reasonable $114 and there was no mention of deceitful service charge. While not really Macanese in style everything was pretty tasty apart from the appalling coffee; something that needs to be fixed if they are going to call themselves a ‘café’. Wondering Coloane is a very pleasant way to spend a morning in Macau and our lunch at Lord Stow’s Garden Café certainly went down well Visit restaurant website.

Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei

Rua Direita Carlos Eugenio, Taipa, Macau
Visited 20th March 2010Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei is famous for the same culinary treat that Macau is perhaps most famous for; the pork chop bun. A hot cooked pork chop, slapped in a white roll is a simple, but a beautiful thing; a treat that certainly meets my idea of a good time. Despite Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei's mammoth reputation I hesitated to visit for ages because of talk of the massive queue that greets the daily 3pm arrival of the buns. I'd heard plenty of stories of people waiting well over half an hour to try and get one before they sell out at around five. I was on day trip to Macau with a visiting mate and we wondered into Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei mid afternoon, where, despite the pulse of punters, we managed to snag a table.

We stuck with the crowd favourite as this was just meant to be a little snack to tie us over between lunch and sightseeing and the drinks (OK lots of drinks; we're talking flaming cocktails in skulls) and dinner that followed. The pork chop buns at Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei aren't massive, but where they excel is the flavour of the tender, marinated grilled pork. The unbuttered, unflavoured soft white roll is an excuse to soak up the delicious dripping pork juice (let's call it juice rather than fat shall we). It's such a simple but satisfying snack.

With tasty pork rolls at a bargain price of MOP16 each, what's not to like about Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei? Well the queue is an obvious nuisance, and while you can't knock success, I wonder if the food's good or special enough to merit lining up for 30-40 minutes? I certainly wouldn't bother standing around so long for a sandwich, when plenty of other places offer similar (if perhaps not quite as good) fare. All that being said, I really do like Cafe Tai Lei Low Kei; the tasty food and outdoor setting in Taipa Old Town make for an authentic and fun stop. If you can grab a table or nab a bun without having to battle the crowds I'd seriously recommend it.

Antica Trattoria

40-46 Avenue Sir Anders Ljungstedt, Macau
Visited 5th December 2009 The first weekend in December and yet again it's time for the Macau Marathon. The night before the big race a group of us got together for a feed at Antica Trattoria. A few friends have recommended this Italian joint and we thought we'd give it a go in the name of carb-loading. It's on the second floor in a bit of an odd location; halfway between Fisherman's Wharf and the city centre. Climbing the stars you certainly get the impression of an Italian restaurant; red bricks, timber and a walls covered with the usual black and white photos of old Italy; I'm even sure I saw a few old style Chianti bottles stuffed with candles.

The menu was packed with all the usual suspects; pasta, pizza and a selection of grilled stuff. There actually looked like a really good selection of antipasti on offer, but instead we shared a gorgonzola pizza to start. The pizza itself was OK - thin base, rich tomato sauce and too much cheese - but what blew me away was when the waiter came over and told me I couldn't take photos of the food. WTF? Was he serious? When he asked me to stop snapping he was smiling and I thought he was joking, but no, seriously you couldn't take photos of the food. Is this legal? Anyway, as you'd imagine we all went for pasta and the serves of bolognese, pomodoro and lasagna spun past, but my selection was tortellini with mushrooms. The cheese filled pasta dumplings were good and added to the rich creamy sauce made a filling dish with plenty of flavour from tasty mushrooms. I also helped a friend finish her disappointing cannelloni; it was too dry, heavy on the ricotta and lacked the flavour and texture of sufficient spinach. The couple of desserts that others ordered looked OK, though one friend was pretty frustrated that her lemon gelato was served in a lemon; her reasoning was a lemon is a lot smaller than a bowl and she wanted more than too mouthfuls. Playing at being athletes we all drunk soft drink or water. My visit was tarnished by the fact I was shocked and kind of frustrated at been told I couldn't take photos, but I started annoyed when even though I'd rung from Hong Kong to book they had no record of it. My mate, Mr Camera Police, was actually an efficient and friendly bloke, though a couple of the other waitresses were a bit slow on the uptake. The pizza was just OK and the cannelloni average, however I did enjoy my tortellini and most of my friends seemed happy with their meals. Food in Macau is normally pretty good value, but in this case I thought Antica Trattoria to be, if anything, a bit overpriced. Our bill came to over $200 a head which for a bowl of pasta, a slice of average pizza, mouthful of dessert and glass of Coke isn't fantastic. For those looking for an authentic feed of Italian Antica Trattoria meets the criteria, though I have to wonder why visitors would bother when there're a heap of great Portuguese joints in town.

Cafe E.S.Kimo

Rua de Santa Filomena, Macau
Visited 4th July 2009
The tourist trek around Macau is one I do quite often. Brunch at Cafe Ou Mon, Senado Square, the ruins of St Paul's, the Macau Museum, A-Ma Temple, perhaps the Maritime Museum, the Venetian and finally a well earned dinner in Taipa Old Town or Fernando’s. This is a pretty exhausting routine, especially when you constantly have to stop your parents and their friends from wondering off. Normally I dump people in the museum and use the time for a little shopping and a quick breather. That's were Cafe E.S.Kimo comes in; this little takeaway place is conveniently located just behind Senado Square.

Choosing a snack at Cafe E.S.Kimo is pretty simple - it's either fried chicken or a pork chop bun - while the choice of drinks is a whole lot more complex with a whole array of bubble teas, juices and frozen concoctions on offer. I grabbed the mandatory porkchop bun and ordered a frozen passion fruit juice to suck on. This drink was just what I needed; cold and sweet, it was an instant energy hit with plenty of real passionfruit pulp to give it flavour. The porkchop bun was also pretty tasty; though on this visit the bread was perhaps a bit too dry and crisp for my liking.

Cafe E.S.Kimo is just a hole in the wall takeaway joint, but I dig it. Though the porkchop bun wasn't the best example I've ever had, I like their extensive selection of freshly crafted drinks. At Mop16 for the bun and MOP13 for the drink it's certainly not going to damage the wallet too badly. Though I'm probably influenced by its handy location and the fatigued state I'm in when I arrive, Cafe E.S.Kimo does very well as a purveyor of sustenance for frazzled tour guides.

Fat Siu Lau

64 Rua da Felicidade, Macau
Visited 3rd July 2009
Fat Siu Lau is apparently Macau's oldest restaurant, founded by 1903. Situated on a side street south-west of Senado Square it takes a bit of effort to find, but the area's winding old streets are worth a wonder. One the way you'll pass plenty of places selling almond biscuits; Macau's chess cookies have to be the most heavily touted food in the world. The ridiculously long line at immigration meant that by the time we'd checked into our hotel and managed to find Fat Siu Lau it was after nine-thirty and unbelievably for Macau on a Friday night the restaurant was empty. By the look of things the place had recently been re-decorated and the while looking a little too white and modern it's tastefully done and manages to maintain a sense of old-style Macau charm.

The Portuguese inspired menu had all the Macau classics I've come to expect and we decided to share a serve of African Chicken and Portuguese style fried rice. African Chicken is a Macau speciality with origins in the old trade routes that came via Goa and Portugal's Moorish heritage. The dish we were presented with was delicious; the tender chicken came with a well balanced, spicy coconut based sauce. The chicken went well with the meaty fried rice that was packed full of mince, sausage, egg and cabbage. To drink we shared a bottle of Casal Garcia Vinho Verde, a pleasant food wine that matched well with the spicy chicken.
Despite sitting in an empty restaurant I enjoyed my time at Fat Siu Lau. The staff were courteous and we didn't feel pressured to leave despite being the last punters of the day. Our meal was good and not bad value. The chicken was MOP136 and the rice MOP80, though MOP150 for the wine was a bit much when most of the competition sell the same bottle for MOP100, though this is only expensive by Macau standards and compared to Hong Kong is still good value. Portuguese joints are a dime a dozen in Macau and while Fat Siu Lau probably isn't my favourite it dishes up tasty enough grub to make it worth a visit.

Visit Restaurant website.

A Lorcha

289 Rua do Almirante Sergio, Macau
Visited 30th March 2009

There are a few essentials for any trip to Macau - purchasing more bottles of Portuguese wine than I need, stocking up on coffee at Chip Seng and of course a good feed of Portuguese food. So an after work jaunt across the Pearl River to make the most of an opportunity to see visiting friends made for a hectic Monday night. After hurriedly buying the coffee and wine I found my mates indulging in an all you can drink deal at a bar in the Venetian. When I eventually managed to drag them to A Lorcha for a late dinner food was very much a priority. Tucked away near the A-Ma Temple at the bottom of mainland Macau this established restaurant has the a real taverna feel with bare brick walls, checked table clothes and exposed wood beams.

By the time we were seated the kitchen was about to shut so serves of chouriço and cod cakes were quickly ordered. The fatty chouriço was spiced with paprika and really tasty. The three cod cakes were good; though perhaps a little heavy on the potato, they could have been a more "fishy". For mains crabs were requested so we ordered a serve of seafood rice, alongside 'frango assado' or spicy grilled chicken, 'lulas recheadas' or stuffed squid and a mixed salad. This excessive pile of grub of course came with the usual super crusty bread. I loved the stuffed squid; instead of being filled with the usual rice these tasty, tender little critters were packed with an intense juicy, meat based filling. The grilled chicken was good with a lovely charcoal flavour alongside a spicy kick. Served in a clay pot, the wet seafood rice had plenty of fishy delights, including a whole crab, and was a hearty, nourishing dish. To drink we sucked on a refreshing bottle of Aveleda Vinho Verde that while probably wasn't needed, was a steal at MOP 98.

On our Monday night visit I was impressed by the staff who were friendly and tolerant, especially seeing we staggered in late and a little tipsy. Our meal came to MOP200 a head and that seems like fair value; especially as we ordered way too much and walked out as stuffed as those tasty little squid. The only real concern I have is having to pay for bottled water; at MOP20 for a big bottle it's not the expense but the environmental impact that I object to. I like A Lorcha and it does everything it's supposed to by offering tasty and authentic Portuguese food at fair prices.

A Petisqueira

15 Rue S Joao, Taipa, Macau
Visited 7th December 2008

Sunday lunch in Macau and we stumbled, limped and dragged ourselves into A Petisqueira to celebrate good performances in the Macau Marathon. Hidden down a winding lane in Taipa Village, this place would be pretty hard to find if it wasn't for bright blue and yellow outer walls. Its location gives it an authentic ambiance, as do the checked table clothes, wood beams and white washed walls.

The menu is everything you'd expect in a traditional Macanese Portuguese restaurant. There're all the favourites - bacalhau, seafood, grilled chicken and plenty of meat - plus a good selection of daily specials. We shared cod cakes and a generous serve of cheese, ham and sausage to start. While the fish cakes were good I was blown over by the quality of the charcuterie; the salty cheese was beautifully crumbly, the grilled chouriço rich and meaty and the ham a divine merging of silky and smoky goodness. For a main I ordered the boar loin off the specials board and wasn't disappointed. The huge chunks of meat were rich, but amazingly tender, they came simply served with potatoes, steamed vegetables and a wedge of lemon. The complimentary bread rolls were crisp and airy while the green salad the table shared was excellent. The serves were all massive so I managed to try the others dishes and was equally impressed with the chunky lamb chops, well flavoured spicy prawns, char-grilled chicken and an awesome paella that was packed with top quality seafood. To drink I had a couple of Super Bok's before enjoying the bottles of wine we shared. Oh yeah and dessert; we were all stuffed by this stage so we rather frugally shared a serve of chocolate mousse and egg pudding between eight of us. Both were outstanding; the mousse was unbelievably rich, though not overly sweet, while the pudding was deliciously silky smooth.

Though it's doesn't offer fancy cuisine or frilly stylish atmosphere what A Petisqueira does, it does superbly. The big serves of hearty food are well cooked, use top-notch ingredients and are excellent value. Our bill came to a very fair MOP225 a head, which included entrees, mains, booze and a hint of dessert. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable and more than happy to help by making recommendations. I've just noticed A Petisqueira is one of the few restaurants not in a casino to get a mention in the Michelin Guide to Hong Kong & Macau 2009. I'd have to agree as it takes the hat as the best Portuguese restaurant I've been to in Macau. A Petisqueira really is the type of place I love; a relaxed, friendly environment serving top quality, honest food.

Café Ou Mon

12 Travessa de S. Domingos, Macao
Visited 6th December 2008

Surprise, joy and a waves of ecstatic glee; Café Ou Mon is back! This little coffee shop, that's meant to be just near Senado Square, strangely vanished for over a year in time-warp like renovations. The 'new look', renovated Café Ou Mon doesn't really look that different, it's just a tidied up version of the same simple European charm; the polished counter at the back displays tasty cakes while the wooden tables and chairs are always packed with punters.

Café Ou Mon keeps things simple; there's a choice of daily soup, plate and dessert, but it's the baked goods that most come for. I went for a pork chop bun. The thin, char-grilled pork was slapped between a crispy ciabatta style roll that offered a tasty change from the usual round white rolls. My friends ordered an assortment of goodies including the famous 'milk buns' toasted and filled with delicious ham and salty cheese, beautifully flaky Portuguese egg tarts and a lemon cake that was divine. Unlike the milkshake style beverages produced by Hong Kong's coffee chains Café Ou Mon offers real coffee and the cafe latte I ordered was perfect; it wasn't overly milky or sweet, just simple well made coffee.

Café Ou Mon really is a little haven of civility. Service is normally excellent as the blokes who run the place are friendly, efficient and on the ball; our waitress was polite, but did unfortunately get one item confused. All up our bill came to MOP190 for coffee, cake and sandwiches for four of us, at MOP45 a head that's certainly fair value in any one's book. I'm so glad Café Ou Mon has finally reappeared.

O Santos

20 Rue da Cuhna, Taipa, Macau
Visited 5th December 2008

The Macau Marathon's a good race; it's pretty flat, easily accessible to Hong Kong, yet smaller than it's ridiculously hectic counter-part across the Pearl River Delta. Staying near the stadium on Taipa meant that we were near Taipa Village, the quaint old town now in shadowed by the sprawling mass of circus Venetian. The village has a good selection of local eateries and Friday night a group of us found ourselves in O Santos. The restaurant's a thin two story place, simply decked out that looks like its recently been re-decorated; though the decoration consists mainly of plain white walls.

The food on offer is a good selection of the usual Macanese Portuguese classics. To start we shared plates of cod cakes and fried chouriço. The fish cakes were tasty, though mainly potato, while the chunks of meaty sausage were good with a nice smoky paprika flavour. For mains we split half a grilled chicken, lamb stew, chicken curry, grilled bacalhau and a mixed salad. The chicken and cod were both good with obvious flavour from the char grilling, though the chips that came with them were way too oily. While the curry was OK, the well flavoured stew was fantastic with ultra tender lamb. The wilted salad however was a disappointment and looked like it had been prepared three days ago. Despite a number of athletes in training drinks flowed and O Santos' great value wine list got a work out. From this impressive document (that lists wines regionally and with an illustrated picture) we enjoyed excellent value bottles of Rose, Vinho Verde and a couple of different Alentejos.

Embarrassingly, for 'athletes', we were the last to leave, though we still got a farewell handshake and friendly grin from the boss as we staggered out. This friendly casualness was one of the things I like about O Santos; which in several ways it reminded me of my local Italian back in Melbourne. Though I was disappointed with the salad and chips the rest of the food was good and the big serves were perfect for sharing. The wine list was excellent, with a good selection at very fair prices. Actually the whole place was great value; the mains were all under MOP100 and a huge meal with entrees, mains, dessert and plenty of drinks came to a very reasonable MOP180 each. Good Portuguese grub in a friendly setting; O Santos certainly has plenty going for it.

Restaurante Fernando

9 Praia de Hac Sa, Coloane, Macau
Visited 2nd December
After running 21km in the Macou half marathon I wanted a beer. Restaurante Fernando is as popular as the song and perhaps more justifiably so. Located at Hac Sa Beach on the southeast of Coloane Island it's in a pretty isolated spot, but that's half the joy. I'd called to try and make a booking, but was told they didn't do bookings on weekends and to make sure I got there early. Arriving at 11.30 we were the second group in a line that soon became a mass excess of seething punters. When the doors finally opened at midday the throng pushed forwards in a mad and chaotic rush to get tables. Elbows, knees and the odd head butt and we were finally sitting, but it was worth it. The front room is OK, but out back is where it all happens at Fernandos; there's a large open area with airy windows, views of the garden and plenty of heavy rustic timber.

A priority was my thirst and I quenched it with a couple of crisp Portuguese beers. When I asked about wine I was told to go look at a shelf somewhere; I stuck to beer. To start our table shared a delicious garden salad, a plate of tasty chouriço and olives, along with the compulsory loafs of soft, fluffy bread. I couldn't resist the salted cod I was talked out of the previous evening. The generous serve of grilled Bacalhau was presented with potatoes and a garlicky butter sauce. I was mightily impressed with the food; it was extremely well done in its authentic simplicity. Getting an itemised receipt for the prices was another difficulty, but I remember everything offering outstanding value.

I'm very much in two minds about Fernandos - it certainly gets votes for authentic Portuguese fare, yet it's almost arrogantly run with off putting service. I loved the delicious, rustic food and the awesome prices. After the riot finished the atmosphere was great and the garden bar - where the disappointed waited - looked like a winner for an afternoon session. Despite all the positives I couldn't understand queuing for half an hour just to have to brawl to get a table. Not taking bookings and not opening before noon meant that the whole restaurant ordered at exactly the same time; while we didn't have to wait too long for our food it did take nearly half an hour to initially be served. There's lots to love about Restaurante Fernando just avoid the weekend battle.Visit restaurant website.

Chip Seng Coffee

Rue de Pedro Nolasco da Silva, Macao
I know I sound like a wanker, but I go to Macao to buy coffee. Hong Kong doesn't just lack decent cafes, there's also an absence of freshly roasted coffee beans and as coffee is such a fundamental part of my life I'd go to Mars to buy it if I had too.

Chip Seng is the small family run supermarket that has the vital task of supplying me with coffee. It's crowded and poorly laid out, yet hidden amongst the creamed corn, chocolate and iced tea they stock freshly roasted beans as well as all the associated paraphernalia. Their extensive selection ranges from their own house blends to stuff from Brazil, Costa Rico and Mexican to premium Blue Mountain and Hawaii beans. The basic beans start at about $35 a pound, which is a bargain compared to the $40-$50 you pay for 250 grams in Hong Kong supermarkets. But buying coffee at Chip Seng isn't just about value, it's about quality; where can you get good, freshly roasted beans in Hong Kong? The only issue I have with Chip Seng is that they don't have a fair trade alternative, which needs to be changed. If your life requires decent coffee put in the effort and get yourself across to Chip Seng, and while you're there you may as well check out their selection of Portuguese wine...

Restaurante Platao

3 Travessa Sao Domingos, Macao
Visited 1st December All Hong Kong seems to be flocking to Macao's bright lights; Saturday we joined the crowds and shoved aboard the First Ferry at Central. Naomi and I met up with a group of friends who instead of contributing to the bursting coffers of the casinos were there to participate in the Macao Marathon. First thing Sunday I was running the half marathon and Naomi was doing the 5km 'mini marathon' so dinner Saturday wasn't going to be a late night. We chose Restaurante Platao because of its central location hidden in an ally just off Senado Square. Platao's lovely outdoor courtyard also offers a place to escape Macao's noticeably smoky restaurants.

Platao's culinary offerings aren't always authentically Portuguese, but the menu features a few decent attempts as well as a handful of Asian dishes like curry and fried rice. I initially ordered Bacalhau but was quickly corrected by a serious mate who gave me a lecture on carb loading or something. The 'fettuccine with salmon' I chose instead was disappointing; the serve was small and smothered in a very average, gluggy sauce. My athletic friend was even more shocked when I had my one glass of Monte Velho Alentejano, an enjoyable Portuguese wine made in a very 'New World' style. Naomi ordered 'pork chop Portuguese style' that was served with potato, chourico and olives and topped with a fried egg; a tasty dish that was a more generous serve, though it still had a bit of the sloppy sauce thing going on.

My friends ensured I had a pleasant evening at Platao, but apart from the superb setting I can't think of much too really recommend it from this visit. The service was pretty average; despite the fact the senior waiter is a fantastic, friendly guy who's always on the ball. Though I've enjoyed the food here in the past, my meal was uninspiring and expensive. Though Platao's not terrible, the atmospheric courtyard is it's biggest draw card; just make sure you don't order the pasta.

Visit restaurant website.