8 is a lucky number

This article first appeared in the Nov 2009 (pre-launch) issue and Chinese New Year 2010 special issue of World Gaming magazine.

The 8 Restaurant is located in the awe-inspiring Grand Lisboa Casino in Macau. Its menu ranges from traditional Chinese through to contemporary Asian with a modern twist and flair.

It is located just off the main gaming floor on Level 2 near the elevators. We were ushered by the friendly Maitre d’ through a dark rock hallway featuring an amazing wall of cascading water. One of the great things about this restaurant is that you are only a stone’s throw away from the gaming action but once seated you immediately feel a million miles away. The décor and lighting are tranquil and its lavish interior was conceived by renowned Hong Kong designer, Alan Chan.

The service here is fantastic with plenty of helpful staff catering to all languages and requests. All of the Grand Lisboa restaurants feature an enormous wine list with some of the best wines from across the globe. There is also a smaller wine list (if you are in a rush) that offers some exceptional wines, particularly some very well-priced Portuguese reds.

The food here is exceptional. I was dining with some overseas friends who said that they would pay top dollar in the West for food of this quality and presentation. The Peking duck is always a good test of any traditional restaurant and The 8 certainly passed this test. Don’t get stuck there however, as the rest of the menu had even better delights to be tried. The BBQ pork was sweet and succulent and some of the best I have ever had. The suckling pig is another must and was cooked to perfection.

We tried another interesting dish with fresh cuts of melon, duck and jellyfish mixed at the table with roasted walnuts – a combination that would leave the most discerning dining patron licking their lips in anticipation. Other signature dishes include braised whole abalone with Chinese herbs and braised superior shark’s fin in brown sauce. My favourite was the almond beef that had tender beef strips smothered in a sticky sweet sauce and covered in roasted almond flakes. A truly special dish that will have me returning again to The 8 in a hurry.

We then tried the sesame pudding which had both light and dark sesame flavours and was inexpensive and a perfect end to a wonderful meal. This restaurant really had it all. It was a pleasant relaxing place to dine and the service was helpful but not over the top. The food and wine were of an excellent quality and most importantly the value for money was second to none. Many mains were less than HK$100 and as long as you don’t go overboard with the wine or specialities then the bill won’t break any budget.