Portuguese: down on the docks

This article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of World Gaming magazine.

I’m not one of these sleepy giants who’s turned off by the glitz and glam of big casinos. I like to gamble and I like to eat – so combining the two together, pretty much sees me the happiest Panda in the forest. Occasionally, however, it’s nice to get off the beaten track and venture outside of my usual safety zone. O Porto Interior is a relic from the days when the Portuguese still ruled the roost in Macau.

Its exterior is far from inspiring and you might have to find the right taxi driver to get you there. This restaurant is situated next to the Ma Kuo Temple Bus Terminal, right in the middle of Macau’s inner harbour, and it’s not as if it stands out from its somewhat beaten down surroundings. Once you are safely though the front door and have a cold beer in your hand, all of that is quickly forgotten.

This is not five star dining, and it doesn’t pretend to be. The décor feels like it could be off a 1970s Portuguese movie set, but it is clean and inviting – and after all, we are there for the food. There is also plenty of floor space, and the staff can organise a largish private room if you have a big group. As you wind your way upstairs, you will also find plenty of little nooks and crannies for you to hide away with that special dinner guest. This is the sort of place the local Macanese have been keeping to themselves, and it certainly has an ambience that lends itself to relaxed dining.

O Porto Interior

Portuguese cuisine revolves around seafood and meat – and plenty of it. You’ll find mounds of perfectly seared and charred meats, eaten simply, or alternatively served in rich spicy sauces. This restaurant does traditional favourites to a standard that would see any Portuguese traveller thinking they were back in Lisbon at one of their local restaurants.

You have to try O Porto Interior’s Bacalhau, which is a salted cod fish, and here they serve it with plenty of garlic. Their sardines and other seafood are all fresh, and the servings are generous. Make the effort to try a large range of different types of dishes. One that we tried was a fantastic ox tongue dish that was served in a thick tomato based sauce. These are the sort of signature dishes that I love to try, as they are not the sort of thing you eat every day.

This is food that lends itself to drinking. Icy cold beers are always a good start to this kind of fare, followed by a nice rosé. When you get to the main meal, you won’t want to go past a decent bottle of red. Macau has always been spoiled when it comes to good Portuguese wines, and O Porto Interior has a good wine list at reasonable prices.

There is no pretension at O Porto Interior, just good Portuguese food and wine. The service is friendly and the prices are sensible. So jump in a taxi and head down for a taste of Macau history.