While it seems to have been on the central corner of Macau since Elizabethan times, Solmar was started around 35 years ago by 15 coffee-loving young Macanese whose own coffee shop was closed down. One of them, Humberto Rodrigues, has switched from coffee to wine, but he still relishes the old days when Solmar began to serve its Portuguese dishes, when one could sit on the sidewalk outside the restaurant and watch Olde Macau passing by. For the past four years I have avoided Solmar; the atmosphere was gloomy. It was authentically Portuguese - sombre, smoke-filled, silent save for the slow slurps of coffee, the soft sips of beer - wearing its age with a melancholy dignity. Last year, presumably to the reproach of its older owners, Solmar got a facelift. The downstairs room brightened up its bar, Chinese tiles took the place of dark walls, some of the old retainers were exchanged for young ladies from across the border. (Unfortunately, they are not up to the task, dumping rolls atop napkins, splashing soup from tureens.) Upstairs, the walls were painted bright yellow, the chairs became real leather, the paintings were either fresh (flowers) or gloomy (abstracts). The authentic Portuguese touch had been compromised, but the food, which had always been special, retains that rare timeless quality of freshness, imagination and fine taste. Fortunately, the fish souffle is as good as ever. It takes one hour to prepare, but is worth the wait. Here you have fresh garoupa cut into bite-size chunks covered with a fluffy souffle of eggs, onions and mushrooms. Scrumptious. Strangely, it is usually ignored for Solmar's African Chicken. African Chicken styles in Macau have caused several massacres and military conflicts since being introduced in the old Pousada Macau in the early '60s. Solmar was around for its genesis but the recipe is far from pure. The taste sensation is twofold. On the one hand, the sauce has a kind of sweetness, taken from pounded coconut. On the other, this may be the spiciest African Chicken in the enclave. The combination of both tastes, in a fairly heavy gravy, can be distinctive and, for those not used to more peppery dishes, somewhat disconcerting. The Macau sole is milder and when we ordered it just after Chinese New Year, we were especially fortunate. Macau sole swims fast in the summer, losing some of its meat. In winter, the meat is fuller. And during the freezing February weather, the sole was filled with the most delicate flesh, which needs only the minimum seasoning. Much has been heard about the 'prawns Solmar', how the king-sized crustaceans are brought in fresh each morning from China, sliced open and filled with garlic, black pepper, salt and chilli sauce. But on one lunch, I chose the misnamed 'lamb steak'. 'That,' says the knowledgeable captain, San Yeng-yun, a veteran of 26 years at Solmar, 'is an obvious mistake. These are lamb chops, straight from New Zealand.' They happen to be excellent: tender, flavourful, a bit smoky. With a day's notice, Captain San also recommends baked lamb leg for three people. The lamb is marinated with black pepper, garlic, bean sauce and garlic sauce, then grilled over a spit for two hours. The sardines and salads are excellent, but one can never ignore Solmar's classic seafood soup. In '68, one guest pleaded for the recipe and, when I took her to lunch, she discovered it hadn't changed. Nor should it. This is a rich, natural soup made with a tomato base, green peppers, onions, then fresh squid, prawns, garoupa and crabmeat. A party of three can dine, without drinks, for around $450. Unfortunately, doing without wine is easy, since Solmar has only the most pedestrian Portuguese wines from which to choose. Such exceptional recipes, with a new, almost scintillating atmosphere, deserves its own listing, not an offhand listing at the end of the menu. SOLMAR RESTAURANTE 512 Avenida da Praia Grande, Macau. Tel: (853) 574391. Hours: 11am-11pm (approx) Value: **** Overall: ****