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SCMP Reporter

Naam Thai Restaurant

956-1110 Avenida da Amizade (tel: 853 567 888)

Naam at the Mandarin Oriental, Macau's newest restaurant, and the most talked about in town. Floor to ceiling windows overlook the pool and gardens, so for location it is already a winner. The decor is modern Thai. A centre-piece water feature dominates the room. (Naam is the Thai word for water), and tables are arranged around it. As for the food, only the best can be expected when the restaurant staff are Thai, and trained at sister hotel the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.  The coconut vegetable soup is light with a good after-kick. The

steamed seabass with chili, lime and garlic comes highly recommended. However, the green vegetable curry though tasty, was not as exciting.

Flamingo,

Hyatt Regency Macau, 2 Estrada Almirante Marques Esparteiro, Taipa (tel: 853 831 234)

It is easy to forget, once inside the restaurant that it sits next to a busy road. The only sound comes from other diners, and the soft whirr of ceiling fans. In terms of design, Flamingo is one of the loveliest restaurants Macau has to offer. Arched doorways and columns and a verandah overlooking a pond surrounded by lush greenery provide a Mediterranean ambience. The food is excellent, and for a five-star establishment, good value. Dinner for two including a shared main dish, couple of side orders, dessert and a bottle of wine comes out at around MOP450. Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, African and Malaysian influences can be found in dishes, The roasted perch Macanese style (cooked with vegetables and garlic, MOP100) is recommended, as are coriander garlic sauteed clams (MOP80).

Robuchon A Galera,

Hotel Lisboa, 2-4 Avenida de Lisboa (tel: 853 377 666)

Thanks to its exterior, any room inside Hotel Lisboa has expectations to live up to, and under the direction of Joel Robuchon, himself an acclaimed 'chef of the century' by French restaurant guide Gault-Millau, Robuchon a Galera exceeds them all. Baroque-style extravagance prevails the moment you step out of the lift. An onyx-walled entrance houses a collection of vintage wines displayed in a glass cabinet. Enter the restaurant, and opulence continues throughout,  from the ebony furniture to a fibre-optic starry light show on the ceiling (the lights are fitted with Swarovski crystal tips). A private dining area with large circular table seating 12 takes centre-stage, beneath a large chandelier. Appetisers begin at MOP190 (warm potato salad with summer truffle and pork roulade), and go up to MOP480, for caviar in a fine jelly with cauliflower cream. Crustacean and fish dishes swing between MOP280 and MOP550, the best value is roasted salmon with olives and basil at MOP490, for two people. Roasted guinea fowl and foie gras, with potato confit costs MOP980 for two people. The wine list is comprehensive - more than 1,800 labels from major wine regions, mostly French with Australian, Californian and European thrown in.



Taste of the town