The Fine Art of Food at the MGM Macau
- brittanypanter
- 2014年8月11日
- 讀畢需時 3 分鐘
Situated along the Grande Praça, the Portuguese inspired central plaza located inside the MGM Macau, is quintessential French restaurant Aux Beaux Arts. Overseen by chef Elie Khalife, the restaurant serves up traditional French cuisine in a unique setting.
The restaurant mimics the design of a typical Parisian brasserie circa 1930. The interior is elegant and inviting, with high ceilings and dark wood throughout. We decided instead to dine “al fresco”. Although technically under a (glass) roof, just outside the restaurant entrance are several tables overlooking the Grande Praça, and the temporary attraction that happens to be on display at the time.
Right after being seated, we were handed the wine “list” which looked more like a leather-bound novel with its pages and pages of wines from around the world. For the uninitiated, the list can seem daunting, as it did to us, so we put our palates in the hands of the sommelier on hand that evening, and were served up a Cabernet from California and a Pinot Noir from New Zealand.
Before our six course meal began, we were brought out a basket of freshly baked bread. Although a sizeable round loaf, it seemed to disappear in minutes. Light and airy inside and crispy on the outside, it was just as good as any bread I’ve had in Paris, and not too filling.
As we were talking to chef Khalife, we heard a popping noise approaching the table. It turned out to be our amuse bouche. An heirloom tomato salad topped with mozzarella espuma (a sort of foam) and pesto, the chef chuckled when my dining partner asked what the crackling noise was. After taking our first bite, we figured out that that the pesto was studded with popping candy, making this dish one that literally appealed to all five senses.
The seafood platter that followed contained five varieties of chilled seafood, a whole Boston lobster, three crab legs, six mussels, six oysters and four prawns. The oysters were the highlight. They were delicate and their briny liquor was perfect with a dash or two of vinegar. If you choose to dine outside, you can watch your platter being assembled at the seafood station at the entrance.
Next up was tomato soup with olive oil and more mozzarella espuma. Tangy with a creamy finish, it was simple but good, but it wasn’t my favorite course of the evening.
The scallop dish that followed was my favorite of the evening. The pan-fried scallops were served on a bed of saffron risotto with shaved green asparagus and sun dried tomato. The scallops were buttery and complemented the fresh asparagus fantastically. The risotto was creamy and flavorful, although it was hard to detect the taste of the saffron with so much going on in the dish.
This was definitely not the case with the bouillabaisse that followed. The saffron was certainly apparent with a lingering earthy taste in the saffron potatoes that formed the base of the stew, along with fennel and carrot. The fish was rock fish and its mild flavor and firm texture worked well.
The dessert course was peach melba. The peaches were juicy and fresh, and tasted as if they had been cooked sous vide. Although quite simple and basic, it was still incredibly refreshing and light, a perfect end to our meal.
Between the risotto and mozzarella, some of the dishes were ostensibly more Italian inspired, but this certainly won’t stop me from visiting Aux Beaux Arts again.
Open from 11am to 3pm Saturday and Sunday for brunch
2pm to 6pm Tuesday to Friday and 3 pm to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday for high tea
6pm to 12am Tuesday to Sunday for dinner
For reservations call (853) 8802 2319
