A Taste of the Rich Life in Macau

Photo: Vida Rica Restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental

Numbers don’t lie. Out of the 384 (and counting) restaurants in Macau (according to TripAdvisor that is), locals and tourists alike have picked Vida Rica (rich life) Restaurant as their favorite.

Located on the 2nd floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Vida Rica has not only stood up to public scrutiny consistently, but the professionals have weighed in with Forbes awarding Vida Rica a five star award in 2015 and the Macau Government Tourist Office awarding it the star merchant award and service star award in 2014. So, with all these favorable reviews and accolades, we were more than a little excited to try the restaurant for ourselves.

Photo: Across from the restaurant is Vida Rica Bar

In order to enjoy the experience completely we enjoyed a few pre-dinner drinks at Vida Rica Bar. Across the elevator lobby from the restaurant, it is the perfect place to spend a few hours sipping Champagne while enjoy lovely views of Macau after dark. (Even the restrooms maintain the high standard of décor, making you feel like you’re inside a music box. But, as fantastic as they are, the The Kitchen in Grand Lisboa may still have our favorites – I bet some of you don’t even have favorite restrooms do you?)

Photo: Dominique Bugnand is the Director of Culinary Operations and Food & Beverage at the Mandarin Oriental

The interior of Vida Rica is elegant and modern. Dark stone and wood, coupled with floor to ceiling windows, set the scene for a romantic dinner for two or other intimate get-togethers. The 108-seat restaurant features classic French cuisine with a modern twist, along with a selection of Chinese and Portuguese specialties. At the helm is Dominique Bugnand, who has worked with the brand for over 17 years.

Along with the normal a la carte menu, Vida Rica also offers a degustation menu with four-course (MOP958+ with wine pairing add MOP388+) and six-course options (MOP1,288+ with wine pairing add MOP418+).

To start out our six-course meal we were presented with an amuse bouche, which varies depending on when you visit. Our foie gras and orange “slice” was a simple presentation of alternating slices of foie gras and orange jelly served atop a small block of wood.

The first course was a crab meat salad. A thin sheet of lobster jelly was topped with crystal blue prawn tartare, King of Persia caviar and crab meat salad. It was artfully laid out and tasted even better than it looked. This dish was paired with a 2012 M. Chapoutier, Bila Haut Blanc, France.

Next was foie gras and yellow chicken terrine with smoked lapsang souchong gel and mango and pepper coulis. The rich and creamy texture was balanced out nicely with the tangy and sweet coulis. This was paired with a refreshing yet dry 2007 Château Ste Michelle Riesling from Columbia Valley, USA.

The green pea soup that followed was dotted with green peas, a soft poached egg and topped with a generous amount of shaved truffle, and was a delicious combination we would try again. Earthy and rich flavors combined with the sweet and delicate peas to make this seemingly simple dish very memorable.

The roasted amadai (also known as tilefish) with a charcoal-grilled leek was served with a sugar peas, beetroot and pickled onions. The sweetness of the fish, the beetroot and the peas worked very well with the sourness of the onion and was further complimented by the 2011 Balbino IGT from Vermentino di Maremma, Italy.

The penultimate dish was the winner of the evening for us. A slow-roasted veal loin was accompanied by a "chlorophyll" spread, grilled asparagus and fresh herbs with capers, and topped with a light lemon cream sauce. The succulent loin melted in the mouth while the simple, yet flavorful accompaniments added texture and depth. This was paired with a 2010 Henri Bourgeois Cabernet Franc, Petit Bourgeois from France.

To end the decadent meal was a simple strawberry tart with rhubarb sherbet. Paired with a late harvest 2007 Santa Rita Moscatel from Limari Valley, Chile, it was the perfect way to end the meal - sweet but with a slight bitterness that was highlighted by the wine.

Signature dishes that we also tried included the Wagyu beef with shallot sauce, beef tongue with gribiche sauce, and braised beef cheek with carrot mash, orange dust and grilled banana shallot. All three were equally tender and delicious, but the cheek was perhaps the best of three.

Photo: The Onion soup is a signature dish at Vida Rica

We also couldn’t pass up the onion soup served with Gruyere cheese espuma and onion jam on toast. A classic that really benefitted from the espuma, it was deep and rich and heartily satisfying.

Amazing food aside, one other thing we love about Vida Rica is the service. Our server was not only helpful and friendly, but seemed to anticipate our needs, which is perhaps what elevates Vida Rica above the crowd.

Although Vida Rica has yet to earn a Michelin star, they regularly bring Michelin-starred chefs to Macau throughout the year. For more details on upcoming events at Vida Rica, visit our event page here.

Open from 6:30am to 10:30pm

For reservations call (853) 8805 8918

www.mandarinoriental.com

#gastronomy #eat