Authentic Macanese cuisine is what one can expect from Fat Sui Lau 3. Over 100 years have passed since the opening of the first café and the restaurant name is long established in the Taipa area of Macau. Sitting on Rua de Regedor, effectively Taipa’s high street, the restaurant looks unassuming and the Chinese name may fool some into thinking it’s something other than a great Macanese restaurant. As one enters you get the feeling of splendour with candle-lit tables adorned with white tablecloths and cosy, warm lighting gives an aura of comfort.

Fat Sui Lau 3 has an extensive menu of classic and traditional Macanese food with some recipes harking back to the days of the restaurant’s opening. The roasted pigeon (MOP115) is from a 100 year-old recipe but the menu also has the usual Portuguese sausage, grilled sardines, braised ox tongue and plenty of classical baked rice dishes. Deep fried cod fish balls (MOP48) are cooked well and consisted of a generous amount of fish that was prepared perfectly with a truly great flavour. Fresh seafood is abundant on this menu and the sautéed clams in spicy tomato sauce (MOP95) are as fresh as the menu promised. The sauce is of sweet tomato with just a hint of spice on the palate while the clams are soft and tender. The fresh beef broth (MOP38) is divine with a great ginger aftertaste. Curry crab (MOP340) is one of the signature dishes at Fat Siu Lau 3 and this did not disappoint. Fresh, juicy meat on the crab twinned nicely with the light curry sauce, overall an excellent dish. Another speciality is African chicken (MOP148) with light piri piri chilli, garlic and peanut, but the bird itself was a little on the dry side. The soufflés (MOP140 for a small) here are huge and need to be ordered 40 minutes in advance but they are fantastically light. With a sprinkling of chocolate sauce, it provides a great end to the meal.

Fat Sui Lau 3 has a distinctly European wine list with wines from Portugal, Germany, Italy and France. The range of choices is excellent, offering everything from Portuguese table wines to French classified growth wines. Wines by the glass are Portuguese and available in carafe sizes, too.

The service at Fat Siu Lau 3 is impeccable. The wait staff are knowledgeable and quietly attentive throughout. Their ability to suggest dishes prior to ordering and recommend wines to go with the dishes are a nice bonus to an already good dining experience.

An a la carte dinner for two will be around MOP600 per head, including wine. It is possible to eat cheaply here but with such a tranquil setting and such great service it’s recommended you relax and indulge.