Patrons of any of Lei Garden’s Hong Kong branches will feel at home in the no-frills Macau outlet, located in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. Red and gold, the colours of prosperity, set the scheme, fitting for those looking for a bit of luck on the casino floors. For those sensitive to cigarette smoke, it should be noted that there is no non-smoking section.

During lunch hours, start with any of Lei Garden’s dim sum offerings, which feature fresh seafood and succulent pork. Shrimp dumplings in translucent skin is a dim sum classic – Lei Garden’s version is succulent and served steaming hot. Crispy roasted pork, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, is a must for bacon or pork belly lovers – bite-sized cubes of luxurious pork belly are roasted and topped with a skin as crispy as a potato chip. Braised grouper fillet on beancurd with XO sauce, another house speciality, is delicate and light, prepared with lean, moist pieces of grouper on soft tofu squares. For a taste of the exotic, try the fried crocodile face meat with garlic sprouts and spicy black bean sauce. To end the meal on a sweet note, try the rice dumplings with sesame filling, coated with ground peanuts. Sweetened mango with grapefruit and sago is another terrific dessert option, both creamy and refreshing.

A select wine list is available, although only one house red and one house white are available by the glass. For those looking to celebrate a big win, several vintages of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild from Pauillac are on offer, including the famed 1982 – and it will only set you back MOP69,888 per bottle.

Efficiency is the word at Lei Garden, where dishes arrive almost as soon as they are ordered. The staff manages to handle a consistently full house with grace, although some orders can get lost in the shuffle – check your order slip carefully to check the server placed all your orders correctly.

A meal at Lei Garden is great value for consistently well-executed Cantonese favourites. A meal for two, excluding wine, will cost about MOP600. However, as with all Cantonese restaurants, the bill can skyrocket if delicacies such as abalone or bird’s nest are ordered.