The décor at Portas do Sol, the Chinese restaurant at the Hotel Lisboa in Macau is best described as Lisboa meets Liberace. While some may see it as kitschy, the restaurant is clearly successful, as evident by the long queues for tables. Polished wood flooring and illuminated chandeliers add to the experience. In the evening, part of the restaurant converts into a stage and dance floor with a live band during dinner and later. Unusually for Macau, no smoking sections are strictly enforced.

Portas do Sol’s extensive menu is filled with traditional Cantonese haute cuisine dishes with some imaginative twists added by the chef. Lunchtime dim sum is extremely popular as prices are low and quality high. Particular favourites include baked tartlette with crab meat in curry sauce, with a crab shaped pastry on top; steamed Shanghainese pork buns with crabmeat which have a rich broth and well-seasoned crabmeat; and steamed winter melon stuffed with shredded conpoy and bean curd. The fresh young melon is perfectly balanced with dry scallop, making the dish both light and aromatic. Live fish are available from the tank and most are reasonable in price. Prawns with Hawthorn sauce use fresh large prawns with a unique and slightly sweet sauce, a good match with German Rieslings. All dishes are piping hot as are the dining plates. Crab claw with minced ginger is beautifully presented with a large portion of crab. Pan-fried honey beans with bamboo pith and fungus uses very fresh produce which has not been overcooked nor too greasy - a well balanced dish. Steamed minced beef with tangerine peel, a nineteenth century recipe, is also delicious and surprisingly light. Crispy fried chicken is deboned and finger licking good with a salt and pepper blend or fresh lemon sauce as tempting accompaniments. Roasted crispy pigeon with osmanthus is a bargain at MOP65 – the pigeon is plump, tender and juicy whilst the generous serving of osmanthus adds a sweet succulent flavour. Typical Cantonese desserts such as chilled mango pudding or crystal buns are a fitting end to a delicious meal.

The full Lisboa list of over 8,000 superb and reasonably priced wines is available on request. Whilst there is no sommelier, the experienced staff know the correct procedure for opening bottles, proffering the correct glasses, and decanting wine where necessary. Wines by the glass are numerous but all seven white wines are Portuguese and do not necessarily match well with Cantonese cuisine.

Extremely helpful and friendly. Dishes are explained in detail, tea cups and wine glasses are never empty whilst dirty plates are cleared promptly.

A simple but excellent dinner for two without drinks is MOP800, while lunch with dim sum is less.