Most wine connoisseurs know the wine producing regions of France and Italy like the back of their hand, but tiny Portugal is often neglected, known only for its port, the fortified wine produced in the Duoro Valley. Similarly, not a whole lot is known about Portuguese cuisine, despite the fact that our sister SAR Macau was its colony for 112 years.

Chef Martinho Moniz, the head chef of Guincho a Galera, laments: "When people think of Portuguese food, they always seem to say things like curry crab or 'Portuguese chicken', that's not Portuguese food!" To remedy this, the Hotel Lisboa has transported the famous Fortaleza do Guincho to Macau and opened its first international outpost on its third floor, taking over the space that was previously occupied by Robuchon a Galera.

On our quest to find out more about the cuisine of Portugal, as well as what homegrown wines pair best with the dishes, we visit what is possibly Macau's first fine dining Portuguese restaurant. When we arrive, we find that chef Moniz has prepared a special four-course menu for us: a seared goose liver with port; a lobster salad; suckling pig; and a dessert of cherry clafoutis. In addition, restaurant manager Eric Wong had also hand-picked two wines, a 2010 chardonnay from Cova da Ursa and a 2005 Quinta do Vale Meão, made from a combination of indigenous touriga nacional, touriga franca and tinta roriz (tempranillo) grapes.

We start off on a decadent foot: seared goose liver with port, sautéed figs and girolles. "The Portuguese are familiar with goose liver thanks to our proximity to France", says chef Moniz, "and it is served on special occasions". At Guincho a Galera, we quickly learn that all portion sizes are on the large side, suited to the Portuguese tradition of family-style dining. The hefty piece of foie gras is nicely balanced by sautéed granny smith apples and some crunchy broad beans. To go with it, chef Moniz naturally recommends a port, a 1977 Taylor's, to be exact, as he likes how notes of chocolate work with the richness of the liver.

For a second course, a lobster salad with stewed carrots, dates and a citrus sauce, the crustacean is very very lightly cooked and is absolutely delicious with the buttery and warm sauce. A self-professed seafood lover whose ideal meal is a simple crab with garlic and toast, it is not surprising that this lobster is one of chef Moniz's best dishes. To pair with it, Wong recommends the 2010 Cova da Ursa chardonnay. The chef disagrees, however: "For me, an alvarinho, a grape that is grown in the north, is perfect with this dish. The grape is similar to the German riesling or moscato from Italy and is great with seafood as well as dishes with just a little bit of fat".

Our main course is a roasted suckling pig. "Our Portuguese suckling pig differs from the Chinese style in that we first marinate it in orange and lime, and then we roast it very, very slowly," says Moniz. "Ideally, we lose all the fat and there are absolutely no bubbles on the skin. If there are bubbles, then we're in trouble," he laughs. When the dish arrives, the skin is as crispy as the chef had promised, and even peering closely, we did not find a single rise in the smooth skin. The dish comes with buttery mash and carrots, cucumber, asparagus and onion. "Portuguese food is very Mediterranean in style, so there is always a lot of vegetables and salads," says Moniz. To pair with the suckling pig, Wong selected the 2005 Quinta do Vale Meão: this time, chef Moniz agrees with the selection. "Quinta do Vale Meão is a very well-known and well-respected winery in Portugal", he notes approvingly. Indeed, the wine is delicious with a whole plethora of aromas, from violet to chocolate to berries. It is a perfect match with the pig.

Finally, our dessert is a cherry clafoutis with a vanilla and red cherry ice cream. Clafoutis originate from the area of Limoges in France and consists of cherries cooked in a flan-like sponge, which is then baked in the oven until it rises like a soufflé. Guincho a Galera's version comes with cherries cooked in port wine and is a light yet absolutely satisfying ending to a delicious meal. To pair with it, we reach back to the 1977 Taylor's port that had matched with the foie gras so well and find that while this fortified wine may be pricey (MOP3,000 per bottle), it is also versatile, going just as well with the clafoutis as it had done with the liver.