Dining at Sheraton Macao

Following my earlier post on the Grand Opening of the world’s largest Sheraton Hotel and the biggest hotel in Macau – the Sheraton Macao, I’d like to highlight the dining experiences I had during that whirlwind 3 days’ trip.

At the Sheraton Macao, dining is a treat, with 3 signature restaurants offering a choice of Asian and international cuisine, overseen by award-winning Director of Culinary, Australian Chef David King.

Xin
Xin is Macau’s first 5-star Asian hotpot and seafood restaurant, offering Asian hotpot, fresh-from-the-tank seafood and Asian-inspired dishes to delight the palates of Asian and international guests. The concept of Xin, which literally translates to “freshness” was inspired by a vibrant Asian seafood market. Xin’s philosophy is based on simplicity with the authenticity of flavors, and freshness. What immediately struck me as I entered the restaurant is its lively atmosphere – the staff is constantly moving around to ensure their guests are well attended to.

Coconut Cupcakes with Beef Cheeks and Tendon Curry

Crisp Rice Net & Abalone Red Rice Roll

During the Dine Around session for the media, Xin showcased some of their signature dishes like the Coconut Cupcakes with Beef Cheeks & Tendon Curry, Crisp Rice Net & Abalone Red Rice Roll and “Rich” Cut Iberico Pork Cha Siu. Dishes that I tried and liked are the Vietnamese-style Minced Pork, Chinese Sausge & Fish Thread Riceflour Roll, Roast Duck & Mandarin on Betel Leaves and Curry Fried Rice with Pineapple, Foie Gras and Prawns. Oh, of course, the Iberico Pork Cha Siu was superb – as its description said, it’s a rich cut and simply melted in the mouth.

“Rich” Cut Iberico Pork Cha Siu

Vietnamese-style Minced Pork, Chinese Sausge & Fish Thread Riceflour Roll

Roast Duck & Mandarin on Betel Leaves

The following night we had a chance to return to Xin to sample its hotpot buffet. We got to design our own hotpot from a range of signature Asian soup bases and the extensive buffet was truly impressive. The spread included lots of fresh seafood like fish fillet, prawns, scallops, all kinds of clams, chicken, lamb, pork, beef, mushrooms, vegetables, various types of balls and beancurds.

On the other side was laid out trays and pots of cooked dishes to supplement the hotpot experience. However, I skipped all the cooked items and just went for the hotpot. For my soup base, I chose the very safe Chinese Herbal Soup which at the beginning of my meal, tasted very clear and slightly bland. However, by the end of my meal, after having dunked in all kinds of the freshest seafood, meats and vegetables, my soup has turned into a dense milky colour and tasted oh-so-good! Guests can also opt for the Luxury Hotpot Sets which offer premium ingredients like Boston lobster, Australian “master kobe” wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork belly, to name a few.

To complement Xin’s range of dishe, we totally love their creative beverage menu encompassing Asian and western-style drinks and international red and white wines. With “sharing” a key element of pan-Asian cuisine, many of Xin’s alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks are available in signature jugs to share with the table. Xin’s signature cocktail is the sour plum mojito which we had a couple of jugs that night!

Restaurant information:
Cuisine: Asian seafood and hotpot
Serving style: a la Carte/buffet
Opening hours: 12:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Reservation: +853 8113 1200

Bene
Bene is an upbeat and friendly Italian trattoria which serves traditional Italian “mama” style dishes that the entire family will love. Warm and welcoming, the tempting aromas of the open wood fire oven promote an atmosphere of relaxation and enjoyment. During the Dine Around event here, their Seafood Pasta and Braised Beef Cheeks were showcased. We sampled their Hokkaido Sea Scallops with Crushed Potato, Green Asparagus & Black Truffle Dressing and Ricotta Cheese & Spinach Ravioli with Parmesan Sauce & Crisp Ham. Food was rich, honest and tantalising.

Bene’s delicious signature breads

Seafood Pasta

Braised Beef Cheeks

From its casual and classic décor, I believe Bene is the perfect place for a celebration. There’s this “wall of fame” which features guests dining for their birthdays and anniversaries.

Hokkaido Sea Scallops with Crushed Potato, Green Asparagus & Black Truffle Dressing

Ricotta Cheese & Spinach Ravioli with Parmesan Sauce & Crisp Ham

Bene’s menu features a large selection of antipasti, garden-fresh salads, piping hot pizzas straight from the wood fire oven, traditional soups and casseroles, homemade pastas (presented at the table for guests’ selection), an array of secondi, and mouth-watering desserts. Definitely a return trip must be made soon in the near future to sample more of Bene’s offerings.

Restaurant information:
Cuisine: Italian
Serving style: A la Carte
Opening hours: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Reservation: +853 8113 1200

Feast
We spent the most “eating” time in Feast as we got to have our breakfasts here. Feast is a market-style, interactive all-day restaurant with a lively, fun and family-friendly atmosphere, showcasing a menu of international flavors. The intense aromas, together with the abundance of visual treats and tastes, mean the restaurant is literally a “feast” for the senses.

Their extensive breakfast buffet features Asian, Portuguese and Macanese delights with energetic live cooking stations dishing up some really great stuff. I had my wantan noodles cooked at one of the stations every morning – big plump wantans with noodles in a clear umami soup! The buffet breakfast features loads of salads, smoked meats, seafood, roasts, dim sum, even nasi lemak and roti paratha and of course the egg station is one of the most popular. I love their sausages!

My favourite sausages

Smoked Salmon Buns

My bowl of hot steaming Wantan Noodles

Desserts are one of the highlights of Feast. A vast dessert island is located at the center of the restaurant featuring the greatest variety of delectable desserts in Macau.

Restaurant information:

Cuisine: International
Serving style: A la Carte/Buffet
Opening hours: 6:30 am – 11:00 pm
Reservation: +853 8113 1200

Sheraton Macao Hotel
Cotai Central, Cotai Strip
Taipa
Macau SAR
P.R. China
Tel: ++853-2880-2000
Fax: ++853-2880-2111

More information on Sheraton Macao can be viewed here.