Shark Fin Soup in Macau

While in Macau, my parents and their friends insisted on having dinner at this place.  They were introduced to this restaurant by a famous local friend (he has connections) last time they were in Macau.  We had spent most of the first and part of the second night in town walking around all the old and narrow alleyways looking for it.  It happens to be a few blocks from Pastelaria Koi Kei.

We finally found it. YEAH!  But as you can see from the first picture, it didn't look impressive on the outside.  I was thinking my parents and their friends must have gotten it wrong, but they recognized the owner who immediately called the celebrity friend, who was out of town at that time, and verified that our group was indeed this famous man's friends.  Once that was all settled the owner told us she knew what to serve us but wanted to know how much we wanted.  

The first dish (the only one I had time to take pictures of - boo me) which was the soup - WOW!  It's their signature shark fin soup.  I've had my fair share of shark fin soups, but I've never seen shark fin soup like this.  

The fins are cooked separately from the soup and are ordered by weight.  I think we ordered one kilograms worth.  Jess said last time they were here is was about three times as much and looked like a mountain.  Again WOW!  

The soup is chicken broth, but not like any chicken broth I've ever seen or tasted.  It tasted so chicken-y, free range chicken-y.  The broth was creamy in color, not clear, and the aroma made my stomach growl.  As I had my first sip, my tummy was all warm and happy.  I'm smiling as I'm rethinking about it.  hhhhmmmmm...  :-)

    

I don't think anyone can ever make chicken broth like that at home.  Look at all that shark fin in just one spoonful of soup and every spoon was that full!!  I was in heaven.  I walked out of there totally satisfied and knowing I could never have another bowl of regular shark fin soup without sighing and remember that one night in some tiny alley in Macau.  

Pastelaria Koi Kei in Macau

Pastelaria Koi Kei

As I was flipping through a magazine that I had picked up in Asia Destination Macau, I came across an article about the streets of Old Taipa Village, a historical area of Macau.  And one of the places featured was a cookie store I had been to, Pasterlaria Koi Kei.  It is highly recommended by both locals and repeat tourists.  It is the number gift purchased in Macau.

Macau's Old Red Light District

The store is located on the narrow street of Rua da Cunha commonly known as the food street in Cantonese.  The area was previously a happening red light district, but now it's home to a few residents, restaurants, and shops selling cookies, candies, BBQ pork, jellies, and many other famous Macau snacks.  

The streets were fairly quiet since it was close to 11pm.  All the other stores were closed and most residents were already in bed.  But as we approached our destination, I noticed that every person walking away from us was carrying a yellow brown plastic bag.  And then that's when I saw it. 

Busy Pastelaria Koi Kei

With bright lights and people spilling out, Jess groaned, "Oh no, we'll be here all night.  Last time we were here, mom went nuts and bought 4 big bags of cookies."  She decided to stay outside and wait for mom since she didn't want to fight with the mob of shoppers, and I was thinking she had the right idea.  

But the clerks were shouting, "Free samples," and were passing out cookies and candies that would put any Costco to shame.  I wanted some of their 300 plus varieties of treats, so I took a deep breath and ventured in.  Before I knew it I was given original almond cookie, chunky almond cookie, walnut almond cookie, a handful of mini almond cookies, almond cookie with pork floss, and many, many other varieties of almond cookies.  These were not cut up pieces or sample sizes.  These were full size cookies right out of the boxes!  I was getting so parched from tasting, I had to leave the almond cookie area.  

Jess Making It Out Alive

I walked around to the dried fruits and candies section, which had less people, and before I knew it, Jess was right beside me asking me to pass her some samples.  The clerks were wonderful.  When we wanted to try something and they didn't have a sample available, they would just grab a new box and open it for us.  We tasted everything!  Most items were yummy, but some were really an acquired taste, like pork fat candy - well I don't know if that's what it is, but it was a candy with meat in it that tasted like a piece of cold fat.  I'm gagging just thinking about it, but there were several people buying boxes of them including my mom. 

After an hour in the store, my mom bought four bags of cookies and candies which Jess is holding in the photo above, but then thinking she didn't have enough mom went back in and bought two more bags.

Pasrelaria Koi Kei's Famous Yellow Brown Bag

I bought six boxes of mini almond cookies, two boxes of phoenix egg rolls with seaweed and pork floss, one bag of lemon ginger candy, one bag of mango peanut nougat, and a box of variety almond cookies.  All my stash fit into one bag, so you can see how much mom bought.  She did go nuts in there!

Mini Almond Cookies

I know some of you out there might say, "These are available where I'm at."  Pastelaria Koi Kei does sell their products in many Asia super markets around the world.  But as an auntie told us, "This is where they make all these treats.  This is the original store and bakery.  Everything comes out of here.  The selections are greater and fresher.  Plus you won't be able to experience this kind of shopping back home."  But with our giant stash of treats we did get to share a little bit of our experience at Pastelaria Koi Kei with all our family and friends.  

Pastelaria Koi Kei

Rua Do Cunha, No. 11-13 

R/C Taipa Macau

Tel: (853) 2882 7458