REVIEW: Fernando at Coloane Village, Macau

One of the most highly recommended restaurants online in Macau is Fernando. We took a free shuttle to the Venetian, crossed their bus parking lot (on your left before you enter the hotel), crossed the street and turned right (going left would bring you to the direction of Galaxy) to the bus stop. We waited for Bus No. 9 which stops at Hac Sa Beach. We left Venetian around 11:15 am and arrived around 12:40 pm, no traffic, it was a weekday.

Hac Sa Beach final bus stop

We made the mistake of getting off one stop earlier because there where no signs, in English at least nor could we communicate with the bus driver where we wanted to go. No worries though, we walked about 2 blocks straight to the road and saw the final bus stop (pictured above) and the restaurant facade.

Fernando facade.

We almost missed the restaurant too because seeing the beach, a parking space, a walled compound and small stores lining the street made it so easy to see this humble entry way as just a bunch of trees.  Or maybe it was the hunger?! There are no visible signage outside the restaurant so just look for that bunch of foliage and go right in :)

Inside dining area

We got ushered inside past the open doorway, a dining area,  a wall of foreign currency, an al fresco dining space, an open bar and finally inside this charming dining area. We arrived a little before noon on a weekday which is probably the best time to visit this place as there is no line for waiting that is often reported online. 

Complimentary bread

This bread is so good and so filling! They offered to give us another set but we ordered a whole plate of rice and we were only 2 girls so we regretfully had to decline because we might not finish everything we ordered.

Chinese Fried rice

Salty. Filling. Really tasty. Good for 3-4 people. Would I order it again? YES. Definitely. I would recommend this to any rice loving person. For those on a diet or wary of oily food maybe not so. It had shrimp, chorizo, olives, green peppers and onions as far as I could taste. It's a bit costly with a plate almost costing the same as the suckling pig but they obviously did not scrimp on the ingredients as you could see from the photo and as you would be able to taste. Plus this by itself is practically a complete meal.

Portugese chorizo

If you must order only 1 thing from Fernando, please let it be this fine plate of chorizo. I have never tasted anything like this. Honestly, I am not familiar with Portugese cuisine so I cannot say much about authenticity of taste BUT I do know a damn good chorizo and this is definitely one of the best I have ever tasted. It might be too salty for some but a good bottle of blanca or sangria paired with this would wash the heat away with thoughts of endless summer. The restaurant lacks air-conditioning for reasons unknown to me. Oh but I would fly to Macau just for this chorizo. <3

Roasted Suckling Pig

The infamous roasted suckling pig. Juicy, tender meat falling off the bone. Portions of fat melting from the skin through the meat to the bone down to the plate. Thin crispy crunchy skin. I don't even like dark meat (don't judge!) but I didn't mind it this time because the meat tasted so "clean" for lack of a better word. Anyone who doesn't like dark meat would get what I mean. It's worth the hype I can say. Worth the price tag too. Way better than the babi guling (suckling pig) in Bali. However, I have to say that Cebu lechon (roasted suckling pig) is better. In terms of the way it was cooked, Fernando probably makes the meat more tender, but the distinct taste of Cebu lechon is incomparable. Trust me, you haven't tasted roasted suckling pig until you've had some CnT or Rico's Cebu Lechon. I might need another serving or two.. or three of these babies before I can decide with finality which is the best. 

We got a table by the window because it was really hot. Midday dry heat of Macau. Did I say mention the place has NO air-conditioning???

Al fresco dining

This is the outside dining area perfect for that wine or Sangria. 

Our generous host for the day. I forgot his name though because I colossally suck at remembering names. I would remember his face though. He looks a bit like Adam Sandler ;)

Took a side trip to the beach because, beach :) 

FERNANDO RESTAURANT

Location: Praia de Hac Sa, N'9, Coloane, Macau
Operating Hours: 12:00 noon until 9:30 pm (Last order)
Tel: (+853) 882264, 882531, 882693
Website: http://www.fernando-restaurant.com

OVERALL: ⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎ out of 5 stars. 

Casual dining. Mid-high price range (total bill was MOP 412). Food on the salty side. Out of town. Portugese chorizo! Everything was cooked well. Place was clean. Servers accommodating. Relaxed vibe.