Macau Restaurants|Macau, China

The Eight

Name: The Eight
Address: Avenida de Lisboa, Macau, China
Telephone: 4001-200-080

The pinnacle of Cantonese dining

VERIFIED LUXURY

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Nowhere is Macau’s exquisite Cantonese cuisine better experienced than at The Eight. Hidden inside Grand Lisboa Hotel, this heralded restaurant is accessed via a hidden corridor that features relaxing water curtains and virtual swimming ...

Our Inspector's Highlights

The secret entrance sets a mysterious tone for The Eight, which continues to impress with every step. From the crystal chandelier to the warm hand towels before the meal, this is the crème de la crème of Cantonese dining rooms.
Conceived by Hong Kong talent Alan Chan, the entire design concept is based on the fortuitous No. 8. In Chinese culture, it signifies wealth and luck — appropriate for this casino city.
The dim sum menu comes highly recommended, featuring more than 40 types of small bites and sharing plates. Don’t miss the hedgehog-shaped char siu bao (barbecued pork buns), lobster and truffle dumplings, steamed rice flour rolls with Sicilian prawns, or juicy crystal blue shrimp-stuffed har gao dumplings, molded to resemble the venue’s signature goldfish.
In addition to the enormous wine menu, you will also find a selection of premium pu’erteas. This is the Chinese tea of choice for rich dim sum, since the earthy, fermented flavors are thought to aid in digestion.
The chef’s version of mango soup — a traditional Cantonese dessert — is marvelous. It tastes surprisingly light, thanks to chunks of fresh mango, pomelo and strawberry.

Things to Know

Reservations are a must at the Macau restaurant. Plan weeks in advance to avoid disappointment, particularly if you’re visiting on a weekend.
If you're dining with a small group or extended family, consider booking one of the six private rooms. Each space includes dedicated serving staff and an en suite bathroom.
Portions of dim sum run on the small side compared to more casual Chinese restaurants, so plan to order a mix of six to eight dishes for two people.
Be aware that a few items must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance. These highlights include the special beggar’s chicken (traditionally wrapped in lotus leaf and baked underground), Peking duck and braised eight treasure goose (a deboned goose filled with eight traditional ingredients: abalone, barbecued pork, lotus seed, lily bulb, mushroom, conpoy — or dried scallop — taro and salted egg yolk.
While there’s no enforced dress code, we’d treat a visit to this restaurant like a special occasion. At a minimum, trousers for men and casual-chic for ladies.

The Food

The chef’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the dim sum menu. Each bite has been crafted by hand, to order, with precise presentations and world-class ingredients.
Dinner can be approached in one of two ways: either order what you like à la carte — with more than 150 different dishes on offer — or opt for the set menu to taste a little bit of everything. The latter is a great way to try chef Tse’s signatures.
Adventurous eaters may feel inspired to order traditional appetizers such as jellyfish head with vintage black vinegar, thousand-year-old egg or pig’s trotter.
If you win big at the casino, have a go at a celebratory Chinese classic, such as bird’s nest and abalone.
Roast specialties are not to be missed, particularly the suckling pig (for sharing), poached pigeons, honey-glazed barbecued pork and roasted pork belly.

The Design

The Cantonese restaurant’s namesake number takes many subtle forms here, from the sparkling crystal ball suspended over a pool in the middle of the dining room casting a figure-eight reflection, to the curvaceous furniture arrangements.
Symbolizing good energy and abundant vitality, hand-stitched silk goldfish appear to swim across the back wall in the main dining room.
Hugged by water curtains, the entrance has been designed with some of the same symbolism in mind. A projector creates virtual goldfish swimming underfoot as you walk into this new world, far removed from the busy city below.
Look for various jade and bronze coins placed around the dining room as a continuation of the auspicious symbolism.

Amenities