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“Macao Trading Company”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Asian	Tribeca	Moderate	Great

and perhaps a vegetable or side.

Ants Climbing the Tree ($12)—Chinese glass noodles sautéed with spicy pork—is one of Kathy’s all time favorite dishes from Shun Lee and we had to try it here. If it’s anywhere as good as the one at Macao, it’s easy to understand her feelings. This dish, however, is not for those on a first date or those who are self conscious about eating. These noodles are in quite a tight tangle and take some effort to get at without making a huge mess, but it’s worth the struggle because the mix of minced hot chile pork and silken noodles is super.

The Chinese whole fish ($26) is tender and moist, saturated with the flavors of ginger and peppers, though it was not as crispy skinned as I would have liked. While I liked the dry fried long beans ($8)—they were rather piquant—Kathy was not into their vinegary taste. I ate her portion with pleasure. But Bacalao fried rice is a fluffy and flavorful riff on the classic with pork or beef ($9) that had no shortage of takers.

Desserts (all $7) are also family-sized, so it’s difficult to make the commitment unless you have plenty of people to share with. But if you are up for it (at least share one), the fried milk with citrus salad is a good way to go—imagine creamy milk latkes, dusted with cinnamon. The rice pudding with port-soaked figs is also good, though I’d prefer it thicker. This was quite thinned out with milk (and cream, I imagine).

Another favorite was a dish of housemade ice cream, especially the red bean, served with a big sugar cookie. While there are no fortune cookies here, it does seem like the sort of place where you might find a real fortune teller. Come to think of it, perhaps they can get the one from EO to stop by once in a while to peer into the future. Though, truth be told, for the folks at Macao, living in the past seems to be working out quite well.

Macao Trading Company is located at 311 Church Street (there’s no sign but there’s a red lantern hanging outside), 212-431-8750.

 

 

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Posted: January 23, 2009

Other restaurants in Tribeca :
+ Lunchbox Food Company--Closed   + 66: THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED   + Ola-- Closed   + Bouley   + Dominic   + Landmarc   + Pace-- Closed   + EN Japanese Brasserie   + Centrico   + Cercle Rouge   + The Harrison   + Turks & Frogs Tribeca   + Devin Tavern   + Dani-- Closed Now   + Bacaro/Smith & Mills   + The Harrison   + Matsugen, By Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Forge   + Macao Trading Company   + Harbour   + Review text tbd...   + Mehtaphor   + Brushstroke   + Jung Sik   

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