(Last updated: May 30, 2024)
For years I’ve gazed across at the Chinese restaurant directly opposite Nga Tim and wondered if the food there was any good.
Seemingly doing a good business most times I’ve walked by, the mystery was finally solved in 2024, when I dropped in for a trio of visits. Trying two dishes each time, I never had anything I’d order again, which is pretty much all you need to know about Chan Seng Kei.
Tourist trap all the way, just walk 10 seconds around the corner to Chan Chi Mei Choi Kun and you’ll be rewarded with one of Macau’s very best Chinese restaurants.
Frequent Chan Seng Kei and there’s a good chance you won’t find much you want to order off the menu.
I really struggled to pick six things out, which is probably why two of them were deep fried: Deep fried Tofu with Oyster Sauce ($65) and Deep Fried Eggplant with Salt and Pepper ($70).
Neither were any good, mostly lacking one critical component: pleasing taste.
The Shrimp with Noodles ($82) was particularly disappointing, given the noodles underneath added absolutely nothing to it, while the Pork Chops with Peking Style Sauce ($90) were smothered in unwanted vegetables and sauce that didn’t need to be there.
The Fried E Fu Noodles ($60) also went over like a led zeppelin, just relying on soy sauce for seasoning.
The Stir Fried Pork with Chinese Long Beans ($78) needed a great deal more pork, and a little less time in the pan, coming out a touch overcooked.
Chan Seng Kei seems to understand their principle clientele is probably only going to visit once, so why bother? Rife with potential in the same way that Albergue 1601 is, in that it’s beside one of Macau’s prettiest buildings, the food at Chan Seng Kei just doesn’t live up to its end of the bargain.
Yet another joint where you can be glad the Maven went, so you don’t have to!
