Golden Flower

Golden Flower is one of three restaurants with Michelin star distinction at Wynn Macau, and probably the only one that deserves it.  Marketed as “Tan” cuisine, or Imperial Qing, the restaurant serves a wide array of Chinese cuisine, with Beijing, Shandong, Sichuan and Cantonese fare on offer.

Golden Flower Macau seating

I tried a selection of food from these different regions, ordering Spring Chicken ($78), Beijing Roast Pork ($70), Crab Meat and Tofu Soup ($68) and the Seafood Soup with Chicken, Fish and Shrimp ($268).

Golden Flower Macau Spring Chicken
Spring Chicken

Apart from the spring chicken appetizer far too smoky, salty and oily, every other dish was a treat to eat, with the Roasted Pork a particular highlight.

Golden Flower Macau Beijing Roast Pork
Beijing Roast Pork

The service was of the highest standard as well, and they even let me cancel a dish after it was clear that I ordered too much.  The waitress was extremely proficient and professional throughout, and did an outstanding job introducing the different dishes and the history behind them.

Golden Flower Macau Crab Meat and Tofu Soup
Crab Meat and Tofu Soup

It was such a contrast to my disappointing meal at Wing Lei an evening earlier, where noisy mainlanders had the rule of the room, treating the concept of fine dining like a birthday party at KFC.

Golden Flower Macau Seafood Soup with Chicken, Fish and Shrimp
Seafood Soup with Chicken, Fish and Shrimp

In terms of Michelin starred restaurants at Wynn Macau, Golden Flower deserves its two star designation and is definitely the one to try.  With plenty of selections available for less than $150, it’s also quite affordable for being such a highly acclaimed (and good) restaurant.

Golden Flower Macau entrance

It has some very funky lighting though, so don’t expect many (any??) of your pictures to rock Instagram or Facebook.

***UPDATE***

In May 2017, I returned to Golden Flower and tried four of their Chef Recommendations: Tossed Starched Noodles and Cucumbers with Mustard ($80), Double Boiled Pigeon Soup with Tian Ma and Figs ($100), Rice Smoked Duck ($110), and Dong An Braised Chicken With Spicy Sauce ($180).

The food was just as good as the first time, with the only letdown being the Tossed Starched Noodles.  They must have been made with the Chinese market in mind, because I can’t think of any Westerner who would like it.

Golden Flower Macau Tossed Starched Noodles and Cucumbers with Mustard
Tossed Starched Noodles and Cucumbers with Mustard

Barely edible, the mustard was so strong and overwhelming that it burned holes through my nose like I’d just done a bad rail, and I had no idea what the point of that torture was.

Golden Flower Macau Rice Smoked Duck
Rice Smoked Duck

Apart from that, all of the other dishes were spot on, in particular the Rice Smoked Duck and Pigeon Soup.

Golden Flower Macau Double Boiled Pigeon Soup with Tian Ma and Figs
Double Boiled Pigeon Soup with Tian Ma and Figs

Smoky but not overwhelmingly so, the duck was moist and tender while the soup flashed great balance, and one very pleasant clean pure taste.

Golden Flower Macau Dong An Braised Chicken With Spicy Sauce
Dong An Braised Chicken With Spicy Sauce

The Braised Chicken was prepared in strips covered in hot sauce and would have gone great with rice.  A very simple dish, I was somehow expecting it to be more complex; however it was still very juicy and I wasn’t displeased with it.

Golden Flower Macau ping feng

In my next visit to Golden Flower, I plan on trying one of their set meals, which run around $900 Mops.  I’ve heard they make for a great overview of Chinese cuisine, and with all the good reviews they get, I doubt I’ll be disappointed.

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