Taipa Village is being smartened up, and the long-overdue gentrification is attracting more foot traffic to the narrow lanes. As the old hardware and sundry stores and tailor shops give way to dried beef and almond cookie outlets, along the Village's main drag, on the side streets, old two-storied shophouse structures with balconies and shuttered windows are being turned into chic art bistros and galleries.

Over on the Peninsula, despite the glitzy new casinos, not much has changed at the well-established restaurants such as Clube Militar, AlfonsoIII and A Lorcha, with patrons packed cheek by jowl at some.

Hotel Lisboa director of sales Henry Kong says some people just come over from Hong Kong for a meal at Robuchon a Galera and then hop back after brandy and cigars. Local restaurants are attracting international talent, with culinary greats, some even boasting Michelin stars such as Alfonso Iaccarino who opened the Grand Lisboa's Don Alfonso 1890, and Philippe Marc, who presides over the menu at MGM Grand Macau's Aux Beaux Arts. But while restaurants can offer great food and drink, they can't easily import the labour needed to provide the quality of service that goes along with the upgraded menus and posh ambience. The labour shortage is contributing to the demise of the smaller, less commercially viable, but often good restaurants, and this is regrettable.

Nevertheless, while it may take a little longer for tables to be cleared or dishes to be served, and while prices are inexorably creeping up, there is still reason for optimism about this SAR's dining scene. Best of all, Macau being the compact little town it is, it's all just a few minutes away.

TRIED AND TRUE

Same as it ever was

Wong Chi Kei, Largo do Senado No 17, +853 28331313

Wong Chi Kei Congee and Noodle started serving up steaming bowls of 'fine as silk, smooth and springy' Cantonese noodles, wonton (above), congee and rice dishes at its original venue on Rua Cinco de Octubre in 1946. Since then it's branched out with this shop right in the middle of Senado Square, and even has an outlet in Hong Kong. Reservations are not mandatory, but lunchtime can be crowded in this casual eatery. Noodles with squid balls, curry brisket and several kinds of fried rice are the favourites, all tasty and reasonably priced. Open daily 8am-11pm

Midnight snack

Jockey Japanese Restaurant, Avenida de Gumaraes, Supreme Flower City, Taipa, +853 28821864

The speciality here is Japanese cuisine, but many of the dishes on the extensive menu are imaginatively modified for local tastes, such as the popular hotpots, plus an unusually wide variety of vegetable dishes including baby green peppers, grilled eggplant, seafood, grilled meat and poultry dishes. Open 6pm-3.30am

Those famous egg tarts

Margaret's Cafe e Nata, Gum Loi Building, Rua Almirante Costa Cabral, +853 28710032

No one should leave Macau without tasting the scrumptious original egg tarts (below), and Margaret's Cafe e Nata is the place to get them downtown, plus great cheesecake, quiche Lorraine, soup, sandwiches and freshly squeezed juices. The picnic tables outdoors are packed on weekends and at lunch. Open 6.30am-7pm Monday-Friday, weekends 9am-9pm

Historic landmark

Clube Militar, Avenida Praia Grande 795, +853 28714000

The stately old Military Club (above) is the best place to find the real flavour of old Macau, in both ambience and gracious dining. The club's history dates back to 1870, when it was established by a group of army officers, and for many years was the centre of colonial social life. Today the club's restaurant is open to the public, and is a favourite among the local business community, government officials and members of the press. The building itself is an architectural monument to Macau's colonial past, and the mix of Portuguese and Macanese dishes on the menu aptly reflects the local culture. Open daily noon-3.30pm and 7pm-11pm

NEW AND NOTABLE

Parisian treat

Aux Beaux Arts

MGM Grand Macau, Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, NAPE, Macau, +853 88028888

MGM Grand's Aux Beaux Arts is as yet undiscovered, but has all the hallmarks of becoming a hit among sophisticated local residents and international visitors. Michelin-starred chef Philippe Marc concocts culinary masterpieces such as gourmandise de ris de veau, or filet de boeuf rossini in an atmosphere that actually beats the real Paris it's designed to mimic. Open Monday-Saturday 1pm-5pm and 6pm-11pm; Sundays and public holidays 11.30am-2pm, 2pm-5pm (high tea) and 6pm-11pm (dinner)

Fine wine and elegance

The Kitchen

Grand Lisboa, Avenida de Lisboa, +853 88037777

The Grand Lisboa's newest fine dining hotspot, The Kitchen, shares the best wine cellar in Asia with other top-of-the-line restaurants Robuchon a Galera and Don Alfonso 1890. The Kitchen specialises in gourmet steaks and fresh seafood, including sushi and sashimi, in a sophisticated atmosphere that is intimate and somewhat formal at the same time. When you've made your choices from the extensive menu, the sommelier will recommend the best wine to accompany your meal from a collection of some 3,800 labels. The excellent food quality and elegant atmosphere are worth the higher prices. Open daily 12.30-2.30 and 6.30-10.30pm

Best sushi outside of Japan

Kira

Crown Macau, Avenida de Kwong Tung, Taipa, +853 28868868

Japanese food seldom tastes as good outside Japan, but Kira's excellent sushi and sashimi are as good as it gets. The other dishes, authentic but not necessarily exotic, also deserve kudos. The phrase melt-in-your-mouth was coined for Kira's teppanyaki-style steak, seasoned perfectly with garlic and other spices. It's anybody's guess where the name for kinky fish comes from, but this popular delicacy is just one of the many kinds of seafood on display for diners to select. Open daily 6pm-11.30pm

Macau's first sake sommelier

Okada

Wynn Macau, Rua Cidade de Sintra, NAPE, Macau, +853 9863668

Sachii Imamura (right) is trained to select and recommend the most appropriate kind of sake for each course at Okada, including saketinis for starters, and maybe even a sweet, rich brandy-like aged dessert sake topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Wynn Macau's poolside restaurant also serves some tasty and innovative dishes cooked up by Imamura's husband, chef Hirofumi Imamura, such as pan-seared yellowtail with miso-marinated foie gras in truffle teriyaki sauce. Authentic Japanese architectural elements such as huge sake vats and a bamboo thicket add to the authentic atmosphere. Open daily 5.30pm-12.30am

Best pizza in town

Papponi

Rua das Urtodes, Taipa (behind Dumbo and adjacent to the temple), +853 28582858

The best pizza in Macau is found in a relatively new and inexpensive little eatery on a narrow street in Taipa Village that is as yet undiscovered, but chances are it won't be for long. Chef Moreno de Michelli calls his place an osteria, which means, 'a friendly and casual place' with red wine, grappa, limoncello and big smiles. The gnocchi al gorgonzola is outstanding, but the pizza is not to be missed and comes in several varieties, with a crust that's crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Open daily (except Tuesdays) noon-3pm and 6pm-midnight

Where the stars come for robatayaki

Roka

Venetian Macao, Cotai Strip, +853 28825666

Superstar Beyonce threw a party here after her Venetian performance, putting this newcomer to the casual-sophisticated dining scene on track to become a celebrity hangout. Robatayaki, or fresh seafood, meat, and vegetables cooked over an open charcoal fire, is the speciality, and as at sister restaurants, Zuma, in London and Hong Kong, the style is fusion, served with a wide variety of sakes, some with fruit infusions, and wine and spirits. Open daily noon-5pm and 6pm-11pm

Amazing apes

3-Monkeys

Shop 2412a, Level33, Grand Canal Shoppes, The Venetian Macao, +853 28576196

Children will love this big, bright happy restaurant that combines Italian, Mexican, American and Asian cuisine with cartoons on the wide-screen TV, stuffed life-sized gorillas to join you at your table, and the Venetian's famous 'streetmosphere' with strolling musicians and performers in medieval Italian costumes. Generous portions and the entertainment thrown in makes for good value for money. Open daily from 11am-2am

Dim sum with a difference

Kwun Hoi Heen

3/F Westin Resort, Estrada de Hac Sa, Coloane, +853 8991320

There are many good dim sum restaurants in Macau, but only one has a magnificent view of the sea and the hills of Coloane: the newly refurbished Kwun Hoi Heen at the Westin Resort. The chef creates delectable morsels such as steamed tri-coloured prawn dumplings stuffed with fresh shrimp and vegetables, crab congee with scallops, and fried tofu cubes with spicy sauce in an edible basket. Open Monday-Friday 11am-3pm and 6.30pm-11pm. Weekends 9.30am-4pm and 6.30pm-11pm

Shanghai taste

Jade Garden

6/F StarWorld Hotel, Avenida da Amizade, Macau, +853 2908638

StarWorld's decidedly upscale Shanghainese restaurant serves up a steamed reeves shad that lives up to its promise as the house special, a hearty and flavourful grainy beef Vietnamese style, and vegetarian mock crab, among many other dishes in an extensive menu, accompanied by some good wines. This bright and colourful spot might not be the ideal place for a romantic tete-a-tete, but it is perfect for excellent Shanghainese cuisine served with style. Open daily 11am-midnight

Something old, something new

Antonio

Rua dos Negociantes No 3, Taipa, +853 28999998

Those who remember Espaco Lisboa in Coloane will be happy to know that former owner Antonio Coelho has opened a beautiful new Portuguese restaurant in Taipa Village that is already becoming a favourite of government officials and discerning locals. The cosy interior of the old village house, refurbished with thick wooden beams, granite arches and azulejo tiles, makes an elegant setting that is reminiscent of Portugal but is particular to Macau. Among local Portuguese chefs, Antonio is distinguished by his use of the freshest ingredients and innovative dishes, such as gratinated goat's cheese with honey and acacia and olive oil appetiser. Open daily noon-3pm and 6pm-11pm