November 5, 2018

After a 16 hour flight, a bus ride, and a ferry ride, we finally made it to Macao. I was there with travel mates Ashley (@ashyi), Chloe (@bychloesee), and Christine (@kkarmalove) to document the food scene of Macao to celebrate its recent designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. This was my first international press trip and I couldn’t have been more excited to begin my exploration. For a recap of my HK Airlines flight, click here.

As our bus made its way towards the Cotai Strip, the flashing neon lights pulsated with electricity and massive casinos were lining the streets. People compare Macao to Vegas but trust me - Macao was on another level of opulence and stimulation.

I was running 15 min early to catch up with my dear friend, JKP, and decided to partake in happy hour at Lure, a seafood-centric restaurant located in Soho. To get the party started, I ordered 2 dozen Blue Point oysters- slick, briny, and ample. These aren’t the anemic, shriveled specimens you find at other happy hours. The dish of shrimp tempura was also delicious - crispy breading topped with a spicy mayo sauce. After washing that down with a glass of their house chardonnay, I dug into the deviled eggs and the fried oysters with tartar sauce, which is up there with my favorite rendition at Pearl Oyster Bar.

The aroma of Drakkar Noir wafted from behind and I knew JKP had arrived. We exchanged pleasantries but things quickly turned for the worst. You see, JKP is many things: a shrewd businessman always on the hustle, an unselfish wingman who jumps on grenades with arms wide open, and a Jewish Usher/Timberlake/Chris Brownesque dancer that delights the crowd at many bar mitzvahs and K-town karaoke bars.

Macao: Day 1

The Lure of JKP