It could be my imagination, but I swear I can smell a pervasive sweet smell in the small village of Coloane on Macau's tiny southernmost island. There are just two of these islets, connected by causeways to Macau's peninsula. I take a moment to pin the aroma. It's custard. And I don't take long to track it down to a small bakery in the tree-shaded square nearby: Lord Stow's Bakehouse.

Lord Stow does exist (or he did then: sadly he has since died) and as his name suggested, he was British, Essex-born, although the title is not hereditary. It came about like this. Portuguese diners at Afonso, Macau Hyatt's upmarket restaurant which he managed in the 1980s, thought it added a little style having a Brit in charge and conferred the title. But Lord Stow added something to Macau himself, becoming known as the man who makes better custard tarts than the Portuguese.

This particular day (Lord) Andrew Stow, BSc, was behind the counter and happy to chat with me. He was modest about his reputation, describing himself simply as a British pharmacist-turned-baker who became fascinated by those flaky-based, creamy and heavenly Portuguese tarts. When he mastered them, the locals couldn't be happier.

That was the easy part. Selling Asians on other bakery staples is not as simple. The day I visit a hand-lettered sign offers 'start-up' prices for another strange foreign snack – sandwiches.

Springing from a succession of different colonizers and settlers, Macanese cuisine automatically became a hybrid of Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, and even Malay cooking. Traders returning from other colonies in Africa, India, and South America brought back the recipes, and makings, for favourite dishes which they had enjoyed on their travels. For this reason, Portuguese (and therefore Macanese) cuisine is one of the richest and most diverse in the world.

Stir into this spicy blend a popular international destination drawing the rich and famous to its major luxury hotels, casinos and horse and motor-racing, and the recipe for success gets even tastier. Macau's wide range of restaurants serves up dishes from many other Asian and European countries as well. 

If you want to go local, chicken grilled with searing piri piri peppers, African-style, is popular and authentic. Then there's tacho, a hearty stew of Chinese vegetables and meats, and an oven-baked chicken dish called galinha, rich with potatoes, onions, egg and saffron. Minchi is minced beef with fried potatoes, and linguado Macau is local fried sole, often accompanied by a green salad.

Because of its location, seafood is especially and good and popular in Macau. Make sure you have some crab meat baked in its shell, or Macanese-style grilled king prawns while in town. Much of it, such as the popular Macau sole and juicy king prawns, comes from the adjoining Pearl River Delta and waters of the South China Sea. Quail, pigeon, duck, African chicken and vegetables are also locally produced.

But don't shun those sweet treats, either. Grab some of those custard tarts for sure – they're everywhere as you would expect, and they're good. Lord Stow does not have the patent on them. Custards are popular of course, and here they are flavoured with sugar cane or coconut, pudim resembles a cross between créme brulee and créme caramel, and nut cakes and pastries are sensational. Many of these luscious desserts were initially created in Portuguese convents using rich ingredients souvenired by traders.

Visitors will find restaurant strips near the A-Ma temple along the Rua Almirante Sérgio, Rua Central and Travessa de S. Domingos in the centre of Macau, on the Praia Grande, in the NAPE near the Kun Iam Statue. On Taipa, the first island linked by a bridge from the Macau peninsula, go to Rua do Cunha and Rua Fernando Mendes. Hac-Sa beach and Coloane Village are also recommended.

Western visitors are especially relieved to find that good coffee is a priority in Macau. There are plenty of cafes around Travessa de S. Domingos and Rua Pedro José Lobo, in the city centre, and Rua de Nagasaki in Macau city.

The Portuguese influence means that there will always be a flaky pastry or biscuit to go with your coffee, but for me it is usually one of those Portuguese egg tarts, or pastis de nata as they are called here. Interestingly these decadent little treats had never been heard of in Macau until 1986 when a visiting Portuguese chef, Elias da Silva, brought his recipe to the Hyatt hotel. 

Portuguese food may seem rustic and homespun, with a richness that many like. It is relaxed food. Spill your red wine on the tablecloth and no one minds. That means good luck, they say.

Bacalhau, the ubiquitous salt cod of Portugal features in many dishes. What many don't know is that it originated from Newfoundland centuries ago when Portuguese fishing fleets were forced by necessity to salt down their hauls so that they would survive the long trip home. Now it appears in dozens of dishes – some say you could have it in a different way every day of the year.

Pork too is popular and this is a taste shared with the Chinese. In fact there are inevitable crossovers, as cuisines fuse and re-emerge with the elements of several bound together. Technically Macanese food falls into the Southern or Cantonese school of Chinese cuisine, perhaps the best-known one in Western countries.

Sometimes with Macanese food it is hard to know whether the chilli and spices in a dish are due to the Chinese influence (Szechuan, noted for fiery foods is not much further inland) or the Iberian peninsula's love for it. Likewise is a curry-like dish of stewed duck with blood vinegar sauce (pato di cabidela) more Chinese because of its mix of duck and pork and blood, or a nod to Goa and Sri Lanka because of the bold use of spices? Clams with spicy chorizo are worth trying, as are fresh sardines in summer. Wash it all down with affordable imported Portuguese wines.

A Cantonese saying goes: "Anything that walks, swims, crawls or flies with its back to heaven must be edible" and a look at many menus bears this out. The mastery of savoury sauces is paramount, and quick cooking – stir frying and steaming – is favoured. For a fix of true Cantonese food and exceptionally fresh local seafood go to Rua do Almirante Sérgio and Rua das Lorchas along the Inner Harbour. A winter indulgence is hot-pot (ta pin nou) using a wide selection of seafood, meats and vegetables which you dip and cook yourselves. It's a great group activity. Just as much fun is yum cha – that wonderful, convivial meal of dim sum – which is alive and well in teahouses throughout Macau.

On my last day in Macau, I lunch on a shaded hotel terrace. The food would be called Mod Oz if we weren't within sight of the Macau waterfront. This really is what Macanese food is all about I decide. 

It's a style achieved over the centuries. Simply harvest the best the world has to offer, add your own unique touch, then offer it to your guests with a warm welcome.

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GRILLED KING PRAWNS MACANESE STYLE

20 large green prawns, heads and tails removed, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon salt, or less

150g red chilli, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

4 spring onions, chopped

150ml white wine

3 bay leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons oil

150g butter

Slice open the prawns from the back, then rub with salt. Mix the chilli, garlic, spring onions and wine together with the bay leaves. Use a little of this to stuff each prawn. Heat oil in a large pan and quickly sauté the prawns until they change colour. Remove and keep warm. Add butter to the pan with the remaining stuffing and stir fry to make a sauce to be poured over the prawns when serving. Serves 4.

© used by permission of Macau Government Tourist Office.

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FACTFILE            

GETTING THERE: Macau (since 1999 a Special Administration Region - SAR - of the People's Republic of China) is about an hour's Jetfoil ride from Hong Kong. Helicopter takes 20 minutes.

GETTING AROUND: Local buses and inexpensive taxis.

CURRENCY: There are around 7.8 pataca (MOP) to AUD

PASSPORT/VISA: No visa necessary for Australian passport holders

CLIMATE: Warm tropical climate, with October-December the most pleasant.

ACCOMMODATION: Many top hotel chains have properties in Macau and there are several casinos.

FOOD: Macanese, Portuguese, Chinese and Western food available. Good eating at Rua Almirante Sérgio, on the Praia Grande, in the NAPE and on Taipa.

LANGUAGE: English is widely spoken.

SHOPPING: Duty free shopping is popular for gold, watches and jewellery. Also antiques and crafts.

OTHER THINGS TO DO: The Macau International Fireworks Display Contest is on certain nights in late September and early October. October 1 is the mid-autumn festival or Mooncake Festival.

The Macau Grand Prix is held each year in late November.

Taipa and Coloane villages are less developed and ideal places to get the feel of old Macau.

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