Casa Don Alfonso Macau – Italian Restaurant
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Macau is a dream location for foodies. The abundance and variety of food are mind-boggling, but the international fine dining scene is especially fantastic. Hotels invest heavily in getting big names to open restaurants here. One such example is Casa Don Alfonso at the Grand Lisboa Macau.
Don Alfonso 1890 is the iconic two-Michelin-starred inspiration for the restaurant and several others around the world. The original has been operating since the last 19th Century on the Amalfi Coast, in the village of Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi. Run by the Iaccarino family, it marries tradition with innovation, sourcing ingredients from their adjacent Le Peracciole Organic Farm. Casa Don Alfonso sheds the white tablecloths for a more relaxed vibe. Italy’s south, especially the Amalfi Coast, is king in the 1890 menu, but Casa Don Alfonso is more democratic in its approach, sharing recipes from all parts of the country.
Chef Francesco Magni, Casa Don Alfonso Macau’s head, is absolutely delightful. He is only in his late 20s but has a wealth of international experience in award-winning kitchens. In fact, he first started working at the original Don Alfonso 1890 on the Amalfi Coast in his late teens. Since then, he has learned from several notable chefs and has now earned a position at the helm in Macau. Furthermore, Francesco is fantastic company! We eagerly await the presentation of each dish as he recalls a memory or fact to go with it. Dinner here is a highly rewarding and enriching experience.
Casa Don Alfonso Macau – Italian Restaurant
Arriving at the Italian restaurant in Macau on the third floor of Grand Lisboa is quite an interesting journey. Walking through the Grand Lisboa lobby on the way to the elevator is like strolling through a museum of ancient Chinese artefacts. There are mammoth tusk carvings of the Great Wall, jade Buddhas, antiques I’m sure would make any collector envious, and a hoard of visitors eagerly capturing them with their cameras.
Once inside the chandelier-ceilinged and black and red-walled lift, we ascend to the third floor and the quieter environment of Casa Don Alfonso Macau … at least for now. By the time we depart, the floor is buzzing with families and friends enjoying hearty food and conversation. The main dining area features retro-ish colours, tables for two and more, semi-circular booth seating and a central display holding the extensive wine-by-the-glass selection and the day’s bread bakes.
We’re grateful to be in one of two red and flashy private rooms. It’s perfect for special occasions, soirées, intimate gatherings, or a lively team photographing and videoing the food from all angles.
Casa Don Alfonso Macau Wine List
Ready to sort our wine selection for the evening, restaurant manager Jimmy Wong “wheels” in the wine library—literally! The compendium is thick with nearly 17,000 labels, so a trolly is necessary to deliver the choices. They have an incredible vertical selection of premium wines that will make any oenophile drool, but also mid-range and wine-by-the-glass.
Jimmy recommends the wonderfully aromatic 2022 Vette di San Leonardo from Trentino Alto Adige, Italy (MOP 80 glass). Critics consistently score this vintage over 90 points, and we give it a top rating, too. White stone fruit, grapefruit, and herbs tickle the nose, while a balanced full body with lively acidity and a delicious finish pleases the palate. It’s a winner on its own, as well as with our seafood and salads.
Later, we switch to a red, 2010 Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione, Mazzei, Chianti Classico from Tuscany (MOP 150 glass), which is equally well chosen. It’s another high scorer, with Vinous awarding it 94 points. A lovely bouquet of dark fruit and spice leads to more fruit on the palate alongside some vanilla and smoke. It’s light yet well-structured, with fine tannins, great acidity, and a lengthy finish. Yum!
Casa Don Alfonso Macau Menu & Prices
A generous basket of ciabatta, black sesame grissini, focaccia, and semolina rolls is perfect for dipping in the house olive oil with a drop of aged balsamic as we ponder the menu. The olive trees for this oil are grown in Casa Don Alfonso’s organic farm, just minutes from the original restaurant on the Amalfi Coast.
Wine, bread, and good company—we’re ready for our Italian meal at Casa Don Alfonso Macau, and our gracious server, Honeyleth, guides us through each course.
Antipasti (Appetisers)
The star of the plate in the Insalata Caprese (MOP 180) is fresh buffalo mozzarella from Puglia. It’s fat and soft, and the white mound contrasts the carnival of red heirloom, yellow cherry tomatoes, and green strips of basil. A light dressing of olive oil with basil seasons the salad, and we get the first glimpse of the team’s commitment to sustainability with the pale green powder sprinkling. The kitchen tries to be zero-waste with a philosophy of not only nose-to-tail eating but also roots-to-leaves. Here, the basil stem has been dehydrated and made into a powder. They never throw away the stems. Instead, they are either used to infuse oils or dehydrated. Even the dehydrator is eco-friendly. Located under the oven, it requires no additional energy to run.
Pizze e Calzoni (Neapolitan Pizza & Calzoni)
Pizza Ricca (MOP 220) is one of Casa Don Alfonso’s best-sellers, and after a single bite, we can see why. First of all, the base is magnificent. The dough has been left to ferment for 48 hours, producing a puffy crust with good aeration, signature leopard spots and a floppy but well-cooked middle. Then there’s the four-cheese topping – fresh ricotta, creamy mascarpone, milky mozzarella and a nice sharpness from the Parmesan. On top of that, there’s a fine layer of DOP 24-month-old Parma and a bushy tangle of arugula. It lives up to its name, “ricca” – rich.
Paste e Risotti (Pasta & Risotto)
We learn something new every time Chef Francesco delivers a course. For the Capelli d’ Angelo Agrumi e Gamberetti (MOP 200), angel hair pasta with shrimp, we discover the art of dried pasta making. Don Alfonso restaurants only use pasta from a select producer in Gragnano. In this small seaside town, the street runs a direct line from the sea, providing passage for a strong ocean breeze. It’s said that this draft infuses the strands with natural sea salt. Additionally, most pasta is left to dry for less than 24 hours. However, here, it’s a 72-hour drying period. This removes all moisture, meaning that sauces truly penetrate the strands, rather than feeling a separate sauce and pasta as with cheaper products. This thin pasta dish with shrimp and citrus, typical from the Amalfi, is one of the restaurant’s best-sellers.
As mentioned earlier, Casa Don Alfonso’s menu is around half from the restaurant’s southern Italian origins and the rest from other parts of the country. Our rice recipe is from Chef Francesco’s home in the north, and it includes his favourite protein, duck. The Risotto al Ragu di Anatra con Tartufo Nero, Salsa al Parmigiano e Glassa al Balsamico (MOP 300), risotto with duck, black truffles, parmesan sauce and balsamic vinegar reduction, is well worth an order. Once more, like the preceding pasta, a speciality type of rice, Aquarello, has been aged for a lengthy period (one year in this case), which removes moisture. The dryness allows the stock to fully impregnate each grain. A handful of seasonal mushrooms give an earthy flavour and varying textures, while the duck ragu is hidden under the rice. Puffed, crispy skin and black truffle shavings are on top.
Secondi Piatti (Main Course)
The main course, line-caught Italian wild sea bass Branzino con Zucchine alla Scapece e Presse di Patate (MOP 320), is another hit. The chef pan-fries the fish skin down with a weighted top, allowing the skin to crisp and the flesh to cook through gently. Layered potatoes cooked with garlic, butter, and herbs side it, as do zucchini chips seasoned with wine vinegar and mint. The hint of sourness matches well with the buttery potatoes.
Dolci (Dessert)
It’s time for dessert, and in true Italian fashion, our order has somehow doubled from two to four. From the south, Sfogliatella Napoletana (MOP 100) is a staple found on every Don Alfonso menu worldwide. Neapolitan puff pastry is stuffed with cinnamon cream and sour cherries. This is no run-of-the-mill pastry, either. Superfine layers are bible-page thin, and each of the 120 (!) layers has been brushed with pork fat. It’s repeatedly layered until there’s a thick disc, which is pried open, cooked à la minute, and stuffed with cinnamon pastry cream and sour cherries. Wow!
We also have the Delizia al Limone (MOP 100) from Amalfi, a lemon sponge cake with three different creams – custard, mousse, and glaze – lemon, lemon, lemon. Chef says the big yellow sphere reminds him of the summer sun with the rays radiating on the plate. It’s crowned with whipped lemon vanilla cream, a mint leaf and candied lemon zest. We appreciate the light, refreshing tang.
From the north, Tiramisu (MOP 100) showcases the ever-so-popular recipe with a mascarpone mousse, housemade lady fingers dipped in espresso and a little Kahlua, and a sprinkling of cacao powder. Valhrona 70% chocolate rings the top imprinted with the Don Alfonso logo. White and dark, crispy pearls mix up the mouthful, and a gold leaf adds a splash of bling.
On top of the ala carte menu, seasonal specials add variety for repeat diners. This month, it’s Hazelnut Souffle (MOP 100) topped with hazelnut sauce, hazelnuts and black truffle. It’s soft, saucy, earthy and nutty.
Finally, we’re treated to a delightful Limoncello direct from the Amalfi. Every litre holds 31 lemons, producing a naturally vibrant yellow. It’s lighter than what we’re accustomed to, elegant rather than eye-opening. We have a second with no regrets.
Reasons to visit Casa Don Alfonso, Grand Lisboa Macau: INCREDIBLE wine selection; warm hospitality and gracious service; a chance to try Two-Michelin-Starred recipes without travelling to the other side of the globe; must order the Pizza Rica, Capelli d’ Angelo Agrumi e Gamberetti and Sfogliatella Napoletana.
Casa Don Alfonso – Italian Restaurant Macau
3/F, Grand Lisboa, Macau
+853 8803 7722
Link to Grand Lisboa Hotel on Google Maps
www.grandlisboa.com/en/restaurants-n-bars/casa-don-alfonso
*There’s a complimentary shuttle bus between Grand Lisboa Place Resort Macau & Grand Lisboa Macau, so guests can easily benefit from the dining outlets at both properties
** Add 10% service charge to listed prices
Casa Don Alfonso Opening Hours
Lunch: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
Dinner: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
(Close on Tuesday)
Dress Code
For ladies: smart casual
For gentlemen: no slippers, open shoes, sandals or sleeveless tops.
Read more about gourmet and luxury travel in Macau here, Macau travel tips here and stay updated with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations with The Yum List on Facebook here.