I think the "Siu Yeah" supper hosted by Chef Tam at Wynn Palace has become the unofficial after-party at the Michelin ceremony. I was lucky enough to join a few of those previously which were nothing short of spectacular, but this year was extra special as Chef Tam's restaurant at Wynn Palace, Chef Tam's Seasons, has just been awarded the second star for the first time this year - so there are more excuses for a grand celebration, as if we needed one for an evening of fun and food and drinks.
Over the next 2 hours we were literally showered with non-stop dishes coming out from the kitchen. The Char Siu - roasted with the best cut (the tip of pork collar a.k.a. "The First Cut" - got the nice slightly burnt crust and the classic Chiuchow cabbage and pork rib casserole and the congee with crabs and meatballs were the ultimate comfort food well suited for late-night dining.
But the stars of the night, well other than the chefs who dropped by to celebrate their latest accolade, were the few seafood dishes that Chef Tam prepared, with the ingredients freshly sourced by the chef himself just earlier this afternoon. (how he managed to do grocery shopping, dressed up for the ceremony, mingled with the crowd and then cooked for us in the same day was beyond my imagination) The oyster casserole was a twist to the traditional Chiuchow-style oyster pancake and the Cantonese baked egg casserole with fish guts, with the baby oysters baked in a shallow casserole with the fluffy eggs. Surf clams, prime in season this time of year, was done "Mecanese Portuguese" style, stuffed and baked with an aromatic sauce made of turmeric and coconut milk. Even the simple dish of sauteed baby squid with Chinese chives tasted so good when the place was gifted with so many fresh seafood ingredients caught in local waters.
The Wynn Palace team was having a double celebration with Mizumi, their Japanese restaurant, also received its first star after relocating from Wynn Macau across the harbor, so Chef Hironori Maeda also joined the fun with a few of his dishes brought to our table - those deep-fried baby shrimps were addictive as cracks!
Other than all the delicious dishes, a lovely series of Chinese wines was also on offer. The small production Sho Fang, an orange wine blended with Black Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Aranel, was perfect for Chinese dishes with its good acidity, floral aroma and a hint of nuttiness and apricot - kudos to the effort by young female winemaker Shofang Hu and her team at the Hebei vineyard she founded a few years back. Jia Bei Lan from Helan Qingxue Winery in Ningxia helmed by another female winemaker with a slightly longer history, was my favorite bottle of red - done in classic Bordeaux Left Bank style with full, concentrated body and plenty of black fruits with some notes of oak and some smooth tannins from a few years of extra aging.
The night was only half-done after a dozen of dishes and countless glasses and bottles. After supper a few of us continued the fun at the newly revamped Wing Lei Bar on the other side of the Wynn Palace building, where head mixologist Mark Lloyd and the flamboyant red-haired guest bartender Patrick Zhou from Shanghai's Union Trading Company bar fixed us a few drinks with interesting, food-inspired combinations such as "Tastes Like Crab" using Yellow Wine and Zhengjiang Vinegar, or "Shanghai Breakfast", the creamy one with Chinese Huangjiu, cognac and banana. Love the lively vibe at this cozy bar with dark wood furniture, crystal chandelier and bottles on full display behind the bar counter and just the perfect time to sit back and relax - we literally stayed until the bar has to close at wee hours.
When? March 13 2025
Where? Chef Tam's Seasons and Wing Lei Bar, Wynn Palace, Cotai, Macau
Menu Highlights? Oyster Baked Egg Casserole a la Chiuchow Style
Drinks?
Devo Winery Sparkling Wine MV03 (2024 Release), Helen Mountain, Ningxia China
2023 Sho Fang Muscat Hamburg-Sauvignon Blanc-Arandel Orange Wine, Qinhuangdao, Hubei China
2020 Mystic Island Winery Yihu Chardonnay Reserve, Qiushan Valley, Shandong China
2021 Fei Tswei Winery Marselan Reserve, Helen Mountain, Ningxia China
2018 Helan Qingxue Winery "Jia Bei Lan" Grand Reserve, Ningxia China
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