The Extraordinary Cha Chaan Teng – Veng Fai

Located in one of the small streets of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Rua de Cinco de Outubro – Veng Fai is the sub-branch of the old Veng Fai located at Ponte de Horta.

Both stores opened ten years and more. Since I so tied up at work, I wasn’t able to make up some time with my family, experience their legendary chinese herbal fish head. I also like fish head soup in a way. Well, seemed there’s too much broken fish bones, along some fishy smells in it. The unbearable bitterness resulted from the long hours cooking with chinese herbal pack – is always something that would try to keep away from it. Perhaps the chicken soup rice would be another option worth a try; while worth a try on other authentic Cha Chaan Teng food items.

Always feel fantastic every time visit Rua de Cinco de Outubro Veng Fai. Seating area was bright and space was not cramp at all. Food selections are available in huge varieties. What impressed me the most was the majority of the staff in the store – including chefs, services, cashiers, etc; They are all females. Each respective duties in charge on culinary, stewarding, servicing, clean ups, etc; have taken in great care, which, in Macau is really rare to find.

Signature Chicken Soup Rice Noodle

The signature chicken soup’s recipe have infused with customised chinese herbal packs. When compared with fish head soup mixes, it does not have such sweet and bitter tastes at all. Which, on the contrary, the soup has an slight, chinese date sweetness in it; Together with use of red dates, cordyceps flowers, wolf berry, dried fungus, and chicken bones that boiled in long hours; to a nice clear herbal soup base.

The sliced winter melon soaked up all juicy ingredients, and it was so sweet when chew. The serving chicken sizes were huge, and the meat was not coarse at all – it taste so fresh and tender. The final, fresh coriander sprinkles, has beautified the entire dish; the greasy feeling completely went disappeared.

Signature Fish Head Soup Noodle

Apart from the chicken soup rice noodle – we also ordered the signature fish head. That was the most precious tonic for women, via the field of natural food cure (for all symptoms of illness found early); widely used over hundred years ago.

In particular, Cantonese people in Guang Dong often use this recipe to relieve blood stasis and nourish blood for women; Especially helped to remove head wind and treat migraine headaches. It is quite hard to find such recipes in Hong Kong and Macau now.

The soup base composes of fish heads, with a variety of Chinese herbal mixes. All heads freshly collected from the opposite fish market every day. The fish heads are shiny and translucent, contain lots of collagen. There is no fishy smell at all, and the soup are quite comfortable to drink with. Coupled with the fish meat sweetness, it can either served with rice or just soup base. When compared with chicken cooking styles, it was way different from the fish head original tastes.

Anything just Fried

Whichever kind of fried stuff that you can think of is always available. For example the fried fish balls with almond flakes, fried wontons, squid balls, shrimp cakes, chicken wings, french fries, etc; Also worth considering the fried onion rings and fried bananas as appetisers.

Other Traditional Cha Chaan Teng recommend

Vong Kei also provide other classic food that other Cha Chaan Teng has. Special recommended pork chop buns, cuttlefish fried ball on pineapple bun, secret soy sauce noodles with pork ribs and jelly fish, rice with flowering branches, rice with pepper and mutton; Also, the never missed out drink lists such as: the red bean ice, lemon tea and watercress honey drinks. Are all my best favorites.

Every time when walking pass Rua de Cinco de Outubro – Veng Fai is always a great place to recommend – definitely a must-try traditional old brand Cha Chaan Teng.