Eater Inside: Macao Trading Co.

Macao Trading Co. the hotly anticipated partnership between Chanterelle's David Waltuck and the team behind Employees Only, opened last night in Tribeca. If you've been to EO, you'll notice the similarities between the bar areas. The rest of the space is a bi-level 82-seat seat dining room evoking, as the materials say, a "1940's portside warehouse feel." Note, that second level is actually just a somewhat terrifying catwalk filled with antiques, running around the back perimeter, accessible only by ladder. Warehouse feel indeed.

The food here is Waltuck's take on Macanese specialties, and both the dinner and cocktail menu will have Portugese, Chinese, and Indian influences. Yes, the concept complicated, the menu, somewhat obnoxious, but as was the case with Double Crown (another newcomer with a number of geographical influences), we'll have to wait and see how the early reviewers assess it. We do like that they're keeping the "Large Dishes" under $30. Take a gander at the menu:

SMALL DISHES TWO FLAVORS

MANILA CLAMS
PORTUGUESE STYLE with Choriço $9
CHINESE STYLE with Black Beans and Chilies $9

SHRIMP
PORTUGUESE STYLE with Green sauce $9
Chinese style In Crispy Wrappers $9

MEATBALLS
Portuguese style lamb balls filled with cheese $8
Chinese style Pearl Balls $8

MUSHROOMS
Portuguese style Mushroom and truffle Croquettes $12
Chinese style Mushroom Spring Rolls $8

SMALL PORTUGUESE DISH
Fennel & artichoke salad with spiced chickpeas $8
Portuguese salad $9
Fried goat cheese on onions & peppers $8
Mackerel escabeche $8
Warm chorico with melon & mint $8

SMALL CHINESE DISH
Steamed oysters with X-O sauce $14
Chicken dumplings in chili oil $7
Lobster dumplings with cilantro dip $10
Curried Chicken and Okra Turnovers $6

SOUP
Caldo verde $5

LARGE DISHES TWO FLAVORS
WHOLE BLACK BASS
Portuguese Style Sautéed with citrus & tomato $26
Chinese Style Crisp fried with ginger & scallions $26

PRAWNS
Portuguese Style Grilled with vinho verde & garlic butter $28
Chinese Style sautéed with chili peppers $28

BERKSHIRE PORK RIBS
Portuguese Style Braised with olives and prunes $17
Chinese Style Peking roasted $17

SIRLOIN
Portuguese Style Grilled with blue cheese butter $32
Chinese Style grilled with oyster sauce & Chinese broccoli $32

TRIPE
Portuguese Style Brasied with Chorizo & chickpeas $15
Chinese Style Braised with sour bamboo shoots $15

LARGE PORTUGUESE DISH
Grilled lamb chops with red pepper jam $24
African chicken $18

LARGE CHINESE DISH
Curried fish ball & noodle casserole $15
Ants climbing the tree $12

Sides
Dry fried long beans $8
Spiced Yukon potatoes with aioli $7
Swiss chard with currants & pine nuts $8
Bacalao fried rice $9
Stir fried Chinese Broccoli $7
Steamed Jasmine rice $2

CHEESE PLATE $13

Desserts
Fried Milk with Honey citrus salad $7
trio of flans $7
Chocolate almond torte $7
Rice pudding with port soaked fruit $7
Ice creams & sorbets $6