I saw a lot of raw onions in the salada mistral a Litoral or seafood salad with squid, and was anxious that it would be too pungent. But after tasting it, I realized that its look was misleading. Tart and refreshing, the chili-flecked onions were tempered with vinegar to allow the seafood flavors to dominate.

Pasteis de bacalhau or codfish cakes were deliciously crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. I dipped them into the sauce in galinha a Portuguese arroz or baked Portuguese chicken with rice. The rich tomato-and-curry-based dish was dotted with plump chorizo, hard-boiled eggs and black olives to enliven the thick pieces of chicken.

The meaty entrecosio de vaca grelhado or grilled short ribs was peppery and tender, served with a side salad and perfectly crispy French fries. We had that with arroz de marisco or seafood rice, another robust tomato-based dish with green bell peppers.

Dessert was a round of Cafe Litoral's puddings including mango pudding and coconut milk custard. I grabbed the serradura before any of my friends had a chance to do the same, as the biscuit and cream sweet is my favorite Macanese dessert. It was a soothing treat after the somewhat salty dishes we enjoyed, and I marveled once again at how such a simple concoction could bring so much pleasure to my taste buds.