Much like the casino it is housed in, the MGM Macau, Rossio eschews the tawdry and gaudy in favour of the subtle and classy. So, while the expansive floor space and gentle waterfalls that stream gently down several of the rough rock walls play to a casino’s notion of grandeur, the tableware is simple, the setting relaxed, and the service alert without being overbearing.

The range of dishes in Rossio’s Macanese-led, Asian menu might throw up a red flag for some – just how it can veer from African chicken to sushi to US Angus steak while ruffling nary an apron boggles the mind – but such concerns are quickly allayed by the arrival of the food, prepared by a small army of chefs in a reassuringly open kitchen.

Fresh breads and a zesty Provençal tapenade are provided to munch on while perusing the lengthy carte du jour. Choosing from a menu that is heavy on seafood, steaks, pastas, and sushi, we opted for an opener of Norwegian salmon cured with sake and citrus, and wrapped around sliced lengths of roasted potatoes (S120). It’s hard to say anything bad about this dish as a starter, so we won’t: it was appropriately light, and the sake-influenced sauce was a perfect complement to the freshly cut fish.

From there, we passed over the chorizo, clams, and the Australian pork, in favour of the beer and chilli-marinated grilled prawns ($225) – four tangy, garlicky, excellent bites – and the swordfish steak served with saffron-infused fennel curry sauce ($180). The chefs nailed both dishes, producing the latter with a subtle and light curry sauce (it can be done) and crisping the crust of the meaty fish to perfection.

In fact, the only culinary slipup all night was the overly creamy side of mashed potatoes ($50), but we’re willing to overlook that – and we’ll definitely be back. After all, there’s still so much more to try.

Hamish McKenzie

Rossio, MGM Macau, Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, NAPE, Macau, (853) 8802 2385. Meal for two: around $700.