W Macau – Studio City Sets the Table with Contemporary Destination-Inspired Dining

Helmed by culinary mastermind Chef Yap, the hotel’s specialty restaurant DIVA celebrates the best of Macau’s unique cross-cultural cuisine through a contemporary Cantonese experience

Marking the debut of the iconic W Hotels brand in Macau, the recently opened W Macau – Studio City brings a unique presentation of lifestyle luxury through its beverage and food experiences. W Macau – Studio City’s variety of distinctive beverage and food concepts, at contemporary and destination-inspired venues, celebrate the best of the unique east-meets-west cross-cultural cuisine that is part of Macau’s decorated heritage.

Stepping into W Macau – Studio City, the hotel’s beverage and food concepts take centre stage, feeding the conversation and creating the ultimate social space. These beverage and food concepts include a coffee and cocktail bar, Living Room, on the first floor. The all-day dining restaurant Hawker Hawker on the second upper floor presents an abundant array of international comfort foods and local flavours. Speciality restaurant, DIVA, and destination bar, Blind Tiger, located on the 40th floor offer captivating dining experiences with panoramic views of the Cotai skyline. Also nestled within Blind Tiger is Greater China’s first W Sound Suite offering a built-in, full-service recording studio where travelers can record music while on the road and be inspired by the vibrant city of Macau.

Taking culinary flair to new heights

DIVA, the hotel’s speciality restaurant, offers an immersive contemporary Cantonese dining experience and has been quickly gaining popularity among guests since the hotel opened its doors in September. The venue is inspired by silver screen divas whose looks and stage presence commanded attention and exuded the power to seduce. The bold yet intricate interior design theme speaks to these traits and reflects their sensual and daring charm. With the eclectic music programming by resident music curator Murphy Kin, the hotel creates an immersive ambience across its diverse venues and locations. Through the tastefully crafted playlists for DIVA, guests are truly soak into the contemporary vibe of the restaurant which transcends the boundaries of traditional dining.

The restaurant is also set in a halo shape and features a magnificent ceiling fixture that resembles the scales of a dragon. This subtly exemplifies that the hotel is guarded and helmed by the most highly regarded mythical creature in Chinese history, symbolizing imperial power, good fortune, and most importantly, a pioneering spirit.

Comprising a main dining area and three private dining rooms, DIVA presents sensational dishes that are just as photogenic as they are delightful to taste. Proving that the show never stops at DIVA, one of the private rooms gives diners a front-row seat to watch the masters at work in an exclusive private dining room that opens up to the main kitchen.

With a nuanced yet polished culinary flair, the restaurant also serves tea, Te Jiu (tea-infused cocktails), Japanese sake, and wines as the drinks of choice. This unique food and beverage pairing at DIVA brings the brand’s passion points for taste to life and sets DIVA stand out from other venues in the city. The three featured Te Jiu cocktails include Bi Luo Chun Tea Flavoured Spirit with Peach extract, a Herbal Souchong Flavoured Spirit, and a Phoenix Dan Chong Flavoured Spirit with Fig extract.

Chef Yap’s unique enchanting yet authentic culinary style 

Executive Chinese Chef Yap Kim Leong, a master of reinventing traditional dishes, brings his 21 years of experience and expertise in Cantonese cuisine to the culinary team at DIVA. His menu includes recipes that incorporate Macau’s spice trade heritage. This fusion of flavours adds depth and complexity to the dishes, making them stand out while delivering authentic experiences.

“Understanding the culture and tradition behind a dish is the key to taking it in exciting new directions, while staying true to its roots,” says Chef Yap. “The inspiration for many of the dishes at DIVA comes from the fresh and seasonal ingredients in the local market. Our aim is to ensure that guests at DIVA have an alluring and memorable dining experience that is rooted in authenticity and innovation.”

Classics with a contemporary twist

DIVA offers lunch and dinner with both a la carte and set menus. The lunch set menu offers handcrafted Cantonese dim sum at MOP528 per guest. The dinner set menus feature the signature dishes of the restaurant and start at MOP10,888 per table of 10 guests.

The culinary prowess of DIVA is unmissable among its selection of signature dishes, including:

• Stir-fried Boston Lobster in Spicy Chili and served with Scallion Pancakes: This unique creation explores the fusion of Chinese and Portuguese cuisines to create a strong connection to Macau. Every bite of lobster takes inspiration from Southeast Asian and Portuguese spices and seasonings, while the pairing with the Chinese scallion pancake instead of steamed bread gives it a contemporary twist.
• Braised Duo Rice in Shrimp Broth with Assorted Seafood: A meticulously crafted dish with a symphony of flavours and textures, it incorporates beautifully cooked seafood and two different types of rice. For the rich flavour, rice is sautéed and cooked in shrimp stock, which is then complemented by a second type of rice, America Wild Rice, to enhance the dish with a crunchy texture.
• Clay Pot Baked Yellow Croaker Fish in Duo Pepper Sauce: An extraordinary feat that uses unique methods to season and infuse yellow croaker fish with white and red pepper. A garlic chilli sizzling method is also used to enhance and preserve the taste of fresh fish.
• Marinated Babylon Shells in Wasabi Sauce: Chef Yap’s dedication shines through this dish as it balances flavours while preserving the snail’s fresh taste and texture. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of flavours that delights the palate. The dish is presented in a cloud of smoke that adds to the mystery of the flavour while creating an iconic photo moment for guests.
• Crispy Fried Pigeon: Driven by his passion for culinary artistry, Chef Yap has dedicated six months to refining and perfecting this recipe. The impeccable deep-frying technique used guarantees a perfect amber colour, presenting a dish that is crispy on the outside while being juicy and tender inside.

The restaurant is also launching a seasonal crab menu this November, ‘Seasonal Crab Delicacies’, featuring a range of dishes that celebrate the freshness and variety of this exceptional seafood. The curated menu features a selection of exquisite offerings, such as traditional steamed hairy crab (male/female), chilled hairy crab with 20th-year Chinese wine, braised crab with roe in sea urchin and more, each designed to highlight the delicacy and flavour of the crab to ensure an unparalleled dining experience.