I have never been a big fan of boats and ferries, but after living in Hong Kong for almost two decades, I've had many opportunities to take the Star ferry, visit the Big Buddha on Lantau Island, spend time with friends on day-long junk trips, and, of course, the occasional visit to Macao for a short city break.

On previous visits to Macao, I had been charmed by the Santa Casa De Misericordia Albergue. The picturesque and tranquil area features beautifully patterned cobblestone streets, distinctive sunny yellow buildings with white trim and dark wooden shutters, a gorgeous old tree in the middle of the courtyard. It's a very romantic and peaceful place.

Albergue 1601 is a restaurant here and located in one of the old Portuguese buildings surrounding the courtyard. These were originally built as a refuge for the homeless. In Chinese, the area is still called Old Ladies' House. Now, it is a place for artists and designers to showcase their "100 percent designed in Macao" works.

The beautiful setting was enough to put me in a good mood on arrival. My friend, who lives in Macao, had picked me up from the ferry pier and dropped me off to go look for a parking space. I didn't see him again for about half an hour. Parking at this location is very limited and hard to come by, even on a weekday.

Inside the restaurant, manager Feliciano ("Nano") Ferreira suggested a few house specialties. I also ordered the foie gras mille feuille as a starter. The mille feuille with fig puree was beautifully presented with a piece of smoked duck and cherry compote on one side and deep-fried unagi on the other.

The food here is European fusion with elements of Italian, French, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. We had three mains including the roasted duck, the Atlantic cod and the Wagyu tenderloin. The duck was tender and was served with mashed potato and steamed vegetables.

The Atlantic cod, the manager's personal favorite, is served with a miso sauce and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. The Wagyu tenderloin was topped with a piece of foie gras, giving this lean cut of meat some richness and sweetness. This is definitely a meat lover's dish - rich and hearty.

Albergue 1601 is on two levels, and though it was a weeknight a few families were dining on the first floor. The ground floor includes a lounge, bar and a couple of tables. It's a perfect location for a romantic evening out in Macao. Dinner is approximately MOP300-500 ($37-$62) per person.

You can contact the writer at sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn.

For China Daily