One-MICHELIN-Starred Aji Macau Distils the Flavours of Asia

Words: Pasuta Phongam Photos: Pasuta Phongam

Aji Macau Reworks Asian Flavour Memory with Japanese Produce and French Precision

On the second floor of MGM COTAI, Aji approaches Asia less as a fixed cuisine than as a network of tastes. Japanese produce meets French technique, while flavours drawn from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and southern China bring the menu its cultural rhythm.

Executive Sous Chef Singaporean upbringing provides the framework. With nearly 15 years of experience, he works through contrasts—salinity and tropical fruit, marine sweetness and floral spice, smoke and curry—using premium ingredients without allowing luxury to become the sole point of the plate.

Aji’s open kitchen is the room’s focal point. From the tasting counter, guests watch Chef Pan and his team prepare, plate and finish each course with few barriers between kitchen and dining room. The choreography is measured rather than theatrical, placing technique and timing in clear view.

Under Chef Pan, Aji has received One MICHELIN Star for two consecutive years and its first Black Pearl One-Diamond distinction. The recognition reflects a style that is technically polished yet anchored in familiar Asian flavours, often traced back to the chef’s own memories.

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Appetizer of Tasting Menu 13.0

The clean, gently oily character of shima aji meets the ripe sweetness of jackfruit. Asam essence cuts through with bright acidity, sharpening the fruit and leaving the fish precise and fresh. It is a confident opening: Japanese seafood framed by Southeast Asian flavour.

Oscietra caviar supplies salinity and a rounded nuttiness, set against the fresh snap of bamboo shoot. 5J Ibérico brings savoury weight and the lingering richness of cured pork. The composition moves between brine, vegetation and charcuterie without losing its clarity.

Hokkaido uni arrives with its characteristic creaminess and concentrated marine sweetness. Ginger flower introduces a fragrant, lightly citrus character, while lily bulb adds crispness and a mild, earthy sweetness. The floral accents keep the uni lifted rather than overly rich.

Named after Singapore’s waterfront, “East Coast Night” recalls evenings built around seafood and late suppers. Carabineros bring an intense, almost bisque-like sweetness, absorbed by warm, buttery brioche. The idea is nostalgic; the execution is exact.

Antarctic toothfish has a naturally buttery texture, its broad flakes carrying the smoky sweetness of a bakar glaze. Pearl barley provides nuttiness and a gentle chew, giving the course structure while allowing fire and caramelisation to remain at the centre.

King pigeon is the menu’s most assertive course, with dark, gamey meat set against the peppery perfume of Thai basil. Red curry adds warmth, aromatic spice and a measured heat. Used as an accent rather than a heavy sauce, it sharpens the richness of the bird.

Chef Pan’s final course revisits tong sui, the Cantonese tradition of sweet soups and puddings. Silken soy milk pudding is layered with the dark caramel flavour of gula melaka and the honeyed fruitiness of longan. Familiar references are retained, but the texture and presentation are distinctly contemporary.

Aji’s wine programme moves beyond conventional red-and-white pairings, drawing on sake, yellow wine and spirits alongside a broad international cellar. Guests may select a three- or five-glass sommelier pairing, each calibrated to the menu’s shifts between acidity, salinity, smoke and spice.

A four-glass alcohol-free pairing receives similar attention, using aroma, fruit and texture to engage with each course rather than functioning as a secondary option.

Aji’s strength lies in its editing. The flavours are expressive but rarely crowded; each ingredient is given a clear role. From shima aji and jackfruit to pigeon and red curry, Chef Pan turns the familiar tastes of Asia into food that feels composed, current and unmistakably his own. Aji Macau

Contact: +853 8806 2308 Reserve: Online reservation Location: GM Floor, MGM COTAI, Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, Macau Social: https://www.instagram.com/aji.mgm/ https://www.instagram.com/mgmdining/