High Life

HIGH LIFE 35 T here is never any shortage of new cafés in Macau, so it takes something special to stand out from the crowd. And standing out was the inspiration behind Café TOFF, whose owner Mickey Lo has set out to provide high quality food and unique interior design that has attracted a loyal fan base as far away as Hong Kong. Before entering the food and beverage industry, Lo was a designer for a commercial advertising firm, but her love of great food proved an irresistible lure. Thus, TOFF was born – a café where everything from the food to the branding and interior design sprang from one mind. Perhaps most outstanding is the effort Lo has gone to in putting together her menu. For example, to create TOFF’s most popular dish, Mason Jar Soup Noodles, she tried every type of noodle she could find at the markets before making her choice. In order to make the best waffles in town – crisp outside and tender within – she flew to Taiwan to learn from the masters. It was an expensive exercise, but one Lo insists was worth it. “A restaurant must always have a signature dish that will attract guests back again and again,” she says. “My waffle is such a dish.” Lo admits she knew very little in the beginning, but has never been embarrassed about asking questions and learning.