Macao Trading Company on Church Street in Tribeca is David Waltuck's post-Chanterelle project, built with the team behind Employees Only. The restaurant on the main floor serves Eurasian food that blends Chinese and Portuguese flavors with African and Indian influences, and the signature African Chicken is good enough that people order it intentionally rather than by accident.

The basement is the speakeasy component. Late night, especially Thursday through Saturday when the kitchen stays open until four in the morning, the lower level becomes its own thing. Attractive booths, creative cocktails, and the specific energy that comes from being in a basement in Tribeca at two in the morning with people who chose to be there.

The post-colonial design of the dining room, with high ceilings and antique relics referencing old Macao's architectural history, carries into the bar's character. It's a restaurant that gets better at night rather than worse.