One of the best things about autumn is not only just the much cooler and more pleasant temperatures, but it also marks the return of one of our favourite seasonal delicacies: the crab. Shanghainese hairy crabs are one of the most prized ingredients in this part of the world, but other crabs such as red crabs and coral crabs also get a look-in at this time of year. To help you navigate the sheer number of restaurants that will be featuring crabs this month, we present our favourite crab dishes and where to get them.
One Harbour Road
We've always been a fan of executive chef Li Shu Tim's cooking over at the Grand Hyatt's fine dining Cantonese restaurant, One Harbour Road and from October 3 to October 31, the chef will be using hairy crabs, red crabs, green crabs and coral crabs to create a crustacean-lover's dream menu. Traditional Shanghainese dishes include a simply steamed fresh hairy crab; steamed fresh crab meat and pork dumpling; and braised hearts of Tian Jin cabbage with crab coral. Other highlights of the crab menu include a steamed red crab that is served on ice, Chiu Chow-style; and an aromatic wok-baked fresh coral crab with curry and coconut sauce. The crab menu is available for both lunch and dinner.
For reservations, please call +852 2584-7722.
Man Wah
While One Harbour Road has chosen to use a range of different crabs, Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental will be focusing on Shanghainese hairy crabs from October 15 to October 23. This is mainly because the restaurant will be hosting the team from Cheng Long Hang Crab Palace in Shanghai including executive chef Richer Hua and the six-member ambassadorial team will be preparing more than 35 of the Cheng Long Hang's signature crab dishes. Using crabs from Tai Hu lake in Jiangsu, the dishes will include dan dan noodles with crab meat; premier crab roe with steamed rice; and braised fish maw with crab meat. Guests can order from the a la carte menu, or set lunches (HK$558-HK$652) and set dinners (HK$928-HK$1,198) will also be available.
For reservations, please call +852 2825-4003.
Yat Tung Heen
Tai Hu lake in Jiangsu is not the only famous lake that breeds delectable hairy crabs, Lake Yangcheng is another. In fact, many crab connoisseurs argue that the crabs from Yangcheng are undoubtedly superior to the ones from Tai Hu. Not convinced? Why not try for yourself at Yat Tung Heen at Eaton Smart hotel in Jordan. From September 19 to the end of October, Yat Tung Heen will be serving a number of crab dishes including the signature steamed Jiangsu crab with hua diao wine, as well as more unusual dishes such as the light steamed tofu with prawns (pictured below), asparagus and crab roe; and pi-pa beancurd with swallow's nest, crab roe and crab cream. For the indecisive, there is a seven-course set menu featuring a number of crab dishes, priced at HK$498 per person.
For reservations, please call +852 2710-1093.
Cuisine Cuisine (IFC)
For those looking for more creative and modern interpretations of hairy crab dishes rather than the traditional ones, Cuisine Cuisine (IFC) does not disappoint. Using hairy crabs that weigh up to seven taels from Tai Hu lake, the chefs at Cuisine Cuisine creates dishes combining unusual ingredients, not usually seen with hairy crabs. These include sautéed diced Australian Miyazaki beef with hairy crab roe; sautéed cod fillets with scrambled egg white and hairy crab roe (pictured below); and puff pastries filled with turnip and crab roe.
For reservations, please call +852 2393-3933.
Yunyan
While hairy crabs are usually served at Cantonese or Shanghainese restaurants, the chefs at Sichuan restaurant Yunyan in Tsim Sha Tsui spices things up by preparing traditional Sichuanese dishes with the addition of different parts of the hairy crab. Some of these original dishes include sautéed fresh river shrimps with hairy crab meat; deep-fried vermicelli with hairy crab roe (pictured below); and deep-fried egg white balls where the traditional red bean paste used in this dish is replaced with the hairy crab roe.
For reservations, please call +852 2375-0800.
