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Header image courtesy of W Hong Kong
Crab connoisseurs, it is that time of the year again: hairy crab season has officially begun! Known for its mild sweetness, the hairy crab, also known as the Chinese mitten crab, has an irresistible texture that tempts all seafood lovers. To celebrate another year of the hairy crab harvest, here is your guide to the best menus featuring the “King of Crabs” in Hong Kong this year!
This expert in abalone is kicking off the hairy crab season by presenting its take on the crustacean delicacy with two seasonal menus. Indulge in the Deluxe Hairy Crab and Abalone Feast menu, featuring six taels worth of Jiangsu hairy crab, braised shark’s fin together with crab meat and roe, as well as bird’s nest with rock sugar. For those looking for a six-course meal, the degustation menu offers sea cucumber with a side of shrimp paste, not to mention fragrant rice and crab meat steamed in lotus leaf. À la carte delicacies, like thin-skinned soup dumplings generously filled with hairy crab roe, are also available. Overall, Ah Yung Kitchen’s handmade crab delicacies do not disappoint even long-time lovers of the crustacean.
Ah Yung Kitchen, B1/F, Nina Hotel Causeway Bay, 18 King’s Road, Causeway Bay | (+852) 3553 2633
The “tycoon canteen” of IFC Mall, Cuisine Cuisine, is offering the Golden Autumn Hairy Crab Feast menu, highlighting the crustacean of the season. Treat yourself and your palate with premium six-tael steamed hairy crabs, poached pork dumplings, and lobsters with a side of crab roe, not to mention servings of classic Cantonese dishes like the stir-fried egg white, shrimp dumplings, and soup with quail and fish maw with a modern twist of crab infusion. Guests can upgrade to an expertly selected wine pairing of Xian Heng 25-Year-Old Huadiao, Château Minuty Prestige rosé, and Mortlach 12-Year-Old single malt whisky, or indulge in the free-flow option. Eligible American Express cardholders can also enjoy the drink pairings for free. Do not forget to reserve your own set of crustacean goodness one day in advance!
Cuisine Cuisine, 3101, Podium Level 3, IFC Mall, Central | (+852) 2393 3933
From the ever-innovative Elite Concepts, it is “Crabfest” time at Deng G Sichuan. Lead by Chef Deng, the restaurant presents its Crab Feast set menu with a spicy Sichuan twist, highlighting the mitten crab with dishes such as Sichuan-style sliced cuttlefish, hairy crabs with Sichuan pepper, and noodles served with crab roe and fish maw, with a possible add-on of Huadiao wine.
If sets are not for you, you will be pleased to know that à la carte options are also available during “Crabfest.” Unlike many restaurants that choose to highlight crab roe with Shanghainese dumplings, pan-fried dumplings are available Deng G Sichuan this season. Whole hairy crab is also offered as an individual dish: paired with refreshing Sichuan pickles, you will fall in love with the aromatic sautéed hairy crab and its crab shell, wok-fired and crispy.
Deng G Sichuan, 412–413, Level 4, K11 MUSEA, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2545 3288
A local master in Shanghai and Huaiyang cuisine, Gold Garden Shanghai Cuisine is rolling out its eight-course Savour The Hairy Crab and Delicacies menu, featuring only the freshest of Jiangsu mitten crabs. Besides its signature appetiser combo of crispy eel, pork ribs, gluten puff, and soft-boiled eggs, the set menu comes with steamed Jiangsu hairy crabs, eggs scrambled with crab roe, and sesame dumplings in ginger soup to finish it off. À la carte options are also available, including noodles, lobster, and fish maw, all served with crab roe.
To amateurs and young foodies that are unfamiliar with removing crab shells, do not fret: Gold Garden Shanghai Cuisine offers a “crab handling” service, where shells and inedibles are professionally removed before serving for your convenience.
Gold Garden Shanghai Cuisine, Shop 3202, 3/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 25 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2116 8328
If you are looking for a feast for the eyes along with a taste of the sea, you are at the right place! With spectacular views of the Victoria Harbour, Hutong is the perfect place to sate your craving for crab with a Northern Chinese twist. Enjoy seven new dishes, only available this season, highlighting the sweetness of hairy crab meat and creamy roe, including crab meat and crab roe soup, scallops with crab roe sauce, crab roe xiaolongbao, and more. Hutong’s mouthwatering delicacies paired with its spectacular location overlooking the harbour is bound to wow you as an experience of a lifetime.
Hutong, 18/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3427 2288
Specialised in serving dishes of prime quality from the Jiangsu area, this restaurant presents a limited-time menu of freshwater crustaceans sourced directly from Jiangsu that will delight the tastebuds of all. Enjoy seasonal dishes like hairy crab meat and creamy roe served on French baguette, as well as rice rolls with caviar and crab meat as a twist on the traditional dish. The star of the show, baked hairy crab with boneless free-range chicken, is a must-try at Jiangsu Club: each dish boasts deboned “three-yellow” chicken sourced locally along with the fan-favourite crustacean, braised briefly to preserve the tenderness of the ingredients. A set menu is also offered for connoisseurs wanting to try a wide variety of crab-infused dishes, including green bean noodles, stir-fried shrimp, and xiaolongbao, all featuring the showstopper of the season.
Jiangsu Club, 2/F, Alliance Building, 130–136 Connaught Road, Sheung Wan | (+852) 6230 8973
This acclaimed restaurant is well-known for rolling out high-quality seasonal hairy crab menus every autumn, and this year is no exception. With two carefully crafted set menus—namely the five-course Wondrous Feast of Hairy Crab menu and six-course The Autumnal Hairy Crab Symphony menu, available at Ming Court at Cordis and Ming Court, Wan Chai, respectively—alongside the carte du jour, you’ll be sent on a wild culinary ride of premium seafood in no time.
Enjoy a feast perfect for any crab connoisseur from Shanghainese dumplings stuffed full of crab meat to sautéed tiger prawn and steamed hairy crab, not to mention a revamped version of ginger tea with sweet purple potato and glutinous rice dumplings.
Ming Court, 6/F, Cordis Hong Kong, 555 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok | (+852) 3552 3300
Ming Court, 2/F, Great Eagle Centre, 23 Harbour Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2878 1212
Award-winning modern Chinese restaurant Mott 32 is back again with its highly anticipated hairy crab menu, available from 1 November to 12 December. Carefully sourced fresh ingredients, especially hairy crabs from China’s Taihu lake, come together to form the restaurant’s well-curated menu of 12 hairy crab dishes, including Shanghainese soup dumplings and wok-fried crab claw meat. The fan-favourite hairy crab steamed in ginger tea and herb broth, is, of course, returning as the lead of the menu, along with ambitious innovations such as the cauliflower baked with creamy crab roe.
Dishes that make their debut this year include deep-fried glutinous rice dumplings with crab roe, treasure bag dumplings, and sweet and sour fish, all inspired by traditional Chinese recipes and spotlighting the hairy crab as their star of the show.
Mott 32, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4–4A Des Voeux Road, Central | (+852) 2885 8688
Who knew that one of the city’s best Italian pasta bars would highlight the Chinese mitten crab in its menu again? A returning seasonal special that marries East and West, the Pici hairy crab is making its rounds across all nine Pici locations in Hong Kong as a complement to its signature homemade pasta. This dish celebrates the hairy crab’s creamy roe and meat with a splash of Shaoxing wine and aromatic garlic, and is only served until 19 November, so grab your share before it is gone!
Associated with the luxurious Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, Rú is one of the leading Chinese restaurants of Hong Kong in Cantonese dishes. As the seasons change, the restaurant is also changing its list of menus with two new additions, with the king of crabs as the star of the show. The two menus—the premium hairy crab set menu and deluxe hairy crab set menu—highlight the scrumptious crab with a wide array of seafood dishes, such as hairy crab coral soup dumpling, braised tofu with hairy crab coral, and hairy crab coral with noodles in spring onion oil.
Rú, 7/F, Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan | (+852) 2280 2923
Dedicated to high quality food and service, Sing Yin Cantonese Dining is a great option for foodies and those looking to gather with friends and family, and your experience is bound to be upgraded with its newest exclusive menu starring the Jiangsu hairy crab. Indulge in both traditional and innovative takes on the tender crustacean, where you can choose between male and female crabs for their size and smoothness, respectively. The pan-fried fish maw stuffed with shrimp paste and crab roe sauce is one of the restaurant’s many skilful showcases of the delectable mitten crab, highlighting its silky texture with a contrast against crispy fish, and definitely worth a try before the season ends. The seasonal menu also consists of fried rice with abalone and crab roe, served in a stone claypot, and is a great aesthetic addition to any social media guru’s feed.
Sing Yin Cantonese Dining, 1/F, W Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon | (+852) 3717 284
Expertly curated by chef Junno Li, crab enthusiasts are in for a treat at the Chinese Library: five new dishes make the line-up for hairy crab season, delighting the palates of all ages. Start your meal with some crab meat almond rolls, followed by creamy crab roe udon and fish maw, braised to excellence with crab roe. And, of course, its steamed hairy crabs are not to be missed.
The Chinese Library, Police Headquarters Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central | (+852) 2848 3088
This restaurant, situated in the luxurious Rosewood Hong Kong as a paragon of Cantonese cuisine, is once again bringing back its seasonal menu of hairy crab goodness. Expertly prepared by chef Li Chi-wai, the seven-course menu begins with a platter of Shanghainese dumplings, marinated sea cucumbers, and crab shells baked to perfection, followed by steamed hairy crabs, lobsters served with hairy crab cream, and more. The menu also comes with a refreshing dessert of pear and snow fungus to top it all off, an excellent end to what just might be your favourite meal of the year.
The Legacy House’s hairy crab set menu is available from mid-October till the end of the season. Other à la carte options featuring the crustacean of the season are also available.
The Legacy House, Level Five, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3891 8732
Named after the old Canton business houses that connected China and the rest of the globe in the past, The Merchants is a leading destination specialising in contemporary Shanghainese cuisine. Offered from 23 October to the end of December, the Grand Hairy Crab Feast menu is a luxurious degustation experience that starts off with bean curd and fish maw soup with hairy crab roe, followed by stir-fried shrimp, steamed hairy crab, and more. If set meals are not for you, look forward to à la carte specials that feature the king of crabs, such as steamed xiaolongbao stuffed with hairy crab roe and stir-fried hairy crab roe with claypot rice among others. Be prepared for an explosion of flavour when you dine at The Merchants!
The Merchants, 43/F, Gloucester Tower Landmark, Central | (+852) 2155 4141
This Cantonese restaurant is famous for its air-dried crispy pigeon, but as the seasons change and the breeze cools, Tsui Hang Village rolls out its hairy crab menu for all to enjoy. Two set menus are offered this year, namely the hairy crab and crispy pigeon set and the Superior Hairy Crab Feast menu. The former features two steamed hairy crabs, the restaurant’s signature crispy pigeon, and more, whereas the latter boasts one steamed hairy crab as well as bean curd soup and spring rolls. Before you dash over to try the restaurant’s amazing crab dishes, do not forget that both set menus require reservation one day in advance!
Known for its contemporary dishes, Nam Fong is introducing an eight-course hairy crab set menu as part of its seasonal offerings. Highlights include the signature Shanghainese soup dumplings filled with Shanghainese hairy crab and juicy minced pork, crispy dough stick with hairy crab roe and hairy crab meat for dipping, as well as mouth-watering tossed noodles served with hairy crab roe and hairy crab meat. Naturally, the steamed whole hairy crab served with a classic sliced ginger and black vinegar combo is not to be missed. The set menu is available during lunch and dinner until 30 November. Get a decadent taste of crab before it is gone!
Nam Fong, Le Méridien Hong Kong, Cyberport, 100 Cyberport Road, Pok Fu Lam | (+852) 2980 7410
Meticulously prepared for the season, Duddell’s presents a delectable assortment of hairy crab specials. The menu focuses on the crustacean’s buttery roes and sweet meat, and the dishes will definitely wow your taste buds. Indulge in steamed Jiangsu crab, bird’s nest braised with minced chicken, and braised noodles with hairy crab roe, all a part of the chef’s eight-course degustation menu. The experience concludes with ginger milk pudding, an innovative twist on the classic pairing of mitten crab and ginger tea. If an entire set menu is too much for you, Duddell’s will be happy to serve you its à la carte options, including bean curd braised with hairy crab roe, xiaolongbao with hairy crab roe, and steamed grouper with egg and hairy crab roe, among others. Experience the hairy crab’s signature taste before Duddell’s seasonal menu ends on 8 December!
Duddell’s, Level 3, 1 Duddell Street, Central | (+852) 2525 9191
Crab lovers, prepare yourself for Yat Tung Heen’s nine-course seasonal mud crab tasting menu! This internationally renowned Cantonese restaurant is delighted to serve its carefully curated seasonal menu, starting with a signature appetiser trio of honey-glazed barbecued pork, chilled tomatoes marinated in preserved plum juice, and deep-fried taro puffs with crab meat. Seafood dishes follow, including steamed prawn with crab roe, pan-fried tofu and fresh crab claw, and more. Not to be forgotten, the star of the show is the steamed mud crab paired with Chinese yellow wine and chicken oil. For the ultimate indulgence, the degustation finishes off with not one, but two desserts: pear soup double-boiled with chuan bei and a fluffy sponge cake steamed to perfection.
Yat Tung Heen, Level B2, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei | (+852) 2710 1093
Specialising in authentic Beijing, Sichuan, and Shanghai cuisines, this upscale restaurant should be your go-to when you are looking for an elegant dining experience. Xia Fei Fei’s head chef has created two irresistible menus starring the flavourful meat and melt-in-your-mouth roe of the hairy crab. Treat yourself to the hairy crab roe set menu, consisting of either braised superior shark’s fin or braised seafood soup with fish maw, both with fresh hairy crab roe that is meticulously extracted by hand every day. Besides the classic steamed whole hairy crab, Xia Fei Fei also offers baked crab shell stuffed full of hairy crab roe, scallop, and egg white. On the other hand, the newly debuted hairy crab roe and Peking duck set menu features freshly roasted Peking duck alongside the crowd-favourite crustacean, a contrast of flavours bringing a unique twist to the seasonal experience.
Xia Fei Fei, Shop 211, 2/F, Melbourne Plaza, 33 Queen’s Road Central, Central | (+852) 2522 7611
A premium Cantonese restaurant located in Sha Tin’s Alva Hotel by Royal, Yat Heen is here to carry you on a “crab encounter” journey. Its Succulent Hairy Crab Feast menu is an homage to the extraordinary crustacean, starting off with an appetiser of hairy crab coral puff pastry followed by a Western-inspired hairy crab coral ravioli in lobster soup. After the double-boiled melon soup consisting of fish maw and sea conch, the feast’s highlight—Jiangsu hairy crab steamed with perilla leaves and kombu—is served. Last but not least, your taste buds journey through the sweetness of braised snow crab with vegetables, as well as the innovative Inaniwa noodles with crab coral in squid ink and soya sauce. Yat Heen’s crab-filled experience is available until the end of November!
Yat Heen, 2/F, Alva Hotel by Royal, 1 Yuen Hong Street, Sha Tin | (+852) 3653 1168
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ashley has always been captivated by the city and how its bustling heart coexists with flora and fauna. While writing is her passion, you might also find her relaxing with a cosy video game, feeding horses at a local riding school, or checking out climbing gyms in the city.
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