Every year, from September to December, crab aficionados from around the globe clamour to get their hands on Chinese mitten crabs, also known as hairy crabs. These fist-sized crustaceans are native to the freshwater rivers and lakes of Eastern China, with the pristine waters of Yangcheng Lake in Jiangsu province as their most famed point of origin.
The crabs there are so prized that they typically come with a seal of authenticity, not unlike the birth certificate and muzzle pattern that is used to identify Wagyu cows in Japan. They are typically steamed and eaten with black vinegar, their diminutive shells and characteristically furry claws pried open to reveal sweet, delicate flesh and a bountiful harvest of buttery roe and milt. Both triangular-bellied males and their round-shaped female counterparts mature at different rates, with the former typically coming into peak season in the later months of October and November.
There are other ways to enjoy the autumnal delicacy, too, thanks to the creativity and skill of the chefs at these MICHELIN restaurants in Singapore — read on to find out how these establishments are taking the seasonal crustacean and making it their own.
Photo: Crystal Jade Golden Palace
Crystal Jade Golden Palace
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Meticulously selected hairy crabs hailing from the renowned Yangcheng Lake have been imported to the kitchen of MICHELIN-Selected Cantonese restaurant Crystal Jade Golden Palace, available from now until mid-December 2023.
Here, guests can embrace tradition with the unadulterated sweetness of Chinese mitten crabs, either Steamed with Shiso Leaf or spiked with the heady aroma of a 20-Year Aged Hua Diao Wine (both seasonally priced).
Diners who prefer to indulge without fussing with de-shelling their crustaceans can opt to appreciate the autumnal delicacy in luxe dim sum form, via the Hairy Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao ($16.80++ for two pieces) or Hairy Crab Roe with Steamed Prawn Rice Roll ($38++).
Crystal Jade Golden Palace’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 15 December 2023. For reservations, book online here. Crystal Jade Golden Palace is located at The Paragon, #05-22, 290 Orchard Road, 238859, Singapore.
Photo: Madame Fan
Madame Fan
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Instead of the customary steamed hairy crab, Executive Chinese Chef Pak Chee Yit of MICHELIN-Selected Cantonese restaurant Madame Fan opts to prepare the crustacean by encasing it with stir-fried, piping hot salt ($88++ per piece). This time-worn cooking method allows diners to appreciate the delicacy in a different way, without taking from the natural, subtle sweetness of the crustacean’s flesh and especially its prized roe.
Other noteworthy iterations of the autumnal delight include a luxuriously indulgent dumpling, the Hairy Crab Roe & Hairy Crab Meat Wonton ($38++ each), which can be paired with a hearty Superior Broth; along with a fusion noodle dish thoroughly uplifted by the Chinese delicacy, the Braised Japanese Somen Noodles with Truffle, Hairy Crab Roe, Hairy Crab Meat and Hairy Crab Oil ($38++ each).
Madame Fan’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 30 November 2023. For reservations, book online here or call +65 6818 1921. Madame Fan is located at The NCO Club, 32 Beach Road, 189764, Singapore.
Photo: Goodwood Park
Min Jiang at Dempsey
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Hairy crab indulgence can also be found in the greenery of Dempsey Hill, the verdant hideaway of MICHELIN-Selected Cantonese-Sichuan restaurant Min Jiang at Dempsey, wielding all-new and returning signature creations for both its indulgent six-course set menus and à la carte dishes.
Available for both lunch and dinner until 30 November 2023, both the "Hairy Crab Joy" Set Menu ($168++ per person) and "Hairy Crab Supreme" Menu ($188++ per person) feature the crowning jewels of the Min Jiang Trio Platter, comprising Marinated Jellyfish, Crispy-fried Hairy Crabmeat with Shrimp Roll, and Rice Crisp with Hairy Crabmeat in Egg White, along with the classic centrepiece of Steamed Hairy Crab with Ginger Rice Wine, together with lavish sides like Pan-Fried Hokkaido Scallop with Chilli Sauce or Assorted Seafood Soup, Bamboo Pith and Mushrooms in Golden Broth, depending on which you opt for.
À la carte versions of the seasonal crustacean are also available. They include the Braised Hairy Crabmeat with Pumpkin and Seasonal Greens ($26++ each), Hairy Crabmeat with Homemade Tofu and Deep-fried Soft-Shell Crab ($32++ each), and Hairy Crabmeat with Seafood Soup in Pomegranate Egg White Parcel ($42++ each).
Min Jiang at Dempsey’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 30 November 2023. For reservations, book online here, call +65 6774 0122 or email mjdempsey@goodwoodparkhotel.com. Min Jiang at Dempsey is located at 7A & 7B Dempsey Road, 249684, Singapore.
Photo: Shang Palace
Shang Palace
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Shang Palace offers an artisanal collection of hairy crab treats from Lake Taihu (also in Jiangsu Province) for the highly anticipated season, available for both lunch and dinner as part of a six-course set menu ($268++ per person).
Highlights from the feast include an appetiser of Deep-fried Bean Curd Skin wrapped with Hairy Crab Roe Toast, progressing to two hearty broths spiked with indulgent hairy crab roe, before moving on to a luxurious Sautéed Lobster with Hairy Crab Roe and a traditional coup de grace in Steamed Hairy Crab. While the set menu comes with a bottle of Chinese yellow wine, wine pairings can also be had for an extra $78++ per person.
Diners can also opt for à la carte creations fortified with hairy crab roe and flesh, including the Steamed Hairy Crab Roe filled in Assorted Seafood Dumpling ($38++ per person); Braised Imperial Bird’s with Hairy Crab Roe and Dried Seafood ($98++ per person); and Steamed Egg White with Lobster Meat and topped with Hairy Crab Roe Sauce ($68++ per person).
Shang Palace’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 30 November 2023. For reservations, call +65 6213 4398 or email dining.sls@shangri-la.com. Shang Palace is located at the Shangri-La Hotel, Lobby Level, 22 Orange Grove Road, 258350, Singapore.
Photo: Yan Ting
Yan Ting
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
An autumnal feast awaits at MICHELIN-selected Cantonese restaurant Yan Ting, now offering a six-course set menu centred around Chinese mitten crabs ($248++) along with a slew of curated à la carte dishes until 15 December 2023.
On the course menu are gastronomical delights like the signature Steamed Shanghai-style Pork Dumpling with Hairy Crab Meat and Roe, along with hearty cornerstone favourites like the Stir-Fried Scallop with Fresh Crabmeat, Crab Roe and Truffle, before moving right along into the star of the show — Steamed Hairy Crab (also available à la carte at $148++ per person) fittingly accompanied by a splash of house-made vinegar. Elsewhere, the Braised Fish Maw with Fresh Crabmeat and Crab Roe ($118++ per person) provides diners with extra hairy crab-centred heft to complete their banquet.
Yan Ting’s hairy crab menu is available from now till 15 December 2023. For reservations, book online here, call +65 6506 6887 or email yanting@stregis.com. Yan Ting is located at The St. Regis Hotel, Level 1U, 29 Tanglin Road, 247911, Singapore.
Photo: Yì By Jereme Leung
Yi By Jereme Leung
SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
MICHELIN-Selected contemporary Chinese restaurant Yì By Jereme Leung presents Chinese mitten crabs from Lake Taihu, fastidiously prepared and transformed into an all-new array of appetisers, main dishes, and dim sum for this year’s hairy crab season.
Diners visiting during lunch can enjoy dim sum-style takes on the crustacean like the Pan-Fried Hairy Crab Meat Roe Bun and Deep-Fried Spring Roll Stuffed with Hairy Crab Roe, Radish & Cheese (both $18++ for three pieces).
Those looking for brief respite from the Singaporean heat can otherwise opt for the Chilled Hairy Crab in Chinese Wine Brine Served with Dried Longan, Wolfberry, and Ginger Tea Jelly ($148++ each), or simply indulge in heartier fare such as the Braised Fish Maw with Hairy Crab Roe ($128++), Cheese Baked Lobster with Hairy Crab Roe ($98+ for half), or the Traditional Steamed Hairy Crab with Taiwanese Mullet Roe & Perilla Leaves Served with Osmanthus & Wolfberry Ginger Tea ($148++ per piece).
Yì By Jereme Leung's hairy crab menu is available from now till 17 November 2023. For reservations, book online here, call +65 6412 1816, or email singapore@raffles.com. Yì By Jereme Leung is located at the Raffles Arcade, #03-02, 328 North Bridge Road, 188719, Singapore.
