Now is the time to savour a prized delicacy

Eating Out with LIM CHIA YING

MANDARIN PALACE CHINESE RESTAURANT,
2nd Floor, The Federal Kuala Lumpur,
35, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2148 9166.
Business hours: Weekdays; Noon to 2pm (lunch), 6pm to 10pm (dinner). Weekends and public holidays; 10am to 2pm (lunch), 6pm to 10pm (dinner).
Non halal.  

THIS is the season to savour hairy crabs from China. The crustaceans, at just the size of your palm, are popular due to its rich and creamy orange-reddish roe. 

Several restaurants in town are clamouring for this once-a-year opportunity to serve this prized delicacy to guests who do not mind paying a pretty sum for the crabs. 

The hairy crabs are caught live from the cold waters of lakes in China which is experiencing cold autumn season from October to December. 

Tempting: The Chinese Herb Steamed Hairy Crab.

The crabs will be cooked in styles like Chinese Herb Steamed with Hairy Crab, Steamed Hairy Crab with Glutinous Rice, Hairy Crab Boiled with Salted Soup and Ginger & Spring Onion Stir-Fried Hairy Crab. 

Yip said the restaurant’s hairy crabs are from the famed freshwater lake called Yangcheng in Shanghai and because these are a one-year-once delicacy, it makes them “priceless.” 

Yip said the crabs were popular due to the sinfully-smooth roe that is unlike that of normal crabs. 

“Our crab size is about 200gm each, which is good value for the RM60++ that people pay for per piece,” he said. 

Nutritious: The Pigeon Soup served hot.

The Chinese Herb Steamed with Hairy Crab is served with a special type of herb leaf from China which is used to mask the smell of the crustacean. 

“Because the crabs breed deep down in the cold waters, it has a very ‘cooling effect’ on our bodies. Hence, it is best for us to restore our heat and balance it with hot ginger tea,” he said. 

Also served was the nutritious, piquant and peppery Pigeon Soup. 

The meat covered in the broth contains chopped mushrooms and black pepper.  

Yip also urged us to try the Salted Baked Chicken, where only the lean kampung chicken is used.  

Orders are only for one whole chicken sold at RM35 each. 

“It is cooked with salt and also herbs like Chinese angelica and steamed for 30 minutes,” he said. 

Hotel marketing communi­cations & business develop­­­­­ment manager May Lee said this was the restaurant’s signature dish. 

She added that the BBQ roast meats were also popular among the customers. 

This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.