Gourmet diners always look forward to this time of year because it means crabs are back on the menu. Having fattened up over the summer months in preparation for the winter ahead they are at their best now.
At many restaurants here around this time there is a fever for the Chinese Yangcheng Lake hairy crab, which is relatively small and expensive. But, like many other items from China, it is just as likely to be a fake even though it has a ring or even a laser stamp supposedly guaranteeing its authenticity. So, a better bet is to check out the Grand Formosa Regent's restaurants, where you can sample crabs from around the world.
The "intercontinental crab feast" has been put together by the new food and beverage manager at the hotel, Claudio Melli, who had the bright idea of inviting chefs from Japan, France, Italy, Switzerland, Singapore, and Guangzhou and Shanghai in China, to prepare their favorite 10-legged crustacean for the table.
PHOTO: JULES QUARTLY, TAIPEI TIMES
The steamed Okhotsk Sea crab with Japanese roasted rice tea is probably the star arthropod and is one of the largest crabs you can find that is good to eat, since it comes from the icy clean waters between Russia and Japan. It is served up at the hotel's Wasabi dining bar and has a five-star price of NT$4,500. Also, you must order your crab two days in advance (see details above).
Other dining options include the Shanghai steamed rose crab with spring onion at the Lan Ting restaurant (the most popular choice, according to a hotel representative, because of its creamy eggs); the Cantonese buttered virgin mud crab at the Formosa Club; the Chilean spider crab served up in a French style at Robin's Grill; and the heavyweight Sri Lanka crab with Singaporean chili (two days notice required) at the "azie"
restaurant.
We were offered the four-course menu at Cafe Studio which started with an excellent crabmeat and goat cheese terrine with drizzled green and red pepper corn oil, followed by crabmeat and prawn soup with basil and bay leaf. The fetuccine with crabmeat and porcini mushrooms main dish was sound, while the sauteed watermelon and orange sauce with vanilla ice cream was a great ending to the meal, the heat of the sauce and tang of orange setting off the ice cream perfectly.
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