Peony Jade Restaurant: Singapore Hairy Crab Review 2014

WHATSAPP FOLLOW CTA
join telegram

Roe In Abundance At “The Gold Rush”

Peony Jade Restaurant at Keppel Club is where I first sampled the popular Shanghai hairy crab that is typically an autumn delicacy. First opened in 2004 at Clarke Quay, the diner that specializes in traditional Szechuan and Cantonese cuisines unabashedly favours scenic locations- a full view of the placid Singapore River is featured at Clarke Quay, and the quaint road along the golf course’s perimeter up to Keppel Club exudes a certain picturesque exclusivity, though the arduous walk in was more like a hike to me.

With a carpeted staircase leading to a woody dining interior, I felt that the restaurant spares no expense at providing the consummate oriental experience. Inside, warm lighting furnished by a ceiling speckled with lanterns falls on customarily round tables where diners can rest on ornate seats and enjoy mellow Chinese songs of yesteryear.

For my first taste of the hairy crabs (or Chinese mitten crabs) that the restaurant imports solely from the treasured Yangchen Lake in eastern China, I found it to be a setting as good as any.

Let’s check out some of the a la carte items offered in this limited Hairy Crab promotion for 2014.

hairy crab peony jade mister crab dim sum 2014

Mister Crab 水 晶 大 闸 蟹 先 生 ($14.80 for 3 pieces). We opened the promotional “gold rush” hairy crab session with Mister Crab, an orange-skinned crystal dumpling that cutely shaped like an actual crab, stuffed with a medley of shrimp and crab meat. I was beginning to wonder what a dim sum spread would be like with crab meat being its focus.

hairy crab peony jade the golden charm 2014

“The Golden Charm” Pomegranate hairy crab meat topped with creamy golden roe 蟹粉石榴头 ($58). When the bun doused in an incredibly rich and golden roe gravy arrived, I knew I had found my favourite dish of the day.

This massive Xiao long  bao variant that is supposed to be shaped like a pomegranate has skin just tender enough to hold the luscious dressing of steamed prawn and tobiko roe that went pleasantly with dips of the potent cream that I quickly expended. Save for the two seemingly superfluous pieces of gilded lard on the side, this crab-intensive dish should satiate all devotees of The Golden Egg Roe.

hairy crab peony jade steamed hairy crab 2014

Steamed hairy crab with homemade Chinese rice wine 家 乡 姜 酒 蒸 大 闸 蟹 ($48). The much awaited/feared tall task of getting one’s hands gooey with a full crab then presented itself. As with most Chinese meals, some soup is nothing out of the ordinary, so I was most excited to have a sip of the stock that looked all too nourishing.

The simple blend of the rice wine boiled with the crab, minced ginger, and black fungus was impressive for homemade wine. I just thought that the acridity from the ginger bits was a little over the top and honestly quite unavoidable if you insist on having more of that amazing stock. The ‘heaty’ yang Ginger however, is always paired with hairy crabs so as to reduce the ‘cooling’ yin effect that the Chinese believe hairy crabs to have.

hairy crab peony jade singapore

We were presented with a most elegant and efficient de-shelling demonstration of the diminutive steamed hairy crab, where the presenter did as a surgeon would and dissected the crab with precise steps. Being quite the meticulous eater, I personally found the work to be incommensurate with the meat reward. The generous offering of creamy roe within the crab is greatly appreciated by many hair crab aficionados though, including myself.

hairy crab peony jade 2014 la mien

La-mien soup topped with hairy crab meat garnished with golden caviar ($16). A light staple teeming with more crab elements, the bowl of la-mien sitting in a rich lobster consommé appeared close to my saturation point of the exceedingly creamy and increasingly wearying (jelat) roe.

Much to my surprise, this bite-sized noodle dish topped the night of crabs off very well with a balanced sweet and salty mix of meat and caviar. Extremely concentrated crab guts and roe blended within the golden caviar will please the rare few who crave the limited essence within prawn and crab heads.

hairy crab peony jade-10216055

Boiled hot ginger tea with glutinous rice dumpling ($7). For dessert, we were first treated to a ginger tea that may have evoked a few cringes with its unparalleled spiciness. Again according to Chinese traditionalists, hairy crab meat has that excessive cooling quality that needs to be counteracted with warm foods like the chosen ginger tea to maintain the body’s equilibrium. The glutinous rice dumpling filled with sesame was a classic match with the ginger tea.

Mao Shan Wang durian mochi ($12 for 3 pieces). The durian mochi that lay unassumingly beside the intense tea serving was a splendid ending to the night. It is hard to forget how smoothly that icy goodness burst in the mouth for an explosion of the piquant durian flavour that many crave.

I was not necessarily filled by the time I left, but was certainly left inspired by the slew of creative dishes that Peony Jade Restaurant offered for the session. If the copious servings of roe is any indication, the restaurant appears bent on delivering a rich eating experience, and I believe I will be returning to taste the rest of the items on its menu.

Related Guide: Peony Jade Dim Sum Buffet

Expected damage: $103 per pax for set menu | $162 per pax for premium set

*Promotion available till 30 November 2014

Peony Jade @ Keppel Club (M, Level): Bukit Chermin Road, Keppel Club, Singapore 109918 | Tel: 62769138 | Website

Video thumbnail
korea? no. this is malaysia 🥰 #malaysia #kualalumpur #korea #starfield #books
00:23
Video thumbnail
The BEST Typhoon Shelter Crab We've Ever Had?! | Food Finders Singapore S7E12
14:44
Video thumbnail
love pasar malam‼️ #singapore #sgigfoodie #food #wheretogo #wheretoeat
00:22
Video thumbnail
i now understand the hype in Japan 🤫 #singapore #japanesefood #sgigfoodie #food
00:28
Video thumbnail
So in love with this spot!
00:25
Video thumbnail
matcha .. gnarly 😮‍💨 #malaysia #kualalumpur #matcha #croissant #pj
00:23
Video thumbnail
🎉 Think sun, splashes, and a deal on non-stop thrills — the perfect way to cool off and have fun 🤩
00:29
Video thumbnail
sticky yogurt?! #singapore #food #yogurt
00:24
Video thumbnail
⚠️ warning: this may cause a serious wagyu addiction 🤤 #kualalumpur #malaysia #wagyu #buffet
00:30
Video thumbnail
honestly not bad for sharing 👍🏻 #singapore #food #sgigfoodie #foodblogger #foodie
00:15
Video thumbnail
Your ultimate guide to JB Taman Melodies! | Food Finders Singapore S7E11
11:18
Video thumbnail
🌏why travel the world for international flavours when Vagabond is just here #malaysia #kualalumpur
00:44
Video thumbnail
caviar beef tenderloin XLBs 🫨 #singapore #food #dintaifung #xiaolongbao
00:40
Video thumbnail
What exactly is Hainanese cuisine? | Food Finders Singapore S7E10
14:15
Video thumbnail
Might be the cheapest cai fan in SG
00:17
Video thumbnail
So many viral openings!
00:23
Video thumbnail
Your next supper spot
00:15
Video thumbnail
🤤 which yong tau foo spot should i hunt down next? #malaysia #kualalumpur #ampang #kopitiam
00:21
Video thumbnail
would you try this? #singapore #foodie #tanghulu #asmrrecipe
00:25
Video thumbnail
Tried KFC’s new Ghost Pepper menu so you don’t have to (but you should) 🔥 #singapore #kfc #newmenu
00:26

Newest