Plump, rich crab roe and sweet, tender crab meat – indulge to your heart’s content before the crab season ends

Written and photographed by /Nata

Everyone who knows me knows that my all-time favorite food is the “mountain of crabs.” No, it’s not the name of a dish — I gave it that name myself. It means a plate piled high with crabs, and ideally, it should be piled up like a small mountain. I just love crabs that much. I only found out after getting married that my in-laws and my brother-in-law and his wife are also huge seafood fans — true seafood connoisseurs. Recently, they introduced us to the double-shelled virgin crab, a delicacy that any crab lover would instantly fall for. It was so delicious that I became a fan of the double-shelled crab right after my first taste. It’s so good that every time I think about it, I can’t help but start drooling. Ahhhhh~

This is Hao Yuan Live Seafood Restaurant on Zhongyong Road in Nantun District, Taichung — a place where our family often gathers. There’s also a branch in Dali, located at No. 297, Section 2, Guoguang Road, Dali. Its name is slightly different; it’s called “Hao Yuan Seafood Banquet Restaurant.” I don’t remember having been to the Dali branch, but as for the Zhongyong branch, their seafood is really fresh. We always order a bunch of seafood when we go there, though other types of stir-fried dishes aren’t quite as appealing to us. Whenever it’s the season for plump, autumn crabs, I just can’t resist coming here frequently.

The dishes we ordered this time were mainly seafood, though we didn’t take pictures of everything — our focus was entirely on the shrimp and crab army. Although we’ve switched to eating non-toxic shrimp at home, we still occasionally order shrimp when dining out — just once in a while, I confess (sigh, I really can’t resist...). Because the shrimp at these kinds of seafood restaurants is usually quite plump, and the cooking is well-controlled, the freshness and elasticity are top-notch. Boiling them and enjoying the natural flavor is definitely the best way to eat them.

Flower Crab
Also known as the flower persimmon crab or spotted stone crab, the flower crab has sweet, refreshing meat that you can enjoy endlessly without getting tired of it. During crab season, I have to eat at least a whole flower crab to feel satisfied.

Double-Shelled Virgin Crab
An unmated female red crab is called a virgin crab. I personally love the thick yet tender meat of the virgin crab, especially when it’s full of roe. Beyond choosing ones with rich roe and thick, succulent meat, an even higher level of enjoyment comes from selecting virgin crabs in the pre-molt stage. Because of their tough outer shell and the inner layer of softer, not-yet-hardened shell, they’re called double-shelled crabs.

Just looking at the photos with markings, you can see the difference between the inner and outer shells. The inner shell is thick, soft, and has a bit of chewy texture — it’s like getting an extra layer of crab meat with a different mouthfeel. Add to that the rich roe and tender crab meat, and you get a triple-layer texture with lots of complexity, naturally making it even more delicious. Crabs molt several times as they grow into larger adults. From an eating perspective, the earlier they molt, the more tender and smooth the crab meat will be.

Look at this cross-section — isn’t it mesmerizing? It’s the kind of sight that makes me lose all self-control. Other crabs might have orange-red roe or thick, concentrated roe, which can drive me crazy too, aaaah~~~ The crab season is almost over, but if you still want to taste delicious crabs, hurry and go try some soon. Of course, if you want to eat double-shelled crabs, you’ll need to reserve in advance at the restaurant, because they’re not always available on the spot. Pay attention to that, okay?

Info
Hao Yuan Live Seafood Restaurant
Address: No. 133-6, Zhongyong Road, Baoshan Li, Nantun District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-2381-4425, 04-2381-1453
 

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