The flesh of Liang Youxiang’s crabs is sweet, tender and rich—best enjoyed fresh.
Last updated 2026-09-26 — Between 1996 and 2002, Liang Youxiang wrote full-page food columns every Saturday for both the China Times and the Liberty Times, and was also among the first hosts to bring chefs onto TV to cook live. When asked, “What makes Taiwanese cuisine unique?” the long-time food enthusiast Liang Youxiang believes Taiwan’s political environment has made its food culture incredibly diverse. Not only from the Japanese colonial period, but especially after 1949, when a large influx of mainlanders brought the culinary essence of their hometowns, injecting vibrant variety into Taiwan’s originally simple cuisine. Early Taiwanese cooking didn’t feature many elaborate dishes, mostly relying on soy sauce paste as a base flavor—“steamed chicken, plain boiled pork, and blanched greens were all prepared this way”—or else just congee with side dishes. When the military came to Taiwan, the spiciness of Sichuan and Hunan cuisines, the refinement of upscale Jiangsu-Zhejiang restaurants, and the enduring richness of Beijing cuisine with its many classic dishes all contributed to a richer food scene. The media also played a significant role in shaping Taiwanese street food culture—for example, early TV chef Fu Pei-mei made restaurant techniques more home-friendly, teaching many housewives new cooking methods. As the economy boomed, Taiwanese people seemed to suddenly become food connoisseurs almost overnight. “A small eatery every three steps, a big restaurant every five”—this vivid description by Liang Youxiang perfectly captures Taiwan’s dining landscape.
Text by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler Portrait photos by Liang Youxiang
Between 1996 and 2002, Liang Youxiang wrote full-page food columns every Saturday for both the China Times and the Liberty Times, and was also among the first hosts to bring chefs onto TV to cook live. When asked, “What makes Taiwanese cuisine unique?” the long-time food enthusiast Liang Youxiang believes Taiwan’s political environment has made its food culture incredibly diverse. Not only from the Japanese colonial period, but especially after 1949, when a large influx of mainlanders brought the culinary essence of their hometowns, injecting vibrant variety into Taiwan’s originally simple cuisine. Early Taiwanese cooking didn’t feature many elaborate dishes, mostly relying on soy sauce paste as a base flavor—“steamed chicken, plain boiled pork, and blanched greens were all prepared this way”—or else just congee with side dishes. When the military came to Taiwan, the spiciness of Sichuan and Hunan cuisines, the refinement of upscale Jiangsu-Zhejiang restaurants, and the enduring richness of Beijing cuisine with its many classic dishes all contributed to a richer food scene. The media also played a significant role in shaping Taiwanese street food culture—for example, early TV chef Fu Pei-mei made restaurant techniques more home-friendly, teaching many housewives new cooking methods. As the economy boomed, Taiwanese people seemed to suddenly become food connoisseurs almost overnight. “A small eatery every three steps, a big restaurant every five”—this vivid description by Liang Youxiang perfectly captures Taiwan’s dining landscape.
The Shanghai-style eatery’s blue crab vermicelli hotpot is hearty—best shared with friends. (Photo provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
For crab in autumn, nowhere beats Taiwan.
With restaurants and eateries everywhere, Taiwan is a crab lover’s paradise in autumn. Liang Youxiang lists them out: “In Kinmen, you can find swimming crabs that can be made into Shanghai-style drunken crab; the purple mud crabs (commonly known as sea cockroaches) from Penghu have the richest meat; red crabs are found along the coast and can be used in red crab rice cakes, while high-end restaurants might even serve virgin female crabs.” Beyond local varieties, Liang Youxiang mentions “imported Canadian king crabs and even Chinese mitten crabs from the mainland.” He adds enthusiastically, “Go inland, like into the mountains of Alishan or Miaoli, and you’ll find hairy crabs; too bad coconut crabs are now on the protected species list and no longer available.”
The garlic prawn stir-fry wafts irresistible aroma the moment it’s served. (Photo provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
From south to north, east to west, from mountains to seas, plus crabs imported from around the world—Liang Youxiang believes there’s hardly a better place than Taiwan to enjoy crab in autumn. “Hong Kong may have many types, but we have even more.” He even advises his students to carry a notebook. “That way, you can keep track of all the crabs you haven’t tried yet!” The variety of crabs is already dazzling, but there’s more—crabs can be prepared in countless ways. Shanghai-style drunken crab, Thai green curry crab, Jiangsu-Zhejiang steamed king crab, Hong Kong’s garlic crab, or Japan’s crab hot pot—all beckon food lovers. “Even Keelung Night Market serves butter crab—you could say there’s no end to the choices.”
The soy-braised crab is another signature dish proudly offered by Shanghai-style eateries. (Photo provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
Speaking of this, Liang Youxiang recalls that Taiwan also has flower crabs and three-spot crabs to enjoy, especially the flower crab: “The flesh is sweet and tender—steamed is perfect.” He adds that Taiwanese chefs have even created a special dipping sauce for flower crabs, made with fermented tofu, minced ginger, light soy sauce, and other ingredients to form a sweet-sour blend. “This really brings out the juicy, delicate texture of the crab, and it’s definitely superior to the Chinese mitten crab.”
A group of friends enjoying crab together is pure joy.
About crabs, Liang Youxiang shares an amusing story. Different parts of a crab have distinct textures and aromas, creating a rich and varied experience that delights the palate—no wonder autumn is the season for poets and scholars to indulge in crab. From his reading and personal experiences, Liang Youxiang has drawn one conclusion: “Crab must be eaten with good friends.”
Liang Youxiang had a junior schoolmate named Xiao Fang who loved crab. When Xiao Fang turned 30, her mother set her up on a blind date. The man was successful and handsome, and after seeing Xiao Fang’s profile, he asked to meet. “When they first met, the table was naturally laden with shark’s fin and abalone, but the restaurant also had Chinese mitten crabs. As soon as Xiao Fang saw them, she ordered them,” Liang Youxiang recounts. Xiao Fang, being impatient, immediately started teaching everyone how to eat crab, even using her hands instead of tools and eagerly biting into the shell. She was skilled enough to even reassemble the crab’s appearance afterward—but her table manners scared the guy off for good: “Her way of eating was just too brutal.” Liang Youxiang emphasizes again: “That’s exactly why you need good friends around.”
The whole, intact roe and meat of the drunken crab let you savor the crab’s unique umami. (Photo provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
The second half of the story is about how Xiao Fang met another man and went to meet his parents. Since the elderly couple were in their sixties or seventies with sensitive teeth, Xiao Fang consulted Liang Youxiang. “I told her to buy Chinese mitten crabs, steam them, then scoop out the roe and crab meat (the flesh) to simmer in tofu for half an hour, infusing the tofu with the crab’s sweetness and umami.” Not only did he advise her, but Liang Youxiang also demonstrated it for her. After tasting it, Xiao Fang was amazed—after eating crab for over thirty years, she’d never had such delicious crab-flavored tofu. “I don’t know how the parents liked it, but half a year later, I heard she got married and pregnant. I think that tofu must’ve done the trick,” Liang Youxiang laughs. The period from after Mid-Autumn Festival to before winter is when crabs are at their plumpest and most delicious. Hurry up, gather some good friends, find a restaurant with great crabs, and that’s exactly what you should do this season.
Liang Youxiang’s recommended autumn flavors
Shanghai-style eatery & drunken crab
When people hear “Zhonghe and Yonghe,” they often think “hard-to-find location.” But that’s not an issue with Shanghai Small Eatery, just a five-minute walk from Dingxi Station on the MRT. When Liang Youxiang craves drunken crab, he heads here. According to Chef Weng, the restaurant’s drunken crab uses three-spot crabs—the crabs must be plump and have roe. They’re cured and frozen in a mix of salt, Sichuan peppercorns, kaoliang liquor, scallions, and ginger at low temperatures for three days to create this Shanghai delicacy that takes time to prepare. The drunken crab isn’t heated at all during processing and should be eaten chilled with vinegar for dipping, so the crab meat retains the briny freshness of the sea. Chef Weng notes that some people hesitate to try this dish due to its preparation method and texture. In that case, he recommends the blue crab vermicelli hotpot. He says Shanghai Small Eatery’s version is adapted: “The Cantonese style is too dry, but ours has more sauce.” The soy-braised crab is another signature dish proudly offered by Shanghai Small Eatery. Still hungry? The fermented tofu pork and extremely tender shrimp are also must-try staples.
[INFO]
Shanghai Small Eatery
Address: No. 14, Lane 90, Wenhua Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Phone: 02-2929-4104
Shanghai Small Eatery’s drunken crab is quite famous. (Photo provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
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