新滬坊 New Shanghai -

 My group of foodie friends said this Shanghai Restaurant wanted to introduce some foodies who haven’t been here before to try out their new Shanghai Crab Dishes for feedback,  so invited us over to check out the Seasonal Shanghai Hairy Crab Menu.   Since I haven’t had the opportunity to dine in this restaurant before,   let’s check out why they got a Michelin Recommendation consecutively.   The below Shanghai Crab Tasting Menu is originally $608 per person,  with a minimum 2 persons to order.

 

 

Steamed Winter Melon with Crab Roe 蟹粉白玉羹 -  Part of the $608 Tasting Menu
Plenty of flavourful crab meat and roe from XuZhou,  China.   Loved this soupy dish.  ~ 8/10

 

 

Steamed Shanghai Male Crab 清蒸大閘蟹 – 6 Taels (225 grams)
Nowadays Chefs take much more precautions with steaming hairy crabs.  I remember when I was young a crab at this size is steamed with shiso leaves for roughly 15-16 minutes.   Most people now work on 20 minutes instead just to make sure it is safer to eat.  Here it was steamed for longer as such,  and the crab had an ok runny texture only as a result.  But it was definitely bursting with male crab fat flavours.  I prefer safer kitchens.    ~7/10

 

 

 

湖光泛影:  蟹粉蛋白, 黃金蝦, 龍鬚桂魚 -  Award Winning Dish by the Head Chef
Shanghai Crab Roe on Stir-fried Egg Whites,  Fried Prawn in Salted Duck Egg Yolk coating,  Sauteed Chinese Perch with egg strips and fried leaves.   All done pretty well. 
Some friends thought the fish component was a little sterile under-seasoned,   but I actually enjoy this personally so I can taste the fish sweetness itself.   The Prawn was done exceptionally well and grease free yet crunchy on the outside.   ~ 9/10

 

Japanese Shungiku Veggies in Supreme Broth with Yunnan Ham and Fried Garlic
上湯春菊 -
I am really glad not every dish on the Tasting Menu was pure Crab Roe or Crab Meat.   Ok I lied a bit I love Shanghai crab so much I don’t mind eating a full course with every dish having it,  but it is definitely more sensible to have something a bit lighter as a palate cleanser now and then.   This surprisingly used the more subtle Japanese variety of Tong O veggies,  which belong to the same DNA family.   A smart choice by the chef as it’s more elegant and less potent.   ~ 9/10

 

Fried Sticky Rice Cakes with Female Shanghai Crabs,  Broad Beans and Dark Soy Sauce
醬汁年糕烤毛蟹 -
A typical Shanghainese dish that is believe it or not,  both a Summer and a Winter dish,  just using different crabs during different seasons.   One of my favourite recipes in the world…   The Crabs are sometimes slightly deep fried first,  but not the version here.   There’s a lot of female crab roe which tend to be denser but flavourful.   I liked this dish a lot,  my only gripe is that the soy sauce was a little thin and doesn’t have enough Crustacean taste input.   To be fair not many places in HK nails this dish perfectly.   ~ 7.5/10

 

 

 

Pork & Crab Roe Xiao Loong Bao - 蟹粉小籠包
The filling was great with the right balance of porkiness and crab flavours.   I think its top was pleated a little too thick and doughy,  the same problem I find in the HK Michelin 1 Star Ding Tai Fung.   The inside of this tasted better though.   ~ 8/10

 

 

Dessert of Glutinous Rice Dumplings with Black Sesame Filling - 薑茶湯圓
This was done exceptionally well indeed.  Perfect balance between strong ginger flavour and sugar,  and the sweet dumplings had a really smooth yet strong sesame paste inside.  And unlike some places,  this wasn’t overcooked on the outside.   I was so full by this stage I only managed to gobble down 1,  it was a bit of a shame because if they served this at the beginning I could have eaten 5 bowls!     A good finish for the night.   Overall the foodie friends’ comments afterwards are that this was expected as normal but not an outstanding feast.   Yet at this price point and clearly advertised as a package,  I think it has its attraction,  as you know exactly what to expect to pay when the bill arrives.

 

 

 

Price:  HKD $608 per Person + 10%,  Tea Charge $17   (Meal by Invitation by Restaurant)
Ease of Access:   3/5  (Inside HK Exhibition and Convention Centre)

Food:   ♕♕♕♕ 1/2
Address: 灣仔港灣道1號香港會議展覽中心1樓
1st Floor,  Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre,  Wanchai,  Hong Kong
Ph: 2582 7332