This Hubei-style seafood spot serves air-flown live crawfish & hairy crabs till 1am

“Crawfish? Yes, I’ve had frozen ones before at hotel buffets. Hairy crabs? Err… are they nice or not? The word ‘hairy’ is a bit of a turnoff.” Those were the exact thoughts before visiting Xia Mi Hao Liao at 20 Upper Weld Road, within walking distance of Rochor and Jalan Besar MRT stations.

xia mi hao liao - front facade
xia mi hao liao - front facade
ambience
ambience

Barely 2 months old, this fairly-new Hubei-style eatery possesses a blue and pink colour theme with checkered floor tiles, exuding a warm and cosy vibe with tastefully done oriental decor.

The owner was inspired by his trips to Hubei, and brought back bits and pieces of the culture, such as placing a small trash bin on the floor by each table for customers to throw their shells into.

live seafood
live seafood

The crawfish and hairy crabs are flown in live from China weekly, ensuring that customers receive nothing but the freshest crustaceans. Take your pick between 5 different flavours.

xia mi hao liao - steamed crawfish
xia mi hao liao - steamed crawfish

We started off with the Steamed Crawfish (S$48 for small, S$90 for big). Unlike other places that use frozen versions, Xia Mi Hao Liao serves them steaming hot, without needing to mask the flavour with heavy spices and sauces.

The flesh was naturally sweet and incredibly fresh. It was perfectly paired with the rice wine vinegar dip with ginger strips.

xia mi hao liao - steam crabs
xia mi hao liao - steam crabs

Next, it was time to come face-to-face with the Steamed Hairy Crab (Seasonal Price).

xia mi hao liao - hairy crab insides
xia mi hao liao - hairy crab insides

With plastic gloves on, I quickly learned how to deshell the hairy crabs. Before I knew it, I was already cracking and opening crabs for the entire table like a pro— it was easier than I thought.

The flesh was flavourful and fresh, but the star of the night was the yellow roe— it was pure paradise for my taste buds, delivering a rich and creamy burst of flavour with each bite. Consider myself officially a fan!

xia mi hao liao - 10 spiced combo
xia mi hao liao - 10 spiced combo
10 spiced
10 spiced

For a spicier affair, try the Signature 10 Spiced Combo (S$125), consisting of crawfish, halved hairy crabs and potatoes doused in a mala-ish gravy.

xia mi hao liao - instant noodle
xia mi hao liao - instant noodle

And the best part? Once you’re done with the seafood, get a plate of Instant Noodle (S$3) and dunk them into the remaining gravy to fully absorb the spices; yummy!

bi feng tang
bi feng tang

We also got the Bi Feng Tang Combo (S$125) which was generously coated with a combination of roasted garlic and breadcrumbs for a truly aromatic experience— this was my favourite!

xia mi hao liao - appetisers
xia mi hao liao - appetisers

The menu also has cold dishes like Sliced Pork In Garlic Sauce (S$16) and Pickled Cucumber (S$12). We savoured the Salt & Pepper Crawfish Tail (S$32), which was fried so perfectly that the whole thing can be devoured, shell and all.

The Lotus Root Fries (S$16) were delicious with a crispy batter outside and an addictive crunch on the inside.

xia mi hao liao - overview
xia mi hao liao - overview

By the way, there’s an ongoing promotion till 30 Sep 2024. You can purchase unlimited Salt & Pepper Crawfish Tail at 50% off simply with a minimum order of 1 big live crawfish— go knock yourself out!

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