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