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Friday, October 13, 2017, 18:01
Ode to an autumn of gastronomic delights
By Maggie Beale
Friday, October 13, 2017, 18:01 By Maggie Beale

The steamed hairy crab served at Loong Yuen Cantonese Restaurant is a highlight of the diner’s seasonal offerings. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

When friends visiting from Europe asked to have a meal together before they left Hong Kong I was not sure where to take them. They are world travelers and adventurous eaters.

They wanted to be around for the Mid-Autumn Festival but had to leave earlier, so it was imperative to treat them to a sampling of the “festive” fare. 

This wasn’t that hard a task to accomplish as there is no dearth of fine dining options to be found around Hong Kong, irrespective of whether they are tagged to a festival. Several five-star hotels come with silver-service restaurants, to say nothing of the themed eateries in and around our snazziest shopping malls. 

And given our proximity to the sea, seasonal seafood is the thing Hong Kong does particularly well. 

My first choice in a seafood menu would be a local freshwater delicacy — hairy crabs! And despite some recent hiccups with imported supplies, these remain a stalwart addition to Autumn menus. Considered by aficionados to be the best of their kind, the succulent crustaceans, prepared Hong Kong-style, are prized for their rich, golden creamy roe and tasty white meat.

Hairy crabs figure prominently on the menu at Shang Palace in the Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel until Nov 30. “Hairy crab creations, plus some customary autumnal delicacies, such as snake and mutton,” says Chef Mok, are going to be the highlights of their special menu for the season. Other items include steamed whole hairy crab, braised hairy crab roe and diced bean curd served with pan-fried spring onion cake, sautéed fresh milk and egg white with hairy crab roe, topped with white truffle, braised Inaniwa noodles with hairy crab roe and oil, sautéed garoupa fillet and salted duck meat with snow pea and Chinese celery, traditional braised mutton with black mushrooms and bamboo shoots among others, he informs.

Fresh wine brands will be introduced to the local market at the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 2017. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The award-winning Loong Yuen Cantonese Restaurant in the Holiday Inn Golden Mile could be another sought-after destination to savor autumnal delicacies. Their head chef, Wai Bun-cheung, rattles off a list of their specialties this year. “There’s steamed hairy crab, deep-fried hairy crab with salted egg yolks, braised bird’s nest soup with hairy crab roe, sautéed king prawns and vegetables with hairy crab roe, sautéed giant garoupa fillet topped with hairy crab roe, shrimp paste wrapped in bacon with hairy crab roe and steamed stuffed Shanghainese pork dumplings with hairy crab roe.” Wow! That's a very fine array of crustacean delights which will likely appeal to the gourmets!

And that's not all! The Man Ho Chinese Restaurant and JW Café at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong are presenting a bevy of expertly-crafted delicacies, highlighting the umami and freshness of the popular hairy crab until the end of this month. Executive Chinese chef Jayson Tang has captured the essence of the traditional autumn ingredient and created a special promotional à la carte menu for the occasion. One of the outstanding dishes is steamed hairy crab roe and crab meat dumpling in lobster soup, a classic Cantonese dish where the dumpling is served in a fragrant soup made with crab and lobster. Yet another delight here is baked hairy crab roe and crab meat in a Portobello mushroom, topped with melted cheese!

The festive gourmet draws of the city this year include the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 2017. Hong Kong Tourism Board Chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok recently revealed the highlights of the event. “This year we are hosting new wine zones, including Robert Parker Wine Advocate Pavilion and Bubbly Gala.” 

The festival brings together many local trendy restaurants, as well as world-famous master chefs. Dovetailed with this major annual event is the Hong Kong Great November Feast, which immediately follows it. HKTB is actively promoting the events in various markets, and introducing food and wine themed tourism products in 13 source markets in collaboration with overseas trade and airlines companies in order to draw more overnight visitors to the city and strengthen Hong Kong’s image as “the Paradise of Food and Wine”.

A glorious array of fine food and drinks has been laid out this autumn. I shall enjoy as much as I can. See you there!


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