Typhoon Shelter Spicy Crab @ Under Bridge Spicy Crab, HK.

I've always loved Typhoon Shelter Crab in HK (fried and buried under a heap of toasted chili, garlic and shallots), but the restaurants I frequent there no longer have it on their menus - too "old" and not trendy enough, I guess. I mentioned this to my bilas, Ron, so, on Monday evening, the 11th January 2010, he hosted dinner at Under Bridge Spicy Crab just off Lockhart Road in Causeway Bay for Danny & Cecilia and my wife and I. The restaurant specializes in Typhoon Shelter Crab and is very popular, I understand, not only with office people but with Cantonese pop stars and off-duty Chinese chefs as well.



Apparently, Anthony Bourdain likes the food there too as he has a poster there with owner-chef, Master Wong, with a handwritten dedication to the latter (at top, center).



Ron came straight from the office and was 2 beers up by the time we arrived. Obviously, he's been here several times before as he already had an old buddy waiter there who waived corkage for us. He did all the ordering.



Giant Razor Clams under Strips of Vegetables, Bamboo Shoots and Sotanghon Noodles. This was superb - the clams fresh, big, fat and succulent, the vegetables and vermicelli adding entertaining flavors and textures.


Clams with a Slightly Spicy Dark Sauce and Taosi



Large Prawns Encrusted with Preserved Egg Yolk. This dish isn't new to me, I've had it several times in other restaurants both in Manila and HK, but this was by far the best rendition I've had: no-nonsense, big, fat, juicy prawns with that heavenly coating. Fantastic. My sis-in-law and wife had already grabbed a couple before I could take the above photo.


More seasonal Dao Miu.



A new one for me: Chinese Green Beans with Preserved Olives. Really, really good - slightly nutty with intriguing, subtle olive undertones. We also had an unusually fluffy and clean (i.e., not oily) Oyster Cake - not served (or sullied) with the ubiquitous red chili sauce - and it didn't need any. This was probably the best oyster cake I've had so far. Unfortunately, I dove into it so fast I forgot to take a photo of it.

Of course, Ron got us two sets of Typhoon Shelter Crab:



"Very Spicy" for him, Cecilia (she's Singaporean, so loves super hot dishes) and I; and....



"Not Spicy" (which was slightly spicy anyway) for Mich, Catha and Danny.


The Very Spicy lived up to its name and then some. We loved it, especially Cecilia. I couild endure the burn well enough with the aid of their House Specialty Rice (I don't know the real name of the dish and forgot to take a photo of it - but it was well and justifiably recommended by Ron's buddy) and pours of...



~ and ~



2007 Weingut Keller Riesling Kabinett "Limestone" - My bottle, purchased from Watson's Wine Cellar in Harbor City to try out. From an exceptional vintage and a famous producer of the Flörsheim-Dalsheim in the German Rheinhessen region. I don't know much else about this producer or region, but J-Lab assured me from Manila (via text) that the producer is well-respected. I chose a kabinett level riesling for the spicy crabs and other fresh seafoods and J concurred.

Moderate minerality marked this kabinett's green apple and pear with minor slightly honeyed citrus flavors. A just a tad sweeter than other kabinetts I've tried, it certainly helped ease the Very Spicy crab's burn. I also noted that the Tsing Tao beer in HK seems slightly fuller and is notably sweeter than those we get in Manila (shipping and storage issues?). In any event, it also helped douse the fire of the crabs.

The wine is not as focused or pure and doesn't have the thrilling minerality of the Mosel wines I'm familiar with (e.g., Dr. Loosen, Dönnhoff or Haag), it's fruit seemed riper as well than other 2007s I've had. That said, however, the ripeness and sweeter/chubbier-than-kabinett flavors were very friendly and approachable making for a good marriage with the spicy crabs.



Dessert was fresh fruits, the watermelon a welcome sweetish aftermath, washing away the remnants of the chilis' heat. Outside, Ron recognized and chatted up Master Wong who graciously posed for some shots with us. What a fun evening it was.

[Jenise]

I'm ready to get on a plane. That food looks even more amazing than the three star joint's. Can you tell me what "preserved egg yolk" is? Of all the ingredients you named, it's unfamiliar.

Hi, Jenise. They are the yolks from eggs (traditionally duck eggs) preserved in salt water for 2-3+ weeks. These are different from the black 1000-year-eggs which are preserved in mud. I'm sure you can easily buy these in most any Chinese/Asian store.

Best,

N

[Jenise]

Hi, Jenise. They are the yolks from eggs (traditionally duck eggs) preserved in salt water for 2-3+ weeks. These are different from the black 1000-year-eggs which are preserved in mud. I'm sure you can easily buy these in most any Chinese/Asian store.

Best,

N

I've shopped A LOT in Asian stores, and don't remember seeing them, however I'm not an egg eater. That said, the last time I was in the new little Asian store that opened here in Bellingham, near the cash register there were eggs and I can't recall what the sign said but something like 'special eggs' that indicated they weren't what you'd buy for breakfast. So if you don't mind, after being preserved in salt water what changes occur in the taste and texture? And is the white used, or strictly the yolk?

We had --(Spicy Red crab)? while in Singapore. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant but there was a great view looking across a small body of water at the Singapore skyline. There was six of us and it definitely was a beer dish IMHO. I'll have to ask my sister & brother and their spouses if they can remember the name of the restaurant. I know it was famous for it's spicy crab. Had another great night eating at a Hawker center in Singapore tried at least 7 or 8 dishes, in fact we enjoyed the less formal places & food. My wife may have some notes. I get hungry just thinking about the food.