A buffet for Crab People

Are you the sort who loves eating crustaceans so much that you wish that you could order nothing but crab when you go to a seafood restaurant? If you are, this buffet with 19 crab dishes is definitely for you.

Brizo Restaurant & Bar at Park Hotel Clarke Quay is holding a Crazy about Crabs buffet every week from Thursday to Sunday, until August 31. You can expect to see popular favourites like chilli crab, salted egg crab, white pepper crab and butter crab.

Making a debut at the buffet this year is Brizo’s Signature Heavenly Fragrance Crab, which is stir-fried with crispy bits of dried shrimp, curry leaves, bird’s eye chillies and curry powder. It’s like dry sambal crab! I’m not a fan of spicy food but this was one of my favourites because the sambal mix was so fragrant. Bloggers made a beeline for this dish once the waiters brought it out of the kitchen.

Another hot choice which I found to be quite unique at the buffet was the Steamed XO Crab. This is a must-try! Fresh mud crabs lightly steamed with herbs, egg white and drizzled with XO. Served with scallions and ginger, this dish is one of those delicate ones which should be eaten before all the spicy and heavy dishes. I drank the soup which collected at the bottom of the dish, to the very last drop.

My third favourite was the Laksa Crab. The laksa is assembled a la minute at a chef’s station. The gravy was so yummy. This dish reminds me of Seetoh’s tip on cooking Maggi Senses Laksa with flower crab. He was right! The sweetness of the crab shells and the crabmeat is all inside the gravy.

Other exotic (read: Western-style) crab dishes include Baked Crab with lime butter and tarragon and crab bouillabaisse with fennel and pernod. Not bad at all for variety, I must say. With even Indian spice curry flower crab in the spread (served with crispy prata) I get the sense that the chef is trying to be all-inclusive in his offerings.

Personally, I did wish that the crabs served at the buffet were more consistent in quality across all dishes. But it’s still a very good value for money offering, so I have three  tips to offer the crab lover who is thinking of going for this buffet:

1) Go for the steamed crabs. These taste the freshest and sweetest.

2) The larger the pincers are, the more succulent the flesh.

3) Crab dishes are best served hot and fresh. Go for the a la minute items and dishes which have just come out of the kitchen.

There are plastic gloves and bibs for those who don’t want to get their hands and clothes dirty, so, have fun!

Crazy about Crabs Buffet Dinner
Where: Brizo Restaurant & Bar
When: Thu to Sun, 6.30pm to 10.30pm; until August 31
Price: $55++ per person (food only); $90++ per person (with wine, beer and soft drinks); $100++ per person (with champagne, wine, beer and soft drinks); children under 12 pay 1/2 price
Parking: Complimentary for diners!
Info: 6593-8855; e-mail fnb.phcq@parkhotelgroup.com