Chilli crab. Singapore’s unofficial national dish. Juicy, tasty and tomato-ey. Yet, if you are reading this now, chances are you are looking for something different from the classic dish. Some of you may have heard of the new chili crab Burger King burger which was in stores earlier this year, and perhaps some of you miss it.
Not to worry, we’ve got you covered!
Read on to find out 5 more places for you that serve chilli crab in ways that are innovative and yet retains the taste of chilli crab!
1. JUMBO Seafood ION Orchard - Chilli Crab Puff
https://www.jumboseafood.com.sg/en/home
Location: 2 Orchard Turn #04-09/10 ION Orchard, 238801
Price: $48++
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Operating Hours |
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Daily |
Lunch & Dim Sum: 11:30am - 2:30pm (Last Order 2:00pm) |
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Afternoon Tea & Dim Sum |
2:00pm – 5:30pm (Last Order 4:45pm) |
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Dinner |
5:30pm - 10:00pm (Last Order 9:15pm) |
You might be thinking, JUMBO seafood is best known for its chilli crab, so how is that innovative in any way? Well, they have a chilli crab puff! People who have eaten it hailed it as a way to eat crab without the hassles of eating crab, like dealing with the shell and the messiness.
Source: JUMBO Seafood
So, where can one enjoy this chilli crab puff?
First launched in conjunction with the opening of their ION Orchard branch around National Day 2019, JUMBO Seafood ION Orchard has launched a new "Dim Sum Afternoon Tea Set" to celebrate International Women's Day, which happened earlier in March. The Afternoon Tea Set contains the chilli crab puff, among other delicacies.
According to Mothership, starting from S$48++ for two, this afternoon set with the chilli crab puff can be enjoyed with the beautiful Orchard Road in the background.
There is no end date for the set as of now, so do check it out if you like what you hear. For more information on this set or what other food this set has to offer, check out these articles by The Straits Times and Mothership
2. Labyrinth Singapore
https://www.restaurantlabyrinth.com/
Location: 8 Raffles Avenue, Esplanade, Mall, 02-23, 039802
Price: $$$
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Opening Hours |
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Sunday |
6:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
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Mondays |
Closed on Mondays |
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Tuesday |
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
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Wednesday |
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
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Thursday |
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
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Friday |
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
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Saturday |
6:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
The Labyrinth in Greek mythology is a maze containing many mysteries like the half-man, half-bull hybrid, The Minotaur. Likewise, Labyrinth Singapore, a restaurant in the Esplanade mall has its own “Minotaur” in the form of their Chilli Crab Ice Cream.
The Labyrinth Singapore is a one-star Michelin Star restaurant that is committed to the farm-to-plate concept, sourcing its ingredients from the various food farms in Singapore.
When asked if turning Singaporeans’ unofficial national dish into a dessert sounds crazy, he didn’t think so at all. “If you think about it, what are the flavours in chilli crab sauce? It’s sweet and eggy and some versions call for coconut cream. For me, it was just a temperature change.” He invited friends over to his house for a taste test of his dishes of the chilli crab ice cream, among other dishes. “I had everybody put on blindfolds and taste it, and they all loved it.”
Labyrinth’s chef had this to say on MICHELIN Guide Digital on the latest iteration of the Chilli Crab Ice Cream.
“I deconstructed the crab so the shell became chips and I sautéed the meat but kept the legs deep-fried. I used the crab fat to make a sauce that enhanced the umami of the dish. I think this was the point where I was really tearing apart the ingredients and started looking into produce.”
Source: Tuan Nguyen on Google Reviews
The Chilli Crab also enjoys rave reviews on Google, with customers even calling it the “stuff of legend”
So, if you are feeling adventurous and would like to try an interesting take on chilli crabs, then do try out Labyrinth SIngapore’s Chilli Crab ice cream !
3. Jade - Golden Mantou Stuffed with Chilli Crab Meat
https://www.fullertonhotels.com/fullerton-hotel-singapore/dining/restaurants-and-bars/jade
Location: The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178
Jade restaurant has an average price of $67.
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Operating Hours |
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À La Carte and Set Menu |
Monday to Friday 11.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. (last order at 2.30 p.m.)
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| À La Carte and Set Menu |
Monday to Sunday 6.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. (last order at 10.00 p.m.) |
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Weekend Yum Cha (Yum Cha means drinking tea in Cantonese) |
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays First Seating: 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Second Seating: 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. |
To enjoy Chilli Crab you would have to go through the hassle of removing the tough shell of the crab, before getting to enjoy the juicy crab meat with its sweet and spicy chilli sauce.
Another way to enjoy Chilli Crab is with Mantou (Chinese steamed bun). In other words, it is a chili crab bun Mantou, paired together with chilli crab and hits the spot with tangy gravy that seeps into the succulent flesh of the stir-fried crab. One of the popular ways of enjoying chilli crab is with bread - mantou are often used to scoop up to enjoy the dish's savoury sauce.
Source: Trip Advisor
Why not the best of both worlds? Located at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, Jade restaurant offers Golden Mantou filled with gravy and stuffed with chilli crab meat. Save the hassle of cracking open the shell and dipping the mantou into the sauce, pop it into your mouth to enjoy the whole dish just in one mantou. This is definitely something to try for all crab lovers out there.
4. Dancing Crab - The Seafood Place
https://www.dancingcrab.com.sg/
Location: The Dancing Crab is located in Orchard Central and VivoCity
Price: $98 (One of Dancing Crab’s Live Crab Combo with their famous signature cajun sauce)
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Operating Hours |
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Orchard Central & VivoCity |
11:30AM - 3PM, & 5:30PM-10PM |
Normally when we eat chili crab, images of messy, juicy goodness lining the table, staining the utensils with their juicy goodness.
Well, why not embrace the messiness?
Source: Dancing Crab
As the name Dancing Crab implies, Crab! Are you scared of the mess when eating and enjoying crab? Dancing crab offers a mix of robust American style seafood and the distinctive richness of Singapore seafood cuisine. What’s so special about this Seafood Place? Dancing Crab offers a wide variety of crab combos and sauce options. The restaurant offers a unique concept that you eat directly from the table with your bare hands.
Source: Tokyo Girls Update
Dining at a Dancing Crab restaurant would definitely be a messy affair, before eating tables would be lined with plastic sheets and waiters bring you your seafood combo and pour it all over the table for you and your friends to go all out and enjoy the dish.
5. Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar
Location: 56 Tanglin Rd, #01-03, Singapore 247964
Price: $25.00 (Chilli Crab Pasta)
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Operating Hours |
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Monday |
Closed |
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Tuesday |
8am–10pm |
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Wednesday |
8am–10pm |
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Thursday |
8am–10pm |
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Friday |
8am–10pm |
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Saturday |
8am–10pm |
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Sunday |
8am–10pm |
You might think to yourself this sometimes:wouldn’t it be good if I had something to go together with chilli crabs? Nassim Hill Bakery serves up Chilli Crab pasta for those who enjoy both spicy Chilli Crabs with spaghetti cooked in their mouth watering homemade chilli crab sauce!
Source: Nassim Hill Bakery & Bistro Bar
This pasta sauce is stir-fried with chilli padi bringing out the spice and flavour, with a hint of sweetness. The dish is topped up with juicy chunks of chilli crab meat included into the dish. The dish is something for all crab lovers to try out.
WAIT! Here’s a small tip for readers out there, do try out some of their interesting Tapas sides to complement the Chili Crab pasta. Purchase their sweet potato and truffle fries, to scoop up the remaining Chilli Crab sauce.
Alternatively, if you are just looking for the chilli crab taste but don’t want a meal, then perhaps you would be interested in The Kettle Gourmet’s popcorn.
The Kettle Gourmet
Price: $5 for Chilli Crab Snack Monsters (65g)
$15 for Family Packs (330g)
The Kettle Gourmet is a popcorn manufacturer and distributor that serves freshly hand-baked popcorn with unique localised flavours. The Kettle Gourmet’s aim is to serve the freshest and most innovative popcorn in Singapore.
When it comes to the “king of dishes,” chilli crab, we offer something that is unique and new.
Infusing the tangy and slightly spicy taste of the chilli crab, adding the sweetness and crispness of popcorn, The Kettle Gourmet’s Chilli Crab popcorn definitely does wonders for the tastebuds of both popcorn and chilli crab lovers alike.
We deliver the popcorn to your house, so we do a “chilli crab delivery” of sorts.
If the idea of chilli crab popcorn appeals to you, then why not give it a try!
You can get your chilli crab popcorn at this link!
Did you like what you see on our list? Have a place or dish you are dying to share with fellow chilli crab lovers? Found something that we missed out? Leave a comment below this article! We would love to hear from you!
Written by: Weng Kit and Kai Jie