Hairy crabs are gourmet treats at Elegant Inn

The hairy crab season is back. I have friends who can’t get enough of them, savouring their luscious creamy roe that’s been likened to the runny yolk of half-boiled eggs. The roe is scrumptious, and the meat of the hairy crabs is sweet and lovely too.

If you don’t like the fiddly work of eating these crabs, it’s all done for you at Elegant Inn HK Cuisine in Kuala Lumpur. Even the legs are so expertly cut that you can easily pull out the meat. Two 6-course menus have been put together for this hairy crab season which will be on from now till November.

For the Hairy Crab Set you get a 5 tael steamed live hairy crab as one of the main courses. Surprisingly it was the male crab we were having, whose roe is much prized, more than the female crab. We ate the flavourful, moist rich orange roe with a teaspoon, dug out the meat and slowly drew out the meat on each leg. A sweet, hot and fragrant ginger tea served at the end, yielding the yang balance to the yin of crabs.

The hairy crab dinner had a happy start with a trio of appetisers – Golden Curry Sesame Prawn Roll, Crispy Vegetarian Rice Roll and Porcini Smoked Farm Egg. The milder British curry spices are in the Golden Curry Sesame Prawn Roll, with a bit of potato melding harmoniously with a crunchy prawn and sesame. We like the Crispy Vegetarian Rice Roll with the deliciously sweet Sauce and the Porcini Smoked Egg.

I was blown away by the Claypot Shark Cartilage Pork Rib Soup with Fried Fish Maw and Bamboo Pith. It was milky, gummy and so delightful. We relished the slithery fish maw, bamboo pith and the flavours from Japanese scallops and eel in the soup.

The two other main courses in this set (RM268 per pax, minimum of 2 pax) were Kaffir Lime Garlic Fried Spring Chicken and Braised Hot & Sour Handmade Noodles with Crunchy Oyster. The crispy fried chicken was imbued with the citrusy scent of kaffir lime leaf and had a generous sprinkling of fried garlic bits.

The crunchy and succulent Japanese oyster went “pop” at the bite, hitting the spot with a little spice in the batter, and pairing well with the hot and sour noodles.

A Double-boiled Snow Pear with Chuanbei Citrus Peel and the custardy Osmanthus Sea Coconut Pumpkin Pudding made it a sweet, delightful wrap.

The 6-course Hairy Crab & Abalone Set (RM368 per pax), begins with the Golden Curry Sesame Prawn Roll, Crispy Vegetarian Roll and the best Steamed Silky Egg with Hairy Crab Roe. I was blown away by the exquisite Silky Egg in a glass, with the thick orange layer of creamy crab roe and sweet crabmeat.

The same Shark Cartilage Pork Rib Soup is in this set, but with the thick white fish maw. One of the main courses is the Braised 7-head SA  Abalone, Pan Seared Spanish Iberico Pork and Handmade Fish Curd in Abalone Sauce. Savour the abalone with the braising sauce that’s smooth and full of umami. Then sink into the soft fish curd and the panfried Iberico pork drenched in the sauce.

Kaffir Lime Garlic Fried Chicken is in this set too. But the crowning moment was surely the Braised Hairy Crab Roe with Golden Shark’s Fin “Lou” Rice. Fried rice is served alongside a claypot of creamy golden hairy crab roe with shark’s fin.

Then it’s the Double-boiled Snow Pear with Chuanbei Citrus Peel, and the loveliest, crumbly Bird’s Nest Egg Tartlet.

You could also order dishes from the a la carte menu if the sets are not for you. Among them are Handmade Noodles with Hairy Crab Roe, Golden Coin Shark’s Fin with Hairy Crab Roe, and Silky Egg White & Crystal Prawn with Hairy Crab Roe.

Elegant Inn HK Cuisine is on 2nd Floor, Podium Block, Menara Hap Seng, Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur, contact 03 2070 9399, 012-722 3518.