Crab season is a Jiangnan region given. Hairy crabs, even more so. However, can a crab menu still surprise? In this winter season, Shanghai’s two-Michelin-starred 102 House thinks it can – launching a crab banquet after the well-received mushroom selection last summer.
“I simply love crabs,” says chef-proprietor Jingye Xu. What began as a personal craving turned into a four-year dedicated testing.
The line-up – featuring hairy crab, brackish-water crab, flower crab, king crab, snow crab, soft-shell crab, and red king crab – catches attention immediately. It’s not the variety alone that captivates, but it’s the way each crab is honored.
Guided by Cantonese culinary art, every dish is delicate supporting the crab’s natural character to shine.
A glance at the vibrant landscape of Chinese cuisine reveals a simple truth: cross-regional exchange is the norm. Cantonese cooking, in particular, shows this spirit of openness and adaptability. Instead of dominating with bold flavors, it elevates them – enhancing every ingredient while allowing each to retain its own character.
Guangdong’s crab culture may not rival that of the Jiangnan area, but its tradition runs deep. With rivers and seas intertwined, green crab and stone crab have long been regional staples, inspiring a cooking approach that values freshness, tenderness, and purity over heavy seasoning.
This crab banquet showcases Cantonese cuisine at its finest – balanced, elegant, and precise. Through meticulous sourcing, cooking and seasoning, it reveals a depth of flavor that is simultaneously delicate and profound. More than a meal, it illustrates the Cantonese art of enjoying crabs.
Freshness with Cantonese soul
Following six starters, the hot courses begin with pan-fried crab claws stuffed with pork and shrimp. Seared for aroma and gently braised to maintain juiciness, each claw is filled with a rich blend of minced hairy crab meat, pork, and shrimp. Tender and sweet, the dish awakens the palate.
The charcoal-grilled king crab with sweetened dried chrysanthemum petals is inventive. Rarely do two icons – king crab and char siu – share a plate.
Here, crab legs and body are grilled three times over binchotan charcoal, with char siu glaze brushed on during the second round. The surface caramelizes, releasing a subtle sweetness and the flesh remains tender and succulent. Crisps of chrysanthemum slowly cooked with cane sugar enhances the natural sweetness further.
Equally imaginative is the oil-poached snow crab. Known for its delicate flavor, it is briefly poached in oil infused with shrimp shells, ginger, scallion, and garlic for about a minute. Luminous and silky, the crab is rich yet never greasy, subtle but layered – an illustration of Cantonese lightness that lingers on the palate.
Stir-fried hardshell crab with shiso and fermented black soybeans is a Cantonese classic. Shiso adds warmth and aroma, and fermented black beans provide savory depth. When together, it’s fragrant without being overpowered, rich but not intense.
Chef Xu has experimented with multiple interpretations, including a version where chili and fermented black beans were crushed, sun-dried and combined with shiso before stir-frying.
Brewed to lift the bite
At House 102, each banquet is accompanied by whole-leaf teas selected to complement. The crab feast opens with a 24-hour cold-brewed Yunnan white tea from ancient trees, offering a sweet-refreshing start. Later, Shui Xian oolong tea from Wuyi mountain – with soft orchid notes – is paired with the stuffed crab claw, where floral aroma and crab sweetness intertwine.
The black tea Jiuqu Hongmei, lightly perfumed with chrysanthemums, mirrors the crispness of the grilled king crab while bringing clarity to the oil-poached snow crab.
And for the shiso and fermented black bean crab dish flavored in richness, a raw pu-erh with subtle plum notes takes the lead, cutting through greasiness while sustaining depth and aroma.
A feast of crab, naturally harmonious and elegant, is a seasonal gift and is a delight for diners.