Fans of Crab Factory: Original Louisiana Boil residing
in Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and nearby suburbs: Kajang, Bangi and Semenyih rejoice!
You don’t have to go all the way to SS2 PJ or Brolly in KL now that Crab Hut
has opened at Shaftsbury Square in Cyberjaya.
The spacious 80-seater restaurant boasts similar
industrial chic décor like its sister flagship restaurant: chalkboard menus,
bicycle wheels, long communal tables, cast iron chairs and tanks of live seafood,
to evoke the same convivial atmosphere for your seafood feasting.
Pix courtesy of Crab Hut |
Feistier sauces inspired by Malaysian and regional
sauces rule at Crab Hut so that’s a plus point for seafood fanatics who prefer
stronger, more piquant flavours to go with the wide variety of fresh seafood
here.
At last count, there’s 16 types of seafood on the
menu with four signature sauces: Zesty Lemon, Garlic Butter, tomato-based Jamba
Jamba and Southern Bang. The last two veers from mild to hair-raising O’ly Crab
and sweat-inducing Double Death (add RM5 to fire the sauces up).
Fork out another RM5 to set your tastebuds alight
with Comel’s Round the World in 80 Sauces…the saucy additions are well worth it
I tell ya! Current hot sauces comprise tongue-tickling Asam Pedas and Spicy
Plum sauces until April. Then Thai Sambal and Sweet & Sour sauces will
swoop in from May to July while Tom Yam and Curry heat up August to October. In
the last quarter, take the heat from Jackfruit Curry and Lemak Cili Padi
sauces.
Ordering is easy. Firstly, choose your preferred seafood
in 300g OR 500g bag - you can go up to a maximum of 3 different types in a
bag. Then select your sauce from the four staple sauces listed OR try the new
"Comel's Round the World in 80 Sauces" (more on this later). Lastly,
add in some bag buddies and the crew will set to work on your order.
Chilli
fiends will find the heat is fully switched on should they decide to opt for
the Asam Pedas Sauce – a butt-kicking chilli and tamarind concoction. We chowed
down on Spanner Crabs (RM17 – 100g) and Yabbies (RM52 – 300g) and the sensorial
meltdown came swiftly. Not for the faint-hearted this sauce.
A
tinge of bright, fruity sweetness blunts the heat profile of the Spicy Plum
Sauce just a little. We found it went surprisingly well with the succulent
White Prawns (RM39 – 300g), Scallops (RM59 – 300g) and Mussels (RM28 – 300g).
The seafood’s inherent sweetness remained discernible and our bag buddies of
Corn (RM4.90) cobs and King Mushroom (RM8.90) soaked in plenty of the titillating
sauce which we lapped up.
Crab
Hut’s signature Southern Big Bang Sauce refreshed our memory of its firecracker
hotness with a briny overtone. We savoured it drenched over Meat Crabs (RM69
depending size and weight) and Brown Crabs (RM17 per 100g). Superbly
scrumptious but suffice to say there was more than we could handle. You can also sample them with Garlic Butter Sauce.
The
Garlic Butter Sauce has always been a clear winner and its flabby, garlicky
accent proved to be winsome with Japanese Hamaguri Clams (RM26 – 300g, RM39 –
500g). These imported babies are fleshier than local la la clams, with a nice toothsome bite to them.
A
relatively new appetiser to sample is Salmon Sashimi (RM32) which I daresay can
rival those from reputable Japanese restos. The thick slices, glistening with juicy
moistness, hit the spot dipped in the house Southern Bang Sauce.
Not
into raw stuff? Then chomp on crisp and sweet Fried Onion Petals (RM10.90) or strands
of deep-fried battered Enoki (RM8.90). Carb lovers looking to add substance to
their meal can look forward to Shallot Rice (RM5).
Just
in case there’s an odd non-seafood eater or two with you in tow, Crab Hut still
reels them in with BBQ Spring Chicken with Chamalla sauce (RM24.90). Rubbed
with aromatic spices, the grilled chicken is a delectable, surefire
crowd-pleaser for the young and young-at-heart. Salmon and beef steaks are the
other viable options to consider.
While
Malaysia has its nasi briyani, the Creole community in Louisiana has their
jambalaya. Crab Hut’s Fried Jambalaya (RM25.90) should win local hearts and
tummies with its soulful Spanish-French mash up of saffron-scented rice with chicken,
prawns, spicy sausage and mussels in thick veggie sauce.
Befitting
its name, crab lovers will find ample succour in Stuffed Crab (RM26.90),
deep-fried whole then laced with spicy plum sauce. It’s a cheat’s way of eating
crabs but if you’re too lazy to get your hands dirty, this is an agreeable
alternative.
Otherwise,
dive in and sink your teeth into Fried Soft Shell Crab Po’boy (RM22), the classic
Louisiana submarine sandwich laden with lettuce, tomato, onion and chunks of
deep-fried battered soft shell crab (prawn, oyster or chicken options
available) to leave you replete.
Kids
and pasta enthusiasts may like the hefty servings of Fried Soft Shell Crab
Spaghetti Carbonara (RM23.90) or Prawn Aglio Olio (RM25.90). Complete with
thick-cut fries and salad on the side, the dishes should go down well if you’re
a hurry or in the mood for something simple.
Even
the drinks deserve attention here. Creative and refreshing concoctions of fruit
juices, sodas and flavoured syrups are aplenty. Priced at RM7.90 and RM8.90, you’d
be spoiled for choice with JC’s Specialities such as Pineapple Lemonade,
Watermelon & Lychee Smoothie, Rose Fruit Punch and Orange Mojito among
others.
For
reservations, call Crab
Hut, tel: 03-8322 6861. Address: P2-25, Shaftsbury Square, Persiarana
Multimedia, Cyberjaya 6.