CRAB HUT DIVES IN AT CYBERJAYA

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.

SINGING WITH YOUR DINNER AT BOBO KL

Live music has a new home at Bobo Kuala Lumpur – a cosy restaurant with a ‘hidden’ speakeasy bar cum lounge upstairs in one of Ed Soo’s repertoire of F&B ventures in Bangsar’s Bangkung Row.

Bobo marks a significant ‘coming of age’ phase for Ed who has always nursed a much cherished dream of combining his different passions: food, wine, art and music into one single entity over the years. As serendipity would have it, Ed met renowned Malaysian thespian and entertainer Sean Ghazi at a dinner party and the rest was history.

 

Only an ardent art lover and collector like Ed Soo would conceptualise a restaurant around his treasured artistic masterpieces. From the ambient lighting to the minimalist furnishing in the restaurant, visual feasts abound in Bobo.

Named in honour of Ed’s fave huggable stuffed doggy Bobo (it occupies a discreet corner in the little lounge next to the balcony), the resto’s ambiance exudes as much charm and conviviality as its tasteful, worldly owner.

Local music talents take centrestage at Bobo KL

The pride of Bobo KL is the music lounge complete with a curtained stage, top-notch sound-proofing and high-ceilinged ambient lighting (proof of Sean Ghazi’s expertise), the resultant acoustics and overall vibe are second-to-none. No wonder local musical talents like David Gomes, Izlyn Ramli and Sean G (yes, the man himself!) have taken to Bobo like bees to honey.

After an effusive welcome, Ed got his culinary team to conjure up a repertoire of starters for our sampling. Red and white wines accompanied our companionable evening, amidst cordial chit-chat and bouts of cheery laughter.

Soon we were inundated by a melange of textures, flavours and tastes as the plethora of appetisers appeared. My personal vote goes to the unconventional Bobo’s Caesar Salad (RM28) - a wicked composition featuring a mound of velvety parmesan mousse atop a crouton base.

Crowned with shredded romaine and a baked parmesan wafer on the side, the supporting cast for the wondrous speciality included a strip of anchovy, parmesan shavings, dollops of aged balsamic vinegar and savoury dressing.

It was a naughty way to get non-vegetable eaters to eat greens as there was more of that rich umami mousse than lettuce! Still, a few more leaves of romaine would go down even better.

Coming in a close second is the Charchuterie & Cheese Board (RM39), a platter guaranteed to make fromage fans go weak at the knees. A robust red is best to down with the irresistible cured meat cuts and cheeses.

We were amply satisfied by the big, boldly flavoured chorizo de pavo (fermented, cured and smoked Spanish sausage), salchicón de pavo (cured summer sausage), cecina de vacuno (air-dried beef), manchego (Spanish semi-soft cheese made from sheep’s milk), mahón (Spanish semi-hard cow’s cheese) and nectar-sweet rock melon.

Plump and brimming with hints of their deep-sea origins, you can’t go wrong with Fresh Irish Oysters (RM38) here. Shucked and served on the half shell with a splash of olive oil, black pearly caviar and if you wish, a squeeze of lemon juice, the slickly smooth molluscs go down a real treat.

Decadently voluptuous on the palate, we raved over the slab of Foie Gras Pate (RM45); the chicken liver pate’s unctuous richness aptly balanced by the attendant cranberry sauce and onion marmalade. A serving is ample enough for sharing, to leave your tastebuds well-primed for other good things to come.

The bright and cheery tangerine hue of Salmon Crudo (RM34) demands full attention and rightly so. Drizzled with olive oil and horseradish cream alongside dainty dots of horseradish cream, some micro herbs and salmon roe, the simplicity of this raw fish dish again underscores the ‘less is more’ maxim.

If you prefer warming up with hot stuff, Polenta Fries (RM24) with Lemon Truffle Aioli or Arancini (RM28) should do the trick. Personally, I’ve never been partial to cornmeal but the thick, golden batonnettes came up trumps once dipped into the aromatic and creamy aioli.

The Arancini also ticked all the requisite boxes: crispy crumbed shell – checked, ball-shaped soft, slightly nutty risotto – checked, a melty, oozy buffalo mozzarella filling – checked, tangy chunky tomato sauce – checked.

Choices are aplenty when it comes to mains but I readily vouch for the show-stopping Crisp Paupiette of Barramundi (RM75). Imagine sinking your teeth into sweet, flaky barramundi flesh enrobed in crisp, wafer-thin layers of baked potato. Tender braised leek and shallot in red wine sauce with fresh sprouts lift the dish to heady gastronomic heights.

Red meat enthusiasts will put their hard-earned money on Herb-crusted Rack of Lamb (RM75). Pink at the core, the meat’s juicy tenderness stood out in agreeable contrast with asparagus spears and dauphinoise potatoes (sliced, layered and baked au gratin potatoes with garlic, butter and cream). A little bowl of lamb jus is served on the side to lend flavourful depth.

Garlic and bits of bird’s eye chilli imbued Spaghetti a la Bobo (RM42) with discernible aroma and heat. The aglio olio preparation is switched up with succulent scallops, squid and prawns in addition to cherry tomatoes. A sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs and chopped Italian parsley lends a subtle finishing appeal.

We had high hopes of the Moules Mariniere (RM58) but the mussels’ delicate freshness barely made an impression. Possibly because we were wishing for lashings of white wine sauce to smother the shellfish and those tiny dices of leek, celery, carrot, and onions? You know, put those freshly sliced baguette to good eating. LOL.

Dessert can be partaken at the lounge upstairs upon request. At Ed’s persuasion, we did just that…although I daresay we were far too distracted by the intimate environs and melodious renditions of Malaysia’s piano man aka David Gomes that evening. Hence no photos – only ebullient memories that make me yearn to return. Music to Ed Soo’s ears, yes?

 

For reservations, call BOBO KUALA LUMPUR, tel: 03-2092 5002. Address: 65-1, Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Latest music performance updates in www.facebook.com/BoboKualaLumpur