Try Chilli Crab at Mellben Seafood

No one will believe you’ve really been to Singapore if you leave without trying the area’s national dish, Chilli Crab. Don’t mistake this for a street-food though despite it mostly being sold in café-style venues, Singaporeans are very proud of their culinary culture and will be offended if they hear you describe the delicacy as such. Instead, they have a different categorisation of common staples – Singapore Hawker Food. This is a class above the roadside eats traditionally associated with eastern regional dishes.

The six-legged shellfish is common in a number of foodie offerings in the area which is why, the crab isn’t star of the Chilli Crab… it’s the sauce. Using sambal, tomato paste, chilli sauce and eggs, there’s subtle but discernible spice undercurrents to the sweet and savoury flavours. Combined, the ingredients create a thick, almost creamy concoction that perfectly complements the fresh, meaty taste of the seafood. You’ve never tasted anything like it and it’s impossible not to lick your plates clean or order some mantou (steamed buns) to mop it up with. Prepare to get messy though – it’s traditional to crack open the shell with your fingers, meaning you’ll be getting that heavenly sauce all over yourself!

And where can you go to find the best Chilli Crab in Singapore? Although most seafood eateries serve the dish, for a truly crab-ulous experience, head to Mellben Seafood. Recommended by the 2017 Michelin Guide as the spot to score some scrummy crustacean, the restaurant is deceptively concealed by a simple café appearance that you’d never guess was home to such mouthwatering delights.

WINGED BOOTS WISDOM

Chilli Crab isn’t the only speciality on the menu here, the chef has 15 different crab dishes on offer from the taste bud tingling pepper crab to the indulgently cream butter crab. So, if tomato isn’t your thing, you have your pick!