Before savoring the iconic chili (or chilli - spelled with a double L in Singapore) crab at Palm Beach Seafood restaurant located very near the Merlion, I had no inkling what to expect. It was only after the event that I discovered that the restaurant we chose to eat in was where chili crab started. It is widely publicized that the owners started selling crab from a pushcart, first adding tomato sauce then chili to the mix. After some time, the Palm Beach Seafood restaurant was born in 1956.
Truth to tell, the hotel manager recommended two different restaurants, namely, Long Beach and Jumbo. We didn’t have time to research about it and simply headed to the Merlion via the MRT. The midday heat was excruciatingly uncomfortable that it was a welcome respite to find the Esplanade, Singapore’s art place. While we were there, we chanced upon a rehearsal of the Mozart opera Cosi Fan Tutte and enjoyed watching a portion of the show.
As I looked around the area, I realized that the Esplanade was an artist’s haven including the mall attached to it. When we exited at the other end, we saw the Merlion across a long bridge overlooking Marina Bay Sands.
At that point, I had tentative thoughts about crossing the bridge under the intense heat. So we stayed awhile at the mall before finally heading to lunch at Palm Beach. Our companion had previously eaten at that restaurant, so we just followed her.
My initial expectations of Singapore’s chili crab included a sweet and spicy combination, perhaps a cross between Szechuan and sweet chili sauce. I’ve also read that more modern versions of chili crab include sambal in the recipe.
The “Palm Beach Signature Chilli Crab” was not really that spicy. Rather, it was a rich, saucy mixture of tomato-based ingredients and egg. It went well with the seafood rice and was delicious in its own unique way.
At some point, I had to return a crab claw to the kitchen because it was too big to crack with the utensils they gave. Here are other seafood dishes to try...
Hokkaido Scallops were succulent and fresh.
Honey Tangy Barramundi Fish was sweet with some contrasting flavors from crispy cuttlefish and shallots.
Golden Almond Prawn was crunchy and nutty.
