By Aubrey Buckingham (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-07-30 09:59

This summer will go down in the annals of the city as the time more seafood was on the menu than ever before.

 

Fresh catches from the sea have almost universal appeal and can be enjoyed in any kind of manner. Local hotels have seized upon this fervor and have offered plenty of ocean choices this season.

 

Catching this wave is Le Royal Meridien Shanghai. The luxury hotel is holding a crab night ever Tuesday at its popular all-day diner, Le Bistro. All manner of crab dishes, not just the hairy kind, are available to eat to the heart's content during the weekly buffet.

 

Crab is on the menu in many local establishments - local diners simply cannot get enough of the crustacean. The delicacy is prized for its juicy-sweet meat and versatility, often found in soups or shredded in local dishes.

 

What especially makes crab something to savor is the sheer effort required in plucking the meat from its shell.

 

The chitinous shell, known as a carapace, is the sturdy creatures' defense against predators, but evolution had not factored in the superiority of mankind over all things big and small. About 1.5 million metric tonnes of crab are consumed annually.

 

True crabs have five pairs of legs, which makes the hermit crab and its four pairs not of the same family. The front two appendages are wielded into the distinctive pincers that make the critter instantly recognizable; anyone who has ever had a finger or toe crushed while handling the creature will attest to the amazing strength packed under that tiny exoskeleton.

 

Crabs actually resemble lobsters, except that their tails are folded up under the abdomen. All this protection from the elements has certainly played its part in keeping the meat within as tasty as it is.

 

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