Craving for crustacean

Autumn is the season for crabs and the famous hairy crabs of Jiangsu province's Yangcheng Lake can now be found at many restaurants and stores in Beijing.

Xie Lao Song opened its first restaurant in Beijing 11 years ago and has established a reputation for its six varieties of dry pot dishes including "spicy fragrant crab" and "spicy fragrant shrimp".

Once patrons are done with the crab or shrimp, they can order vegetables and mushroom to put in the soup and continue the meal as a hotpot.

The restaurant's month-long 10th Spicy Fragrant Crab Festival is on until Oct 18, during which it will promote "red hair" and "red snow" crab, sourced from Russia's deep seas.

These natural wild species are flown in fresh every day. The crabs are prepared with a special spicy and fragrant sauce. Regularly priced at 228 yuan ($34) per 500 g, they are now available at the promotion price of 148 yuan.

The crab festival includes a lucky draw to be held in all five branches of the eatery in Beijing. The first prize-winner is entitled to a free dinner, while the second and third prize winners get a crab, or 500 g of shrimp.

The signature crab of Xie Lao Song is mud crab from Myanmar. The restaurant prepares them with a Hubei style sauce that is spicy without being tongue-numbing.