Deer Garden (King Crab)

Deer Garden— Before my cousin’s departure back to Hong Kong my mom decided to treat us for a King Crab feast. This was the 4th King Crab meal for my mom this year and it was sadly my 1st (King Crab season is almost ending..><). My moms favourite place for King Crab is Deer Garden. She enjoys how the crab is cooked four different ways and loves the extra baked rice in shell (which not many other places have). I’ve had King Crab from Deer Garden a few times before and I was highly satisfied each time.

There were only 5 of us that night but the smallest King Crab that they had was 10lbs. So we were allowed to devour 2lbs each (overdose!).

The first way that the King Crab is served is Steamed legs with Garlic and Green Onions. The crab legs are split in half and then steamed with garlic and green onions. The first bite was heavenly! The meat was juicy and fresh. The garlic and green onion sauce was very tasty but it didn’t overpower the freshness of the crab.

The second dish was Steamed legs with a Ginger, Garlic Sauce. The meat tasted as great as the first dish, however I personally preferred the garlic and green onion sauce more. Maybe it’s because I love the taste and smell of garlic.

The third dish was the body of the King Crab which was served Deep fried with salt garlic and pepper. I would have to say that this was my favourite of the night. There was so much meat in every single piece and the batter was scrumptious. It was deep-fried perfectly, with just the right amount of salt, garlic and pepper taste. I used the left over toppings to mix with rice and it was so good.

The fourth dish was the Baked Rice in Shell. What they do is scrap the insides of the King Crab’s head and then stir-fry it with rice and then bake it with a cheese sauce on top. YES, it tastes as good as it sounds. This is one of the specialty dishes that not all other restaurants serve when you order King Crab.

I think Deer Garden does an excellent job in blending the freshness of the crab with a distinctive flavor.  The freshness and texture of the crab isn’t overpowered by the essence of the dishes.