Peppercrab in Grand Hyatt Dubai, Oud Metha, Dubai - Restaurant Reviews

Peppercrab

Pricey Singaporean seafood Grand Hyatt 4 Reviews

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The battle had not lasted long. Much like the adversaries of heavyweight boxers Michael Moorer and Eisa Aldah in their recent Dubai fights, our snow crab lay silent and broken – literally a shell of what it once was. As we looked across the table, our once pristine white hand towel was now a soiled mess, as though it had been used to mop a fighter’s brow between rounds. It was the highlight of our meal at Peppercrab – which by all rights it should be if a restaurant sees fit to use the name of its premier dish as its own title.

The evening’s contest had actually begun with a slightly disappointing first round. We had emerged from our respective corners to find vegetable spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce and a mixed seafood soup as our starters. Peppercrab, besides crustaceans, touts itself as a Singaporean restaurant and features staple dishes such as noodles, crispy wantons and satays as appetisers – nothing that unusual or adventurous, and that, sadly, carries over to the flavours of the dishes themselves. Expect an average performance here; there’s no knockout punch, but a few gentle taps that get things moving.

With the crab, however, things definitely improved for the better. After being decked out by our waiter with an apron and all manner of cracking, plucking and gauging tools (leaving us looking not unlike extras from one of Eli Roth’s Hostel movies) the mighty beast arrived – all 1.8kg of it – to be devoured between the two of us. Lobster is available, should you prefer, and you can take your pick from the tank next to the open kitchen by the entrance. In general, expect to pay per 100g; the final price will vary depending on the size.

We would suggest you go for as big a crab as you can possibly dig into your pocket for, as your tastebuds are sure to be rewarded. Flakes of sweet meat simply fall from the bone, with plenty of bread on hand to help mop up the sweet, sticky pepper sauce. First we attacked the claws, then the legs, and before long the crab was down, its remains scattered around the table like debris as we stroked our full bellies and dabbed the sauce from our chins.

Stick around for tropical fruit on ice or a Jasmine tea crème brûlée if you wish, but rather like the starter they will be nothing compared to the main event. And far from being cheap, the best tactic here is to take on the biggest opponent safe in the knowledge that you’ll win.

The Bill

1x vegetable spring rolls Dhs45
1x mixed seafood soup Dhs50
1x 100g peppercrab Dhs660
1x tropical fruit on ice Dhs35
1x Jasmine tea creme brûlée Dhs24
1x mineral water Dhs20
Total (excluding service) Dhs834