Lede
Hong Kong crab enthusiasts have a new reason to flock to Causeway Bay this late summer. The陈家厨房 (Chan’s Kitchen) at the利景酒店 (Lees Hotel) has unveiled a limited-time “Seasonal Crab Banquet” featuring whole, traditionally salt-baked pregnant female crabs (yim zai crabs), alongside a freshly launched lunch “Suíyuán Omakase” menu that turns dining into a blind-box experience. Available now through September 30, the nine-course crab feast costs HK$2,888 for a table of four and requires advance booking.
A Nine-Course Tribute to the Crab Season
The star ingredient of the banquet is the fatty yim zai crab, in peak season from August to October. These are crustaceans prized for their rich roe and tender meat, especially before their first moult.陈家厨房 applies a time-honoured salt-baking technique—slow-cooking the whole crab under a crust of coarse salt to lock in natural sweetness and umami.
The full nine-course lineup includes:
- 糟鹵花雕醉鮑魚 (drunken abalone in aged Shaoxing wine and fermented sauce)
- 鹵水牛腱 (soy-marinated beef shank)
- 金沙炸魚皮 (salted egg yolk crispy fish skin)
- 焦糖鳳梨咕嚕肉 (caramelised pineapple sweet-and-sour pork)
- 竹笙花膠瑤柱羹 (bamboo pith, fish maw, and dried scallop soup)
- 古法鹽焗奄仔蟹 (traditional salt-baked whole yim zai crab)
- 上湯蒜子浸時蔬 (seasonal greens poached in garlic broth)
- 陳家炒飯 (Chan’s special fried rice)
- 薑茶湯丸 (ginger tea with glutinous rice balls)
Each diner receives one whole crab. The banquet is available for a minimum of four guests and must be ordered at least three days in advance. A 10% service charge applies.
Lunch Gets a Lottery: The “Suíyuán Omakase”
Alongside the crab feast,陈家厨房 has introduced a new lunch concept called “隨緣 Omakase” —literally “follow fate.” The chef improvises each dish based on the day’s freshest seasonal ingredients or sudden inspiration, so diners never know exactly what they will get until it arrives at the table. Think of it as a blind-box meal, adding an element of surprise to the midday break.
Eight set options are currently available (prices start from HK$108), with choices ranging from comfort classics to more adventurous creations. They include:
- 濃香芝士焗彩蔬紅米飯 (cheese-baked colourful vegetables with red rice)
- 蜜香杏脯欖角骨飯 (honeyed dried apricot and olive pork chop rice)
- 秘製如意貴妃雞飯 (house-special concubine chicken rice)
- 懷舊風味鮑魚粒荷葉飯 (lotus leaf rice with diced abalone)
- 上湯蒜蓉蝦伴薑蔥撈粗麵 (garlic shrimp with ginger-scallion tossed noodles)
- 川式金菊酸菜魚飯 (Sichuan-style chrysanthemum pickled fish rice)
- 丹鳳酒香煎牛柳伴鵝肝脆多士 (wine-scented beef tenderloin with foie gras toast)
- 隨緣 (the chef’s daily inspiration, plus an upgraded nourishing soup)
All sets can be upgraded with a slow-cooked health-boosting soup, and diners can add sides, desserts, or premium teas.
Practical Tips for Crab Lovers
The crab banquet runs strictly until September 30, 2025 (based on the article’s publication context). Given the limited season and high demand, early reservation is strongly recommended. The omakase lunch is available until August 29—but seasonal menus may rotate, so call ahead to confirm.
Key details at a glance:
- Venue:陈家厨房, G/F, Lees Hotel, Causeway Bay
- Crab Banquet: HK$2,888 for 4 persons (+10% service fee), minimum 4 diners, book 3 days in advance
- Omakase Lunch: from HK$108 per set, options vary daily
- Contact: Check the hotel’s official website or call for reservations
Broader Impact: Seasonal Eating Meets Culinary Theatre
This dual launch reflects a growing trend in Hong Kong’s dining scene: combining seasonal hyper-local produce with the theatrical omakase format. By turning lunch into a blind-box experience,陈家厨房 caters to younger, experience-seeking diners who value spontaneity and social-media-worthy moments. Meanwhile, the crab banquet honours traditional Cantonese cooking techniques that have been passed down for generations.
For food lovers, it’s a reminder to seize the fleeting yim zai crab season—and to keep an open mind about whatever the chef decides to serve next. As the old saying goes, the best meals are often the ones you don’t plan.
Note: All prices and availability are correct at time of publication. Offers are subject to change. Please verify with the restaurant before booking.