The brothers Kong, together with their cousin Jianli Tay, have done their Momma proud by recreating her prized crab recipe. As an industrial designer by training, Edmund Kong’s keen eye for design is evident in the refreshing decor of Momma Kong’s Crab Shack which is tucked along an alleyway in Chinatown.
By now, all Singaporeans are all-too-familiar with the ‘Chinese reunion (tuan3 yuan3)’ atmosphere at the reknowned seafood joints: Round tables and see-through tanks, a must to show consumers how fresh their seafood is. Momma Kong’s is strikingly different with their modern furnishing, good typography and upbeat choice of music.
Like any price conscious Singaporean, your first question will probably be “How much are the crabs ah?”, followed by the quality check, “Are their crabs fresh?”
At $38 a crab, each weighing in at approximately 650 grams, that’s a pretty decent catch. Bigger seafood joints such as Jumbo, which enjoy economies of scale price their crabs at $56/kg. Momma Kong’s is priced at $58/kg, that’s competitve pricing right there. If you would like more bang for your buck, order a Set ‘O Three Crabs for $110. They will even throw in 4 Mantous (normally priced at $6), for free. Freshness is guaranteed, as Momma Kong’s crabs are air-flown from Sri Lanka daily.
If you are want to savour all 4 varieties of Momma Kong’s crabs, I recommend that you start feasting from the lightest to the heartiest flavoured crab to optimize your experience: Start with the Freshly Steamed Crab, then Crab Bee Hoon, Red Chili Crab and finish off with the Black Pepper Crab. For those who suffer from MSG-induced-anxiety, fret not as the crabs are free of additives.
Taste-wise, the slightly savoury milky broth of the Crab Bee Hoon was delightfully paired with silky smooth vermicelli. The broth was subtle and did not overpower the freshness of the crab. For the more adventerous, the mildly spiced Red Chilli Crab’s sauce will definitely tantalize your tastebuds. The abundant, flavourful red chilli sauce stir-fried with bits of egg, is best consumed with Momma Kong’s fried mantous with a twist – literally. As the crabs are a smaller Sri Lankan variant, one good crack will destroy the shell; and this makes it easy to peel off the shell that slides off the crab’s flesh due to its freshness.
Finally, their signature Black Pepper Crab hits all the right bases and will certainly give seafood heavyweights like Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach Seafood a dash for their money. Piquant and rich, their delightful sauces are inspired by Momma Kong’s top-secret homemade recipe. All crabs are cooked systematically in controlled environments, so consumers are ensured the same, first-rate quality of crabs upon each visit.
For all you lazy buggers who think the effort required in cracking open a crab to get an ounce of flesh ain’t worth your time, Momma Kong’s provides a de-shelling service for $10. Personally, as a crab purist, I reckon it is more ‘shiok‘ to savour crabs with your own bare hands.
If you are not in the mood for crabs, there is a plethora of other dishes to choose from such as Crispy Chicken Chunks ($6), Spicy Tangy Topshells ($15), Salmon Fish Soup ($20) and more.
All crab lovers, rejoice! Every first Sunday of the month is Free-Flo Mmm Mom-Bo where you can enjoy free flow of crabs, side dishes and alcohol from 7pm to 10pm at only $68 nett. Be sure to register early to avoid disappointment.
That aside, the crab shack is a good place to chill as all drinks are one-for-one from 5pm to 7.30pm daily. All happy hour drinks come with free side of Ikan Bilis with Belachan that is made onsite. And just for the ladies, get 25% off all liqour every Wednesday. Did we hear.. Crab party?
This was an invited tasting.
To keep abreast of Momma Kong’s latest happenings, check out their Facebook page.
Momma Kong’s Crab Shack
Address: 34 Mosque Street, Singapore 059512
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 5:00pm — 11:00pm (Last order at 10:00pm)
Friday to Sunday, 5:00pm — 1:00am (Last order at 11:00pm)
Reservations can be made here.
