For the love of crab

THE phrase crab mentality has a negative connotation, but here, you don’t have to worry about such disheartening things.

Crazy Crab, a modest restaurant located at Gaisano Country Mall, is dedicated to crustaceans and the varied ways of cooking them.

At the storefront is a tank where customers can choose crabs and have them steamed, fried, put in a broth or done however they want them prepared.

Owner and proprietor Indira Losin got the idea to put up this kind of restaurant from her aunt in Davao who serves crabs buffet-style. They source their crabs from Mindanao and have them sent to Cebu by plane.

Whereas other restaurants price crabs by the gram, Crazy Crab charges by piece. Losin says this is what differentiates them from the competition, thereby letting their customers save.

The stir-fried crab with ginger and scallion has a savory, sweet sauce infused with the soothing notes of ginger strips and the sharp bite of spring onions.

The coconut milk crab is the comfort food to uplift the soul, especially on a rainy day. Just the right amount of fat comes out of the shell when one cracks the crab open, while a heap of kangkong (water spinach) and slices of tomatoes and onions pack on the nutrients.

For the complete crab eating experience, guests are provided with a nutcracker, seafood pick and an extra bowl.

The crabby meals are served with plain rice, but those who want something extra can order the garlic rice, which got rave reviews from a Korean blogger at http://café.naver.com/lovecebu.

This rice variation came about when the customer asked for garlic rice even if it was not yet offered on the menu. The chef working the kitchen whipped it up anyway. It turns out the customer loved it and even blogged about the garlic rice.

“I never expected that it would be put in a blog right away. They really recommended
the best garlic rice,” Losin shares of that serendipitous moment.

To complement a meal are the calamansi juice or mango and avocado shakes.

Having just opened last March 20, Crazy Crab has to compete with well-entrenched food establishments nearby. To draw in customers, it also offers affordable meals with unlimited rice.

As for its ambiance, bamboo panels on its walls remind one of a cottage by the beach.

Sky blue walls, with one side bearing a painting of a treetop, evoke the feel of a clear, sunny day. At least if one can’t get his crustacean fix by the seashore, he can relive the experience here.