Crab Sightings Everywhere

October is the season for crabs, and in just the first half of the month, I've already had six crab-centric dinners, including the buffet I'm about to introduce. As always, Cafe Too offers a vast array of dishes. There are so many crab dishes alone that it's hard to cover them all. Additionally, they have collaborations with several well-known local restaurants. So, in my usual lazy fashion, I'll just highlight the key points. In the cold seafood section, besides jade whelks, mussels, cold shrimp, clams, and mantis shrimp, the crab theme is well-represented. I particularly recommend the three-spot crab, which has sweet and tender meat. The snow crab roe and crab meat salad is fresh and refreshing, making it a great appetizer that you'll want to keep going back for. Each person gets one hairy crab, and they use male crabs, which have sweet and rich roe. If you're looking to eat your fill of hairy crabs without caring about quality, this place isn't for you. There are also plenty of hot dishes featuring crab, such as stir-fried rice noodles with fresh crab roe, flavorful Thai curry crab, and even crab congee. However, my favorite hot dish has to be the pepper crab. The aroma is irresistible, and they use Sri Lankan meat crabs, which are meaty and delicious, especially the claws. The glutinous rice steamed with flower crab is also a must-try. The rice is soft and absorbs the essence of the flower crab, making it hard to resist even when you're full. Usually, I skip the noodle station at buffets, but not this time. They have crab meat and crab roe noodles, and the generous amount of crab roe mixed with the noodles is so good that I finished the whole bowl. To stick with the theme, even the chawanmushi has crab claws in it, making it even more satisfying. The restaurant is also thoughtful enough to serve ginger tea with glutinous rice balls after the hairy crab to help ward off the cold. Of course, a five-star hotel buffet offers more than just crab. Here are a few other must-try items. The roast goose, a collaboration with Michelin-starred Yat Lok, is a standout. Besides the goose meat, they also serve goose neck and even goose head. Watching friends savor the goose neck with fine wine is a true delight. The steamed lobster is another popular item that requires queuing. You can choose between plain steamed or garlic steamed, and the tender meat is worth trying both ways. On the dessert side, the egg tarts, made in collaboration with Tai Cheong Bakery, are even better than the originals, in my opinion. The famous egg waffles, which usually have long lines, are easily accessible here. I think both the egg waffles and the pancake sandwiches are must-tries, especially with a scoop of ice cream in the pancake sandwich. Additionally, a variety of cakes, macarons, and even traditional Chinese wife cakes are all of high quality. I only wish I had a bigger stomach to try them all. Restaurant Information: Cafe Too 7th Floor, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Central District, Hong Kong