No SignBoard Seafood: Best Chili Crab

February 11, 2010 | 31 Comments

Singapore food blog

The most amazing thing about having a food blog, is knowing the other food bloggers. Besides the food blogs in Singapore, I got to meet up with the KL food bloggers during my trip up north last year, and when I went for a holiday in Australia during December, the good Sydney food bloggers hosted and brought me around for the best food in Sydney.

When Howard & Linda (eatshow&tell) told me that they were stopping-over in Singapore for a few hours before flying to Hong Kong, I knew that I had to bring them to have our famous Chili Crab.

It’s a tough decision trying to choose a place, since there’s so many restaurants claiming to serve the best chili crab in Singapore. I finally decided on No SignBoard restaurant because it has always been one of my family’s favorite place for crabs. As there were 6 of us, the staff advised that we probably need two crabs, so our second choice was the Salted Egg Yolk crab ($40 per kg). It was an irony since No SignBoard is famous for their white pepper crabs in Singapore, but I’m not a fan of pepper. Besides, I know I want the salted egg yolk, and I wanted it immediately. You know, like now!

Drop-dead gorgeous.

Look at that, the golden cluster of the salted egg yolk! I licked off the salted egg yolk coat on the crab pincers, and it simply disintegrated. The sauce reminded me of the salted egg yolk in custard buns, both equally as good but this one was slightly saltier, and very fragrant.

food blog in singapore

Hand over your passports, nobody leaves Singapore without trying Chili crab.

Photogenic it is not, but in the mouth, one struggles for words, and everything is forgiven. There’s different renditions of Chili crabs, with each claiming to be better than the other; so how do you actually define what’s a good Chili Crab? I like it slightly sweet, and spicy. I like to dip my beloved deep-fried mantou into the thick and awesome gravy, pour a whole bowl of it onto the white rice and finish everything.

Six deep-fried Mantou please, no wait, make it twelve. Okay, give us another six more. Oh those incredibly delicious, tiny devils.

best chili crab

Coming from a poor chili eater, I find the Sambal Kangkong extremely spicy. Herein lies the question: do we like sambal kangkong because it is hot, or do we like it hot so we like sambal kangkong?

Anyway, I like my sambal kangkong to be hot even though I can’t take chili very well. And the one here, is damn hot.

I’m not sure about you, but it seems to me that people always order Cereal prawns not so much because of the prawns, but rather they like the crispy cereals. I’m not going to talk about the niffy gritty part on how to peel a prawn, forget every single thing that I’ve said – just swallow the whole prawn.

Without a doubt, Chili Crab is the face and ambassador of the Singapore food scene, and No Signboard has the best chili crab in Singapore – because I like them. And no, we are not going to start the controversial debate on ‘where is the best chili crab in Singapore’. Whichever crab you like, is the best crab.

If you have hang around for long enough, you’d know that I’m not a big fan of steamboat, so it’s always an once-a-year thing for Chinese New Year reunion dinner. Most reputable fine-dining Chinese restaurants are probably fully booked by now; so instead of having steamboat, how about Seafood for Chinese New Year? Sounds like a plan to me.

Restaurant Review
No Signboard Seafood
414 Geylang Road
Tel: +65 6842 3415
Daily 12pm – 1am

Comments

31 Responses to “No SignBoard Seafood: Best Chili Crab”

LetsEat
February 11th, 2010 @ 5:46 am

Networking is everything asking local people about the best restaurants or bars is the way to go. Beautiful photos, and Iam sure the crab taste delicious. Thank you for sharing
Shirin
February 11th, 2010 @ 5:48 am

??? yum!!! brad, bring me here please! xx
Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes
February 11th, 2010 @ 6:19 am

Oh wow, I am sitting here drooling… Everything looks great!
The Little Teochew
February 11th, 2010 @ 8:57 am

The salted egg yolk crab looks incredible. Yes, Brad … I know all about your mantou fetish!!!
daniel
February 11th, 2010 @ 9:42 am

wow that is beautiful, have yet to have the opportunity of eating nosignboard, i like crab but so lazy to crack open those shells! hah. so cool sydney-ers in town. =)
billy@ATFT
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:18 am

Daammmmnnnnn!!! now I want some crab!!! I can’t wait till May now!! May come quick soon!
Josephine
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:19 am

That first picture of the salted egg yolk crabs is going to make all your visitors so hungry! Craving now totally…
ciki
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:28 am

fabulous.. speechless..
zay
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:54 am

yes i love No Signboard too. do check out their crayfish next time! best so far. =)
Katie
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:58 am

WOW, that chili crab looks delicious and the prawns too. You just ate them whole? Last time I had prawns, one of my friends was eating the tail bit, and told me it’s nice (just crunchy) so I tried it and it wasn’t as bad as I thought – but I couldn’t eat the head – isn’t there sharp bits around the head?
Angeline
February 11th, 2010 @ 12:14 pm

you eat the prawns with the shells??? O.o
cathie
February 11th, 2010 @ 1:11 pm

sorry, WORST CHILLI CRAB! looked terrible, and tasted even worse. THe whole meal, including what i had was really ordinary, and overpriced. Dont waste your money, McDonalds wold have been better.
Alexander
February 11th, 2010 @ 7:03 pm

I’ve heard of if, but haven’t give it a try. It looks super delicious from the picture.

Alexander
Alex’s World! – http://www.kakinan.com/alex
caibao
February 11th, 2010 @ 9:20 pm

caibao was here~
dweam
February 11th, 2010 @ 9:56 pm

The salted egg crabs were the BEST. THINGS. EVAAAAAAAAAAA!

*dies*
Tesia
February 11th, 2010 @ 9:59 pm

I like your new zhao pai.
Rachel
February 11th, 2010 @ 11:56 pm

You shld try eng seng.. the crabs there are not too bad though the ambience is nothing to shout abt. For crab bee hoon, Melban is good!
Btw, ur new header is nic.. pasta looks delectable=)
mike
February 12th, 2010 @ 12:29 am

hi:) where can u bring this food blogger from the Philippines:)
diva
February 12th, 2010 @ 2:12 am

No signboard does good chili crab, a little pricier than the other restaurants but we did really like what they offered! How delicious. Love the new banner picture Brad. yummmmm
Shirin
February 12th, 2010 @ 2:17 am

also, i love your new header brad, absolutely gorgeous! [and the ???s in my previous comment are meant to be little hearts but they don't show up in the comment box] <3 hope that's better! xx
Howard
February 12th, 2010 @ 6:38 am

Thanks for taking us here, it was AWESOME. Totally agree with Valerie, the salted egg was my favourite . I am happy that I have FINALLY tried chili mud crab, that was my 5th trip to Singapore.
linda
February 12th, 2010 @ 12:50 pm

hey Brad.. Your photos made each of the dishes look 100 times better. Thank you for being such a lovely host, I had a blast. Drooling over crabs.
emily
February 12th, 2010 @ 7:25 pm

hello!! nice photo on the top! and mmmmmm CRABS (no photos of mantous? eaten up before you got a chance?)
ladyironchef
February 12th, 2010 @ 8:27 pm

letseat: you are welcome, yeah the crabs are very delicious, especially the mantou with the crab

Shirin: hee looks like our list just gets longer and longer, there’s seafood feast now!

Sook: Drooling is a good thing, but after the drooling, you must go and have some good food okay?

The Little Teochew: Fetish? You are making me blush hee. Don’t expose my secret to everyone!

daniel: I know, i’m very lazy to shell the crabs too. but good things are there for the hardworking people. haah

Billy: Oh yea, i’m looking forward to may too! quick come may

Josephine: Even when i look at it, i feel hungry too

ciki: Aww.. you are too nice!

zay: Crayfish? Why didn’t anyone tell me about it earlier? haha

katie: Other than the head, i ate it whole. it’s so crispy, just swallow the whole thing.

Angeline: It’s very crispy, why not?

Cathie: Hello there, sorry to hear abt yr bad experience. Where’s yr favorite place for crab?

Alexander: Yeah you should try NSB the next time you crave for chili crabs

caibao: hee thank you!

dweam: Best thing ever? Oh yeah i agree, two hands and two legs

Tesia: HAHA you are so cute, thank you for dropping by and see my ‘zhao pai’

Rachel: I heard abt Eng seng, but have yet to try them. As for melban, went there once but didn’t have their crab bee hoon

Mike: Oh course, for all the best food in singapore : )

diva: nowadays most restaurants are charging like 40-45 per kg, gone were the days of 30 per kg

howard: I’m so glad you finally managed to try the chili crab this time round, it will be a crime if you miss it again! haha

Linda: No worries dear, it’s my pleasure yeah. nobody leaves Singapore without trying chili crab, and the next time u dropby, i’m going to kidnap and bring you for char kuay teow : )

emily: haha yeah mantou not very photogenic so i didn’t take any photos of them. Besides, i can’t wait to eat them!
Simon Food Favourites
February 12th, 2010 @ 10:48 pm

i’ll definitely keep a note of this one when i’m visiting singapore for chilli mud crab. so hard to find a good one in Sydney
Life for Beginners
February 15th, 2010 @ 12:04 am

All that salted egg yolk… I can die happy now, hehe.
ladyironchef
February 16th, 2010 @ 12:45 am

Simon: We have so many good chili crabs over here, be sure to drop by soon!

LFB: I think after having the salted egg yolk, everyone can die happy. haha
shayna
February 26th, 2010 @ 9:30 pm

) :
I miss CHILLI CRAB and CEREAL PRAWNS and KANG KONG!
I miss crabs alot!

and, the pineapple tarts! ) :

Hope CNY was great for you! ( :
ladyironchef
February 27th, 2010 @ 12:05 am

shayna: haha don’t miss it too much, enjoy all the nice food you have over there. Yeah CNY was great, hope you are doing well there!
foodlovee
February 27th, 2010 @ 10:07 pm

It’s a pity you didn’t try their white pepper crab it’s must try at least once if you at No sign board.
ladyironchef
March 1st, 2010 @ 9:49 pm

foodlovee: We didn’t have it this time, but i tried before on previous occasions before : )

No SignBoard Seafood: Best Chili Crab

Related posts

Comments