Let’s Get Messy at Crab in Da Bag

It may be the most un-glam kind of dining you can ever experience, but it can actually be the most fun of them all. At Crab in Da Bag, no cutleries or whatsoever are provided when you dine at this nautical-inspired seafood restaurant located at the entrance of Big Splash, East Coast. You just eat with your bare hands.

The restaurant is decked with nautical inspired décor, giving you the feeling like you’re on board a ship

This kind of dining concept came from the Southern Louisiana style of casual dining where the seafood is dumped onto the table layered with clean paper, and diners just eat off it using their fingers. Owner AP Tan, who often travelled to the US, saw how fun the dining experience was; so she and business partner, Monique Kwok, brought this idea to Singapore. The seafood restaurant has only been here for a few months, but it’s already been attracting throngs of people from east to west.

The Caboodle Boil is Crab in Da Bag’s signature item which serves about 6 people, 8 if you’re not so hungry

Clearly, the star of the show is the Caboodle Boil ($299) which has mini lobsters, Sri Lankan crabs, king crab legs, yabbies, prawns, clams, chicken bratwurst sausages, corn on cob, and potatoes boiled in a blend of herbs and local spices. On how they serve it: the waiters will always ring a bell to signal a grand celebration. Then, they would empty the bucket directly on your table. Before you tuck in, wait for the three homemade dips of soy, green bird, and zesty mayo, which go well with everything. Though it’s quite filling already, it’s best to order the Caboodle Boil together with the sides of Sweet Potato Fries ($7) served with mayo, Frizzled Silver Fish ($10), and Crinkled Cauliflower ($8). These crunchy and flavourful items provide some sort of breather from the big bucket of seafood.

Crab in Da Bag also offers a lot of seafood items which are served in plastic bundles

If the big bucket of boiled seafood is too much for your party, Crab in Da Bag also has loads of other items: clams ($13), prawns ($20), yabbies ($25), snow crab legs ($30), king crab legs ($35), and lobsters ($35). These are served in plastic bundles, which the server will cut open for you. Though these are already seasoned well, it won’t hurt if you enhance the flavour with a little more kick by tossing them in Ultimate Curry, Northern Malaysia’s signature curry dip; Caboodle Mix of local Cajun spices; and Mum’s Special which is a recipe adapted by AP’s mum. The sauces mixed with the seafood are, most of the time, spicy. Put two drops of lemon to bring out a little bit of zest. Eat them with rice for a fuller meal.

End a satisfying meal with the BananaMisu and Fruity Boat

Desserts at this seafood restaurant are pretty average for the Jelly-licious ($5) and Fruity Boat ($5) taste just like plain jelly. Out of all the sweet offerings, the BananaMisu ($5) is probably the most worthy. But overall, Crab in Da Bag is a pretty worthy seafood restaurant to visit for it provides a fun dining concept where you can take a break from using your gadgets (unless you want them soaked in sauce), sit down, and enjoy the food and company. --- Address: 902 East Coast Parkway, Big Splash Block D #01-25 Singapore 449874 Tel. No.: +65 6440 0083 Opening Hours: Tue to Fri: 4pm to 12am Weekends: 12pm to 12am Closed on Mondays See Also: Find out where to get the best crabs in town If you love seafood, check out these places!