Flying in to Singapore above a land surrounded by so much water makes it easy to see why locals have refined the art of seafood. If you ask any local what activity must be done when visiting, the answer will be - ‘eat, in particular, eat Singapore chilli crab.' But there are so many other seafood dishes that should also be experienced, and so I found award winning Longbeach Seafood Restaurant a brilliant example of a mix of seafood dishes.
Dempsey Hill is located opposite Singapore's Botanic Gardens and happens to be an old army barracks now converted to a fine dining area. It is a nice idea to arrive early and wander through nearby lush gardens and surrounding shops and diners. Upon arrival to the Longbeach restaurant, friendly staff will greet you with warm smiles, as you are seated at traditionally round shaped tables with lovely pink tablecloths and chopsticks or knife and fork upon request. Behind you is a magnificent wall of seafood and crustaceans from oceans around the world, for your dining selection. Staff are more than happy to give you a closer look at the live food, I was encouraged to hold one of the splendid creatures imported all the way from Australia.
I was beyond amazed at how incredibly delicious every presented seafood dish tasted. The chilli crab shell arrives in a sea of warm, sweet, infused crab soup with long finder shaped doughnut bread to dip with. There are utensils to crack the hard shell revealing tasty pure white flesh, or for the less adventurous staff are happy to do the cracking for you. Black pepper crab is second on the divine list, where the crab has been prepared in the goodness of black pepper juices. And not be be missed is Longbeach's impressive bright green desert arriving on dry ice, in a whirl of smoke abracadabra style!