Discover the rich, savory flavors of crab roe dishes at Xie San Bao in Shanghai. Affordable prices, delicious crab roe rice, or noodles option.
Shanghai is a food paradise for crab lovers. When searching for dining options, you’ll be surprised by the variety of crab-related dishes available, such as crab soup dumplings, steamed crab, crab roe tofu, and more. Among all these offerings, crab roe rice has gained quite a reputation online. This dish features rich, creamy, and savory golden crab roe combined with rice or noodles, making it a heavenly experience.
Xie San Bao (蟹叁宝) is a popular restaurant chain in China, especially in Shanghai and Guangzhou. The restaurant is renowned for its crab roe and crab meat dishes. Their signature crab dish includes a generous amount of crab meat and roe mixed with fluffy rice, all at an affordable price, making it perfect for anyone looking to savor these flavors.
We visited Xie San Bao during our recent trip to Shanghai. Now, let’s dive into our food review of Xie San Bao.
Xie San Bao – Crab Specialized Restaurant
The famous Xie San Bao (蟹叁宝) restaurant specializes in crab-based meals, particularly their noodles and rice topped with crab roe. It’s popular among both tourists and locals, especially for the flavorful crab roe noodles. The average price per person is approximately 100-150 RMB, which is very affordable.
Xie SanBao’s crab dishes are an absolute delight for seafood lovers. This popular chain restaurant in China has several branches, including a few in Shanghai. The key locations of Xie San Bao in Shanghai are as follows:
Xie San Bao (The Bund Branch) 蟹叁宝·蟹家宴·蟹黄捞饭(上海外滩店)
Address: No. 114-3 Tianjin Road, Huangpu District 黄浦区外滩街道天津路114-3号
Nearest subway station: a 60-meter walk from Nanjing East Road Metro Station, Exit 5.
Xie San Bao (Nanjing West Road Branch) 蟹叁寳(上海南京西路店)
Address: 74 Nanhui Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai (上海市静安区南汇路74号)
Nearest subway station: Nanjing West Road subway station, Exit 1.
The Nanjing West branch is the Xie San Bao branch we visited for a food review!
Xie San Bao (People’s Square Branch) 蟹叁宝·蟹家宴·蟹黄捞饭(上海人民广场店)
Address: No. 513 Tianjin Road, Huangpu District (黄浦区天津路513号)
Nearest subway station: People’s Square, Exit 19.
Xie San Bao (Xintiandi Branch) 蟹叁宝·蟹家宴·蟹黄捞饭(上海新天地店)
Address: Building D, F1-D110, No. 388 Madang Road, Huangpu District (上海市黄浦区马当路388号SOHO复兴广场D座F1-D110).
Shanghai Food Tips: It is recommended to verify the specific address before your visit, as there may be multiple branches or the addresses could change.
Our Food Visit to Xie San Bao (Nanjing West Road Branch)
During our trip to Shanghai, we made a special effort to visit the renowned Xie San Bao (蟹叁宝) restaurant to see if it lives up to the hype (and the cost!). We chose the Nanjing West branch as part of our Shanghai itinerary, especially since we were visiting the Jing’an area.
We visited the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and the Louis Vuitton flagship store this morning before continuing our journey for lunch. Xie San Bao’s Nanjing West Road branch is located in the Nanjing Road area, a bustling shopping district in Shanghai. Although it required a bit of walking away from the busy area, it was worth every step.
Since we enjoyed the wonderful soup dumplings at Lai Lai Xiao Long for breakfast, we arrived for a late lunch. Still, we had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. When we leave, there are no more people, and many empty seats.
The restaurant has a friendly and casual atmosphere. It isn’t very large, so larger groups may need to wait longer or consider splitting up to get seated more quickly.
What To Eat at Xie San Bao
Xie San Bao specializes in crab-based dishes, particularly its noodles and rice topped with crab roe. It is one of the few restaurants where you can enjoy crab dishes year-round.
Ordering via a QR code includes a photo and a simple description. The menu also highlights the top three dishes, which is very helpful.
The signature dish at Xie San Bao is the Crab Roe Dish (蟹黄金捞), which comes in two options: Crab Roe Rice (蟹黄金蟹黄捞饭) or Crab Roe Noodles (蟹黄金蟹黄面). While I generally prefer noodles, I noticed that the rice tends to soak up the flavor better, so we decided to go with the rice.
We also ordered the winter special crab dish: Crab Family Banquet (蟹家宴). This dish is a clay pot rice dish featuring four distinct parts of the crab: crab roe, crab legs, shredded crab meat, and crab butter/oil.
Besides, the menu also features crab roe xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), crab roe tofu, drunken crab marinated in baijiu, and more. There is also roasted chicken for those who do not want to eat crab.
Xie San Bao Signature – Crab Roe Rice
Our Crab Roe Rice (蟹黄金蟹黄捞饭) was served with a short wait. The set includes a bowl of fragrant rice and a bowl of creamy crab roe, which consists of generous amounts of high-quality pure crab meat and crab roe. It is accompanied by shredded ginger and balsamic vinegar, which help to balance the richness and enhance the overall flavor.
Poured the creamy crab roe over the rice and stirred until each grain was evenly coated in a golden brown sauce. We were ready for a seafood feast!
Mind-blowingly Delicious
Our first bite. Wow, the dish tasted incredibly authentic and “seafoody.” I found it mind-blowingly delicious!
The rich, flavorful crab broth infused with sweet, tender crab meat created a perfect balance of flavors. The rice was perfectly cooked, absorbing all the delicious taste while maintaining a satisfying texture. I cannot resist and I can easily finish the whole bowl.
Additionally, the side dishes and condiments provided helped balance any strong flavors, making it easy to adjust to your taste preferences.
Crab Family Banquet Set
The Crab Family Banquet (蟹家宴) is served in a clay pot, which the staff heats up right in front of you. They also take a moment to let you snap a quick photo before the heating process begins, adding a nice touch to the experience.
The crab is beautifully presented, with its four distinct parts separated and showcasing various shades of yellow-orange. It is accompanied by aged vinegar to balance the richness, along with preserved vegetables.
Once heated for about five minutes, the dish develops crispy, charred bits at the bottom, topped generously with picked crab meat and roe. The staff is helpful in stirring the rice to ensure it’s evenly coated without becoming too heavy.
Creamy Crab Roe Paired with Charred Rice
The first taste of the rice reveals a thick, creamy sauce made from crab meat, leg meat, and roe, which is incredibly rich. This creamy sauce pairs perfectly with the crab. The dish is suitable for two or three people, so we made the right choice to share two dishes among three of us.
But, when comparing the Crab Roe Rice and the Crab Family Banquet, I would choose the Crab Roe Rice. The golden-yellow sauce made from crab roe and meat is more decadent and creamy, which I prefer!
Overall: Is Xie San Bo Worth the Hype?
All in all, my food trip to Xie San Bao was a wonderful experience that exceeded my expectations. As a seafood lover, I truly fell in love with this restaurant. The flavors of the dishes were intense and deep without being overwhelming. The crab meat dish, in particular, was rich and flavorful, showcasing the freshness of the ingredients. It’s a flavor and texture explosion that will never disappoint.
Lastly, if you’re looking to enjoy a great meal in Shanghai, I highly recommend Xie San Bao. Their crab dishes are a must-try. Each bowl offers comfort and indulgence in every bite, truly reflecting Shanghai’s culinary excellence.
Related Shanghai Food post:
- Shanghai Food Guide: What and Where To Eat
- Lai Lai Xiao Long: Shanghai Best Xiao Long Bao
- Jia Jia Tang Bao: Shanghai Popular Xiao Long Bao
- Wu You Xian: Shanghai MICHELIN Star Xiao Long Bao
Lastly, this Shanghai Food blog is part of our Shanghai Suzhou Hangzhou travel posts. Continue reading for more travel stories.
- Shanghai itinerary: A Travel Guide blog
- Where To Stay in Shanghai: Best Areas and Hotels
- Day Trip Suzhou itinerary: A Travel Guide Blog
- Hangzhou itinerary: A Travel Guide Blog
- Where To Stay in Hangzhou: Best Areas and Hotels
- Trip to West Lake: A Travel Guide Blog
- Trip to Wuzhen Ancient Water Town: A Travel Guide Blog
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