Awarded the “Best Designed Casual Dining Restaurant” award, Fancy Crab offers a luxurious dining experience through its mouth-watering menu of delicate seafood dishes. For a restaurant that oozes modern-chic in a trendy area and whose food is of a high standard, “casual dining” is an understatement.

Fancy Crab does have a noticeably non-pretentious and friendly ambience that made me feel relaxed upon arrival; hence, I can appreciate the reference to “casual dining.” Everything about this unassuming restaurant speaks volumes; starting with the trendy décor, hospitable staff and fancy menu of cocktails, crab and other dishes. Furthermore, the world’s biggest and most famous red king crab plays a leading role in the evolution of Fancy Crab. Every ounce of the red king crab’s taste is preserved using unique technology.

Fancy Crab

The waiting staff – Zak and Justos – made me feel welcome. Friendly customer service makes a world of difference to someone’s overall dining experience. I enjoyed a glass of prosecco while taking in the atmosphere, which was lively and juxtaposed with subdued chitter-chatter amongst other guests. I felt warm and comfortable. When my guest arrived, we had ordered cocktails such as a Porn-Star Martini and The Royal Fancy.

For starters, we had:

• Jersey Rocks, Royal Bay, Channel Islands (Oysters x 3)
• Morecambe Bay, Walney Island, England (Oysters x 3)
• Grilled Octopus in Balsamic Glaze
• Seared Scallops with Feta and Watermelon

Morecambe Bay oysters, which I had ordered, had a luxurious taste. Additionally, they are less creamy than Jersey Rock oysters; they tasted light and fresh. The grilled octopus tasted delicious and was well-presented with finely chopped vegetables, balsamic glaze and hummus. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and would most likely order it again.

Iconic Truffle Fries & Lobster

Everything on the menu looked good. Although I fancied crab, I ordered lobster as it had been on my mind all day. It does, however, require a little effort to break the shell and probably is not the best food to eat when hungry. Nonetheless, the effort was worth it once I had tasted the tender lobster meat combined with soft truffle fries. My friend enjoyed her main of Salmon Tartare (with Chilli, Mango, Cucumber and Lime dressing) and Scallop Ceviche (with charred corn and truffle oil). I could not have asked for a better treat on a Friday. Furthermore, I woke up with a content stomach the following day, which is a testimony to the quality of the food. I am sensitive to food that is not fresh, which makes me likely to experience an upset stomach.

Fancy Crab offers well-prepared food, hence the wait time. That said, we waited approximately 15 minutes for our food, which is all the more reason to order their fancy cocktails. The Royal Fancy is from the classic Pimm’s recipe with a kick from gin, Antica Formula and Champagne.

I had sorbet and ice cream for dessert, which was all I could handle after such a delicious starter and main.

It’s not every day that I ‌”Fancy Crab,” but when you decide to indulge, be mindful of their oysters. They are an aphrodisiac after all. Perhaps that’s a good thing. I will let you be the judge of that.

Written by Style Icon Nat | Thank you Fancy Crab