Celebrate at Hutong with our Red Lantern

Posted on January 6, 2014

Since Hutong opened at The Shard on June 26th 2013, one dish in particular seems to have proved particularly popular in reviews and on blogs, Twitter and Instagram – the Red Lantern soft-shell crab. We’re delighted that the dish has been so well received, as it has always been highly popular at the original Hutong restaurant in Hong Kong.

Diners who order the Red Lantern are surprised and delighted when a large wooden casket is brought to the table and the lid removed to reveal an abundance of aromatic Sichuanese ‘Facing Heaven’ chillis, so named because the fruit grows upward on the plant. The server then deftly dives into the chillis with chopsticks to present the myriad deep-fried soft-shell crabs that are concealed within. Red lanterns are a sign of celebration in China which is why we chose to give such a special dish, so suited to sharing, that name.