If the idea of Singapore mud crab cooked four ways excites you, round up your friends and family and get ready for a delicious hands-on fun. Just remember to dress the part! AK Dragon Malaysian Restaurant in Huskisson has exactly what you need as they are now serving up this prized delicacy Jervis Bay. Enjoy with a cold beer or try one of our wine suggestions matched to each of the four dishes.
Run by husband-and-wife duo Alex and King, whose initials give the restaurant its name, AK Dragon is all about authentic Malaysian flavours and top-quality ingredients. Head chef Alex sources his live mud crabs through Nowra Fresh, ensuring they’re at their absolute best. According to him, crabs are plumpest and sweetest around the full moon, making now the perfect time to indulge. We are reassured that the crabs are humanely put to sleep under a blanket of ice in the coolroom before being transformed into four incredible dishes.
Each dish is carefully prepared, with the crabs portioned for easy eating and special tools provided to help you get into every delicious nook and cranny. Here’s what’s on the menu, $99 each:
Chilli Mud Crab
A Malaysian favourite, this dish features a rich, wok-cooked tomato-based sauce infused with fresh chilli, garlic, ginger, shallots, diced tomato and brown sugar. Egg yolk adds a luscious silkiness, thickening the sauce naturally. Enjoy it with steamed rice or AK Dragon’s signature roti Chennai, a crisp-yet-soft flatbread. The mud crab sauce is inspired by Alex’s mother, as every Malay mother has her own special family mud crab recipe.
Pair this with a glass of Shiraz or an ice-cold Tiger Beer to balance the heat.
Ginger & Shallot Mud Crab
For those who love a lighter, more delicate flavour, this dish highlights the natural sweetness of the crab. Fresh ginger and shallots create an aromatic sauce. For an extra touch, request egg noodles at the bottom of your bowl. They soak up the sauce perfectly.
A glass of NZ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with its crisp stone fruit profile is the perfect pairing.
Creamy Garlic Mud Crab
Rich yet balanced, this dish features a house-made chicken broth infused with fresh garlic, shallots, julienned carrots, celery, brown onion and choy sum greens. The sauce develops a natural creaminess with the juices of the crab.
With its smooth, tropical fruit note try a glass of Squealing Pig Pinot Gris.
XO Sauce Mud Crab
XO sauce is all about deep, savoury umami, and AK Dragon’s version is a masterpiece. Chef Alex slow-cooks his signature XO sauce for hours in a wok, blending dried shrimp, scallops, chilli, onions, garlic and sesame oil to create a bold and flavour-packed dish.
Enjoy with an ice-cold Asahi or Corona, or for those who love something a little more exotic, a Japanese Slipper or Midori Illusion cocktail makes for a refreshing melon citrus finish.
More Than Mud Crab
AK Dragon is known for its exceptional seafood, and their menu is packed with other tempting options. Local Jervis Bay mussels are prepared Malaysian-style with ginger, shallots, chilli and cooking wine. Their whole fresh snapper, served with house-made Malaysian sambal, ginger shallot sauce, or a delicate sweet and sour soy, is another standout. For seafood lovers who want it all, the sambal seafood combination brings together mussels, tiger prawns and squid in a bold, flavour-packed dish.
Did You Know?
Mud crab harvesting peaks around the full moon when crabs are most active, moving into shallower waters to feed. This is also the best time to find soft-shell crabs, which have just moulted and haven’t yet hardened. In Australia, female mud crabs carrying eggs are protected in all states, and in Queensland, harvesting any female mud crabs is strictly prohibited.
AK Dragon offers seating for 50 inside and 45 outside, with covered areas for all seasons. A wraparound bar provides a sneak peek of the Bay through the park and trees, extending into the street. Alex has 12 fresh mud crabs available from today until sold out, served for either lunch or dinner this weekend from 11am- 2:30pm and 5pm-9pm Fri to Sun. Pre-booking is recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome.
Whether you’re a mud crab connoisseur or diving into this delicacy for the first time, AK Dragon’s exclusive feast promises a dining experience that’s finger licking messy, memorable and downright delicious. Check their socials for future crab availability.
Be sure to bring your appetite and maybe a bib!
