Crab Feast: Wuff & Wok Bistro

Claws and paws come together at Subang's top pet-friendly cafe, where feasts of mighty, meaty Malaysian crabs are available every weekend - steaming-hot crustacean comfort, served in a slew of styles.

Our trio of preparations yielded an deep dive into diverse flavours, from a beautifully nuanced steamed recipe cushioned with soft egg custard, made aromatic with Chinese herbs and sharpened with slivers of ginger, to an intensely robust interpretation of Hong Kong's typhoon shelter crabs, fried and flooded with caramelised garlic bits, to the climactic chilli crabs, blending the culinary heritages of Wuff & Wok's Singapore-born founder Kim with its Kedah-origin chef Zap, creamy and gently tangy with genuinely fiery flourishes that evoke notes of northern Malaysian cooking.

Through it all, the crabs benefit from the kitchen's skillful care, remaining moist to the bite, naturally sweet to the chew. The crabs clock in at RM110 for one kilogram (two whole crabs with plenty of flesh), offered throughout Saturdays and Sundays for walk-in customers. If you want them on weekdays, they can be ordered with two to three days' advance notice; other flavour options span black pepper to butter, Marmite to salted egg yolk.

Wuff & Wok combines the casual vibe of a neighbourhood eatery with the capable versatility of a talented chef to offer patrons plenty of customisation - perfect if you're a regular who craves a wide range of mainly East Asian creations. Off-menu experiments that we explored for our most recent meal here included the crabs partnered with salmon in a soothing, soulful Japanese-inspired soup with udon, as well as crunchy snap beans with the umami kick of dried shrimp and preserved radish.

The crabs were paired with two distinctly different whites from Wine Daddy, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Moscato meant to shine in synergy with the evolving dynamics - delicate to dominating - of our crab choices.

This time, we learned at Wuff & Wok that we could also order food from sister outlet Tai Syou nearby, helmed by one of the Klang Valley's longest-serving Japanese chefs; the restaurant's resident Husky and Malamute both certainly approve of the smoky kushiyaki skewers, comprising chicken and pork parts.

Thanks to Wuff & Wok for a night of plenty (we haven't even mentioned the whisky!).