Shanghai Lo
Get your crab fix all year round at Shanghai Lo’s new “Crab Kitchen,” where the crustaceans are flown in from around the globe depending on wherever they’re in season. Chef Cheung Kam-wah’s new menu shows off different crab varieties from Japanese sawaganis to Alaskan king crab and Australian crystal crabs, in recipes that span east to west. Dine on fresh hairy crab roe with braised homemade bean curd, or go European-style with French brown crab and lobster bisque. There’s even an all-out 11-course crab tasting menu—if your cholesterol levels can take the hit, that is.

Mott 32
Need a kick of Sichuan chili to banish the winter blues? Before t-shirt weather rolls around again, head to perennial favorite Mott 32 to sample chef Lee Man-sing’s new winter à la carte menu, including a fiery poached fish in Sichuan pepper broth that will set your mouth on fire. Boasting the same irresistible sheen as Mott’s famous char siu, the tender, triple-cooked Australian Black Angus beef short rib is another one to look out for, along with the Inaniwa udon with garoupa filet. We’re expecting a full-on food attack that will leave our taste buds tingling for days.

Raki
The Japanese are big on tradition, with age-old preparations and cooking techniques passed down from generation to generation. But new fine dining Japanese restaurant Raki (15/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 2782-0010), led by chef Jack Yan, seems determined to break the mold: From sashimi hit with smoking guns to scallops steamed in paraffin paper, nothing is off limits. Thought slow cooking was just for beef cheeks and pulled pork? Think again. Chef Yan takes fresh Hokkaido oysters and prepares them in a low-temperature water bath to bring out the subtle sweetness of the bivalve. With sleek marble tabletops and limited seating, this is looking like the next generation of Japanese fine dining.