On a hot summer's day, nothing beats ice-cold beer paired with a bowl of spicy crayfish, harvested at their peak succulence in warmer months.
The crimson shells glisten under warm lights on the table; the air is filled with the rich aroma of fragrant garlic, chilli peppers and spices; and diners wearing plastic gloves carefully peel off the shells to savor the tender meat, bite by bite.
As one of the country's largest crayfish production hubs, Qianjiang in Central China's Hubei province is drawing tourists from home and abroad at this time of the year to taste authentic local crayfish in various flavors.
Artem Usov, a Russian video blogger who has traveled all the way from Northeast China's Jilin province, said the crayfish in Qianjiang are "quite large, with plumper meat that tastes springy and satisfying".
"Gathering around the table with locals, we peel the crayfish, savor its meat soaked in rich sauce and clink glasses to enjoy this iconic local delicacy. Such genuine warmth and down-to-earth street food buzz feel incredibly comforting," he said.
Jeon Young-won, a South Korean video blogger from Beijing, who visited Qianjiang with his family during the May Day holiday, said the biggest highlight of the trip was being able to enjoy crayfish in various flavors, and "each flavor has its own unique feature, and you won't feel greasy even after eating a lot".
The oil-braised crayfish is Qianjiang's culinary calling card, which boasts a perfect mix of fragrant, spicy and savory notes. As the final step, the crayfish is stewed with beer until the sauce thickens and coats each crustacean.
The story of Qianjiang's signature dish goes back to 1996, when a street vendor named Li Daijun tried his oil-braised chicken recipe on crayfish. The result was a happy accident. From a popular dish at his restaurant, Xiao Li Zi, the oil-braised crayfish eventually became a citywide phenomenon, and its cooking technique was added to the list of intangible cultural heritage of Qianjiang in 2024.
Today, Qianjiang boasts a constellation of local brands such as Shrimp King and Chu Xia Wang. Visitors can lose themselves in sprawling food zones such as Qianjiang Ecological Crayfish City, where a giant crayfish sculpture towers over the square with its claws raised, as if inviting travelers to pull up a chair and dig in.
The annual Hubei Qianjiang Crayfish Industry Expo was held this month.
The traditional peak harvest season for crayfish in Qianjiang is from April to June. However, thanks to new technologies in recent years, the city maintains stable production year-round, so that visitors can enjoy fresh crayfish even in winter.
Crayfish are traditionally raised in ponds or rice fields. Jeon, the South Korean video blogger, visited ponds in Qianjiang to see the eco-friendly farming model, in which workers grow suitable aquatic plants and monitor water quality to create better breeding conditions.
"I never really thought about how crayfish are raised. Seeing the ponds full of crayfish was truly impressive," Jeon said.
"I now understand that the city's fame not only comes from its delicious recipes, but also from its high farming standards. That's why eating crayfish here feels so reassuring, and you can truly taste the freshness and quality in every bite," he added.
