While frog legs are eaten around the world, including (gasp!) the US of A, the edible amphibian appendages are most commonly associated with France and South China. Here in Shenzhen, there are no shortage of shops specializing in the ‘chicken’ of the aquatic realm, and this month we want to share our favorite spots in the city to find frog fare.
1. Walaida (蛙来哒)
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
Walaida (loosely translated as ‘It’s Frog’) is a Hunan-style franchise specializing in charcoal-cooked frogs, with outlets in nearly every shopping mall in Shenzhen. Two very broad styles of frog are available: flat-pan cooked frog and round-pan cooked frogs, the latter of which results in a juicier dish. We sampled the flat-pan cooked, perilla flavor frog (RMB138), which arrived at our table buried beneath a mound of fresh green and red peppers, ginger, perilla and green onions. The frog legs were slightly crispy, and upon biting into the hoppers’ legs, a plethora of delicious flavors were released into our ravenous mouths.
See listing for Walaida.
2. Lucky Das Copper-Pot Frog Restaurant (大肆·铜炉蛙馆)
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
Situated on Nantou Jie in Nanshan District, this frog restaurant was not particularly easy to find, but the outlet’s amazing Sichuan-style frogs, which were cooked and served in a copper pot (RMB149), made our efforts worthwhile. This frog eatery predominantly utilizes dried and fresh spices for seasoning and your entire pot of frog limbs comes sprinkled with Sichuan peppers. Lurking beneath the surface of the dish were a host of garnishes, including fish balls, bean sprouts and potatoes. For those eager to take this dining experience to the next level, order a triple-layer copper pot (RMB249) and you can enjoy not only frog, but also chicken, shrimp and/or tenderloin.
See listing for Lucky Das Copper-Pot Frog Restaurant.
3. Erlang Tianji (二郎田鸡)
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
At this establishment, frogs are served in good ol’ hot pot form. Located inconspicuously along a street of seafood and barbecue restaurants, Erlang Tianji earns no praise for its lackluster interior design. What is worth celebrating, however, is the restaurant’s delicious and quality frog meat selected in Guangxi, which is sold for RMB60 for 500 grams. Like most hot pot restaurants, patrons at Erlang Tianji can choose spicy or non-spicy broth, or both in a split pot. We picked the mixed pot option and were delighted by the rich flavors that the simmering, spicy broth imbued into the frog legs. Meanwhile, the non-spicy broth balanced our dining experience with a fresh and natural taste.
See listing for Erlang Tianji.
4. Green Tea Restaurant (绿茶餐厅)
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
The ‘green tea’ moniker may be a tad misleading, considering we were on a very specific hunt for frogs, but frogs they do indeed have. Specializing in Zhejiang cuisine, the restaurant, which has a very distinct Jiangnan style with soothing ambient music, offers a wide range of Zhejiang delicacies, with roughly 100 different dishes on offer, of which only two are made with frogs. We had a choice of either frog stewed with soy sauce in a stone-pan (RMB52) or frog stewed with spring water (RMB58) and went with the former. The dish arrived with the frog chopped into small pieces and coated in a simmering sauce, and the amphibian flesh had a soft texture accompanied by a salty and mildly sweet taste. We cleansed our palate of lingering grease with a cup of Longjing osmanthus tea (RMB12), which offered a pleasant and refreshing taste.
See listing for Green Tea Restaurant.
5. Douwa (斗蛙)
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
Located conveniently in the heart of Futian District, this Dragon Ball Z-themed frog restaurant can be found just within the underground shopping mall at Convention & Exhibition Center Metro Station. The eatery’s must-have dish is their shousi whole frog (RMB18.8), or ‘hand-shredded’ whole frog. Admittedly, the name is a bit misleading and the bullfrog here isn’t actually hand shredded, rather it is double skewered and barbecued, which creates a crispy texture. While the well-spiced frog here is tasty, this special cooking method does not lend itself well to the unique texture of frog meat. So, if you’re looking for mouthfeel, we recommend trying the eatery's other froglicious charcoal-heated frog pots, which also come with a wide selection of flavors.
See listing for Douwa.
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[Cover image via Unsplash]
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