There’s never a wrong time to savour the Li Shan clay pot live marble goby, which is one of the bestsellers here. The marble goby simmers in a hearty superior stock, which is boiled for eight hours using chicken and fish bones, herbs and seasoning. The thick and milky soup is loaded with umami goodness and is the perfect complement to the fish’s natural sweetness.

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The roast Irish duck is the “best of both textures”, as it offers succulent meat and crispy skin. The restaurant has a dedicated chef who prepares this crowd favourite. He uses Irish duck because of its fragrant and less fatty meat, which is marinated in a secret mixture for six hours, and then skilfully roasted over charcoal. It’s so popular that bigger parties are recommended to order it in advance.

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Be warned: it’s hard to stop eating the freshly made fragrant golden fish skin once you start. You’ll understand what we mean once you pop these thinly sliced goodies in your mouth. The culinary team’s mastery comes into play as they expertly deep-fry the skin, which has been dipped evenly in a rich and buttery egg yolk concoction, until light and crisp, but not oily and with the coating still firmly intact.

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It’d not be the Long Beach we’ve come to love without its treasured crustacean classics. Naturally, the extensive menu includes the original and famous black pepper crab (left) that’s stir-fried in a piquant sauce as well as the popular chilli crab, a local favourite with the fleshy meat enhanced with the tomato and chilli sauce. It’s so luscious, you’d want to mop up the last drop with the deep-fried mantou buns.
 
Long Beach @ Stevens | 01-10 Mercure Singapore on Stevens, 30 Stevens Road | 6445 8833