DEMAND FOR CRAWFISH KNOWS NO BOUNDS

Chinese diners dig in as the dish soars in popularity

About 10 plates, dotted with crawfish legs soaked in oil, are spread across a small table. What little space remains is occupied by piles of crawfish shells and two bottles of spirits.

This is the scene at a packed crawfish restaurant in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, where demand for the freshwater crustaceans is running hot.