Start with the spicy fried soft shell crab and juicy morsels of grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves.

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While some chains offer non-soda and fruit options, "soft drinks and fried potatoes are still more common options on children's menus, "' according to the report.

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The most popular gift is mithai (Indian sweets), and shops are filled with a spectacular array specially prepared for this festival, from thickly cut squares of barfi (a fudge-like sweet, often coated with a thin film of edible silver leaf) , to soft syrupy gulab jamuns (deep-fried balls of dough) and spongy rasgullas (sweetened cream cheese balls flavoured with rose water).

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Soft-shell crab with a hazelnut salad, fried oysters with a green-chile-buttermilk dressing, a gin-and-tonic salmon with a subtle juniper aroma: these were creative combinations not often seen on New York menus.

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Though the 100 beers on tap appeared to be more of a draw than the food, servers milled about with soft pretzels, pizza, pulled pork, meatballs and fried calamari.

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When soft-shell crab is in season, we've served a whole fried one with Thai influences.

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"In my experience of cooking soft-shells for 15 or 16 years, most people enjoy them deep-fried, " he said.

WSJ: Sean Brock's Lowcountry Soft-Shell Crab | Slow Food Fast