Grilled octopus with bottarga (salted fish roe), fennel, orange and bell pepper at Ee Da Le in Hong Kong.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Dominguez says that when chefs "scare" the octopus, they lift it in and out of the boiling pot carefully to avoid breaking the skin. After the third boil, they remove it "very, very carefully" for the same reason, and spread it out in a big bowl to cool a little to make sure the skin isn't damaged.

"My mom says that you cannot pick it with a fork or anything while it is cooking," she adds, "or it will get hard, too."

Some chefs simply cook and slice octopus for a sashimi plate. In Beijing, chefs at Shin at Brick and Wood also poach the creature in yuzu sauce, and grill it as a main dish. Casa Italia's new menu boasts a creative salad by chef Corrado Michelazzo: fresh cooked octopus with potatoes, egg, avocado, grapefruit, olive and peppers - all in sweet vinegar sauce andorganicolive oil.

Mediterranean cuisine invites many cooking methods, from soups and salads to grilled dishes.

"I think that one of the best regions for flavorful seafood is the Mediterranean Sea because of how deep the water is," says new head chef Alberto Boccelli at Ee Da Le in Hong Kong. "This region is packed with amazing ingredients and it inspired me to craft my signature appetizer, La Siciliana. Another influence behind this dish is the unique aroma that comes from the fennel and oranges grown in the Mediterranean Sea area."

His La Siciliana (HK$198 or $25.50) is a beautifully grilled octopus with bottarga (salted fish roe), fennel, orange and bell pepper.