Crabs

[mrbigjas]

OK with all the discussion of crabs in... uh.... some other forum on here, and seeing as it looks like I'm not going to get down to MD/DE this year, I'm in the mood for crabs. I'm thinking of heading out tonight.

We always went to DiNardo's if we weren't going to make it down the shore, but I feel like they're overpriced and I've been kinda annoyed with them lately. We've done Snockey's a couple of times, but they're cooked and kept cold and then reheated by boiling, which doesn't provide the same thing. So we're looking for somewhere new, and we have a car at the moment, which opens up a lot of options that usually aren't available to us.

Really the thing we like is more maryland/delaware style crabs, steamed with old bay.

Here's what I've found so far from looking around various websites:

Grabbe's, which is somewhere in NJ, but apparently has $20 AYCE.

Bonk's, which doesn't do baltimore style from what I can tell

Byrne's, which does (neither of these are AYCE, from what I can tell).

Someone recommended getting them to go at Ippolito's, but even if someone else cooks them for you and you eat outside, you still end up with big bags of really stinky trash.

Anastasi has them for 4/$12, which is a little pricey for me.

So what do y'all think? Where to go for crabs? Right now I'm thinkin Byrne's--a good idea?

[Scoats]

Brynes is a great tavern; I haven't had the crabs there, but I'm sure it will be reasonable. The crabcake sandwich at Byrnes is great. And be sure to get the potato logs if you go there. Don't miss the potato logs!

I have been to Bonks for crabs and it is quite a unique treat. They boil the crabs at Bonks I believe. Bonks is my first choice as a place to get crabs.

Chickies and Petes, very famous for their crabs, is also another very good choice.

[mrbigjas]

Brynes is a great tavern; I haven't had the crabs there, but I'm sure it will be reasonable. The crabcake sandwich at Byrnes is great. And be sure to get the potato logs if  you go there. Don't miss the potato logs!

I have been to Bonks for crabs and it is quite a unique treat. They boil the crabs at Bonks I believe. Bonks is my first choice as a place to get crabs.

Chickies and Petes, very famous for their crabs, is also another very good choice.

We did go to Byrnes after all. Excellent crabs, $2.50-$4 each. We got the $3.50 ones, and they came out cleaned already, but I think they woulda been nearly 6" across the shell if they shells had been left on. Big crabs, boiled I'm pretty sure from the amount of water left in them, with old bay.

Anyways, we split a dozen of them, a dozen steamers, an order of potato logs and a pitcher of lager--total bill $63 or so. Everyone who worked there was so nice to us--they really make you feel at home there. I'm really pretty happy about the whole experience. Excellent stuff.

I noticed that the 15 bus goes there, which makes it relatively easy to get there even without a car.

[KatieLoeb]

Glad you enjoyed Byrne's! I haven't been in a while and I think I need to go soon, especially after reading your post! Scoats is right on about the potato logs. Those are delicious!

Has anyone here ever been to Chickie n Pete's, for crabs or anything else? Just curious because I've never tried the place and have always been curious about it.

edited because I can't spell

Edited July 20, 2003 by KatieLoeb (log)

[mrbigjas]

Scoats is right on about the potato logs.  Those are delicious

The potato logs were good, and I realized they have an additional advantage when eating crabs: since they're so thick, they stay warm for a really long time. So you can eat one, then pick crabs for a while, then eat another and it won't be all cold and nasty. Excellent. Their wings smelled great too.

Has anyone here ever been to Chickie n Pete's, for crabs or anything else?  Just curious because I've never tried the place and have always been curious about it.

A friend of mine recommended that when we were trying to decide where to go last night. He said that the reason they opened a much larger facility, which is always packed with people, is that they really do the sports/seafood/bar thing right.

[Rich Pawlak]

At our last DDC gathering, someone mentioned to me a Polish Social Club at Orthodox and Harbison whose crabs I believe Rick Nichols once wrote about.

Does anyone know what this place is called? And how we might get in touch with them?

[NeroW]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I've read on eGullet yet today.

[MatthewB]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I've read on eGullet yet today.

I was thinking the same thing.

[NeroW]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I've read on eGullet yet today.

I was thinking the same thing.

You should not encourage my sick nature.

[MatthewB]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I've read on eGullet yet today.

I was thinking the same thing.

You should not encourage my sick nature.

Nah.

Go ahead & answer the damned question.

[NeroW]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I've read on eGullet yet today.

I was thinking the same thing.

You should not encourage my sick nature.

Nah.

Go ahead & answer the damned question.

There are a couple of bars in my neighborhood that might be a good starting point.

Carry on.

[mrbigjas]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I've read on eGullet yet today.

I was thinking the same thing.

Yeah when I mentioned on another forum that I'd gone to Port Richmond for crabs, the barrage of jokes like "that's a good place, but I woulda tried Kensington first" started and didn't stop for a while till people's moms were brought into the mix....

[Scoats]

At our last DDC gathering, someone mentioned to me a Polish Social Club at Orthodox and Harbison whose crabs I believe Rick Nichols once wrote about.

Does anyone know what this place is called?  And how we might get in touch with them?

It is called the Harmonia Club.

[MatthewB]

Ummmm.

[KatieLoeb]

Check out this article from the Inky

Philadelphia Inquirer Crab article

This pretty much covers everything anyone wanted to know.

Edited July 26, 2003 by KatieLoeb (log)

[mrbigjas]

Check out this article from the Inky

Philadelphia Inquirer Crab article

This pretty much covers everything anyone wanted to know. 

Thanks Katie!

Actually we stopped by the original Chickie's and Pete's on Wednesday. Damn good. My only problem was that the AC was cranked so high it was about 50 degrees in there.

The only thing was all the prices quoted were way higher than what I paid. They said $15.95 for three crabs at C&P's? We paid $11. And they were big--there wasn't a choice of sizes or anything.

And last week when we went to Byrne's, the large was $4, not $6.

[menton1]

About 5-7 years ago, I discovered a seafood place in Manayunk/Roxborough called BLT's Cobblefish. It was in a converted warehouse building, very nautical inside, and had great seafood.

Since I haven't heard a word about this place in years, is it now defunct, or does it carry on?

[Mr. Blister]

Cobblefish has been closed for a couple of years. I liked the fact that a BYOB had a beer distributor in the same parking lot.

[KatieLoeb]

About 5-7 years ago, I discovered a seafood place in Manayunk/Roxborough called BLT's Cobblefish.  It was in a converted warehouse building, very nautical inside, and had great seafood. 

Since I haven't heard a word about this place in years, is it now defunct, or does it carry on?

BLT's Cobblefish has been closed for several years now. I worked there for a brief period helping hostess on the weekends. (Yet another of the many restaurants I've worked at in this town!) Really nice place, also known as the "Poor Man's Striped Bass". Reasonably priced, BYOB and really creative food there too. One of my favorite things on the menu were the "Buffalo Fish", which were very small puffer fish, tempura battered and served Buffalo wing style with a really spicy sauce and blue cheese dip and celery sticks on the side. Yummy! The fried smelts were pretty kickin' too. Actually I don't think I really ever had anything there I didn't like! I celebrated many special occasions there, as well as just going because I loved it.

I was way bummed out when this place closed. Not because I was out of a job, but because it was always one of my very favorite places to go. I think the beer distributor is still there, and the old restaurant space is now "The Ugly Moose" pub.

[mrbigjas]

OK it's been over a year now and the 2004 crab season is winding down. i was just about to post a new crab thread when i remembered this one, so here's a quick bump.

anyway, there's a place down at 2nd/3rd & mifflin that has a sign out for all you can eat crabs for $16.95 on wednesdays. i forget the name of it, but it's right there on the corner. they have beer specials too, those nights.

i'm gonna head down there one of these weeks before we get too far into fall. who wants to go?

[KatieLoeb]

OK it's been over a year now and the 2004 crab season is winding down. i was just about to post a new crab thread when i remembered this one, so here's a quick bump.

anyway, there's a place down at 2nd/3rd & mifflin that has a sign out for all you can eat crabs for $16.95 on wednesdays. i forget the name of it, but it's right there on the corner. they have beer specials too, those nights.

i'm gonna head down there one of these weeks before we get too far into fall. who wants to go?

I'm in.

[Andrew Fenton]

I might actually be able to make it, on a Wednesday night. (Hey, it's only a 2 1/2 hour drive!) Pick a date, and I'll let you know.

[Mottmott]

I'm in if the date is convenient.

[mrbigjas]

p.s. i should mention i have absolutely no idea what this bar is like. it could really suck. or rewl. we'll see.

[herbacidal]

Well, there's always Bonk's, too.