Billy's Stone Crab, Hollywood

[markk]

I learned about Billy's some time ago right here on eGullet, and have eaten there several times since with great satisfaction.

We ate there last night, and the stone crabs were not good. They weren't rancid, but they definitely weren't fresh, and they definitely weren't enjoyable.

Worse, I mentioned just that to our server, who responded "Uh, I don't know..." and filled our waterglasses and walked away.

He also didn't pass the comment along to the owner, who was by the door. I had thought they'd care, and switch them for fresher ones if they had them, or offer us something else, but that didn't happen.

I think they may have stopped caring about the quality of what they serve. The certainly lost a customer here.

[robyn]

Did they stick to the shell? Had they been frozen? Or just kept around too long?

We had a really bad cold front come through most of the state on Sunday/Monday and it wouldn't surprise me if the crab/shrimp/fishing fleets couldn't get out for a few days (didn't clear up until mid-day yesterday here in NE Florida). Robyn

[markk]

Did they stick to the shell?  Had they been frozen?  Or just kept around too long?

We had a really bad cold front come through most of the state on Sunday/Monday and it wouldn't surprise me if the crab/shrimp/fishing fleets couldn't get out for a few days (didn't clear up until mid-day yesterday here in NE Florida).  Robyn

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I'm guessing just kept around too long.

They didn't stick to the shell. But whereas when I used to eat them there, they had a pristine freshness, a juicy sweetness, and that "of the sea" quality that is talked about, and wheas they used to explode in your mouth with a combination of fresh, fresh flavor and perfect texture, these did nothing like that. It started with the smell as you got them close to your mouth - not exactly terrible, but certainly not fresh smelling for sure.

This was Christmas day, a Monday, so it's possible they were 3 days old. But they really should have said they were out of them or something, because all they did was lose 2 fairly regular customers. When I complained about them, they should have offered us fresher ones if they had them (and were just trying to use these up), or they should have explained that they were from the previous Friday (which they probably were) and offered us something else.

I can't tell if they'd been frozen, but they always insist that in season they don't do that, and in fact, they close when the crabs are not in season and can't be served fresh.