Restaurant Review

Friday, March 9, 2001

Crab-N serves adventurous seafood creations

Lump crab cocktail is a special catch; traditional fish dishes are a sure bet

At a glance N. Hwy.-35 (between Rockpor and Aransas Pass) Phone: 758-2371 Entrees: $-$$ Credit cards: yes Checks: yes Full bar: Next to restaurant, beer and wine served in restaurant Wheelchair access: yes Hours: Sun. - Thu., 5 pm - 9 pm; Fri.-Sat., 5 pm - 9:30 pm Food: 3 stars Service: 2 ½ stars Atmosphere: 2 ½ stars

By land or by sea one can arrive at Crab-N, a restaurant located at the City by the Sea subdivision halfway between Rockport and Aransas Pass on N. Hwy. 35. There is a docking area in the rear for boats and a parking lot in front for road vehicles. In the dining room, large windows offer a view of the water. Inside, the subdued lights from ship lanterns add to the coastal ambience.
   The waitresses were alert and quick with service. There is no company-issued uniform here; instead, the wait staff dresses in everything from cotton dresses to blue jeans. The restaurant has a casual aura, is very clean and comfortable.
   There is a complete wine list specializing in premium California reds and whites. I splurged and ordered a glass of Clos du Bois "Sonoma" Chardonnay. At $7.95 a glass, one might expect the thrill of a lifetime, but this white wine did go well with my entrée. It was smooth and had a slightly dry and fruity flavor. A bottle of wine can cost between $25 and $35 here. House wines are $4.95 a glass.
   For our appetizer, the crab cakes with crab and shrimp buttercream sauce were an absolute delight. The taste of moist crab and shrimp dominated the dish, and the sauce added just the right amount of buttery seasoning. This delicious start raised our expectations for the rest of the meal.
   Crab cakes
   Other appetizers included shrimp and oyster cocktails, seafood gumbo and shrimp and cream cheese stuffed jalapenos. Had I been more adventurous, I would have tried the lump crab cocktail with mango chili sauce and tostadas, but there are absolutely no regrets about the crab cakes with crab and shrimp butter-cream sauce.
   For my main course, I ordered pecan-crusted flounder with crab and roasted-pecan relish. This was a large fillet covered with crushed pecans that added a subtle hearty flavor to the light fish. The fish was tender and, because it was flounder, very tasty. While this serving was generous in size, there was nothing left for the take-out bag. The baked potato was properly prepared and served hot with the complete condiments of real butter, sour cream, chives, and bacon bits available. The steamed broccoli had the ideal firm texture and flavor, yet was soft enough where one could cut it with a fork. My dining companion ordered the medallions of beef with crab and shrimp buttercream sauce. Some of the cuts of beef were slightly tough, but still pleasing to the taste buds. Other cuts were tender enough to nearly melt in the mouth. Her tossed salad, fresh and crispy with a variety of lettuce, tomatoes and carrots, was enhanced by a superior house ranch dressing that tasted slightly spicier than ranch dressings from other establishments.
   Seafood lovers
   For a seafood lover, there are many choices here. Cuts of fish include grilled yellowfin tuna with wasabi or balsamic reduction, grilled red snapper with crab and roasted-pecan relish or grilled amberjack with crab and shrimp buttercream sauce. The are no fewer than 10 shrimp dishes including fried, sautéed, Cajun fried, stuffed and grilled. There are three different crab dishes including soft-shell crabs. There are also oyster, scallops, catfish and crawfish dishes. Steak dinners offered are filet mignon, ribeye, T-bone and chicken fried steak.
   Should you arrive at the dock behind the restaurant after a good day of fishing, the chefs can prepare your catch of the day to your taste. Be sure your catch is cleaned before you present it to the chef.
   Unique menu items at the Crab-N are the variety of homemade sauces and toppings available as an addition to the meal. Among the sauces are the "slightly spicy, cream based and delicious on anything crawfish sauce," "great on blackened fish definitely spicy mango chili sauce," or "very rich perfect on sautéed fish crab and roasted pecan relish." For dessert, the chocolate suicide cake was moist and rich enough where three bites hit the spot. The remainder was taken home for later. Other deserts available include a generous slice of key lime pie, hot fudge sundae and New York colossal cheesecake with berry sauce.
  
  

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Restaurant reviews are written by a team of freelance writers. The Caller-Times pays for the meals. From time-to-time the writers visit previously reviewed restaurants to update the information.

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