Okay, I have to tell you about my latest food obsession, seafood in a bag. Now, I realize that this might not sound that exciting to some of you and if you are not a fan of seafood, you should probably stop reading now. But if you do enjoy seafood, especially shellfish, then this post is for you!
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| What's on the menu today? |
The concept of these restaurants is pretty simple. As you enter the restaurant, there is a chalk- or white-board informing you which types of shellfish are available that day (generally shrimp, scallops, various types of crab, crawfish, and lobster) as well the current market price per pound. Prices change daily. Choose the seafood you want and decide if you want any add-ons, such as red potatoes, andouille sausage, and corn. Finally, you decide which seasoning calls to you. The options are usually lemon butter, garlic, our Cajun. But if you want to be adventurous (and don't mind some serious heat, go with all three together! That is the ONLY way to go in my opinion.
Once you have placed your order, the cook puts everything in a bag and boils it. That's it. When it's ready, the waiter brings it to you and you can start eating, right out of said bag. If you are familiar with the concept of a 'low-country boil', you know what I'm taking about. Totally casual. Unpretentious.
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| Shrimp and Cajun Fries |
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| Pound o' shrimp |
The first place I found that serves up this awesomeness was The Boiling Crab in Pasadena (I found it on my Food Network app. Apparently, it was featured on an episode of 'The Best Thing I Ever Ate'. Enough said. Added bonus- there are other locations in southern California, as well as one in Las Vegas!) Since then, I have also tried (and found equally good) The Angry Crab near Phoenix, Stinkin' Crawfish (don't you love the names?) in Downey, CA, and The Big Catch in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. (One thing I really like about this place is that you have the option of ordering the shrimp already peeled. This definitely makes it easier to eat, plus you don't have to deal with the awkwardness of having your meal stare back at you.)
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| Might not be for the faint of heart! |
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| Lemon Butter Lobster (no bag) |
Hopefully you now understand why I am obsessed with this new dining concept and are ready to give it a try. I wouldn't exactly recommend bringing someone here on a first date or anything, but then again, who knows, maybe it actually would be a good idea. I mean, what better way to get to know someone then by watching them eat seafood with their hands? Hmm... food for thought. (I know, that was a TERRIBLE pun.) On that note, I will sign off. However, if you know of any other places like this you'd like to recommend, feel free to let me know in the comments section below. I am always looking for more places to try. Until next time, bon appétit!
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| Don't forget to sign the wall! |
