There's a new name to add to the already plentiful list of Corner eateries -- The Crab.
Located across from the Biltmore Grill on Elliewood Avenue, The Crab specializes in seafood, the one type of food that has been overlooked and underrepresented in the University community.
The mural painted on the outside wall, which depicts a sandy beach and scurrying crab, summarizes the casual atmosphere that diners experience at The Crab. The other paintings and the nicely situated fireplace make The Crab a rather cozy dining spot.
Despite the tightly packed tables indoors, space is not a problem. The Crab provides wooden benches in a sheltered outdoor area, presenting a perfect setting for eating outside on a still, warm autumn night. The quaint setting is very similar to that of Martha's Cafe, which is located right next door.
After seating their customers, the servers quickly bring out a plate of warm, complementary hushpuppies -- a must-have at any seafood establishment.
If the rest of the appetizers are anything similar to their bucket of steamers, consisting of 18 steamed little-neck clams ($8.95), The Crab has done its job extremely well.
These well-sized clams, served in a chic metal bucket, were extremely moist, fresh and spiced just right. With a touch of lemon and butter sauce, the clams made a fantastic precursor to the main course.
Other appetizers included steamed spiced shrimp (half, $9.95 or one pound $17.95), steamed oysters (half, $5.95 or one dozen, $11.95), oysters in the raw (half, $4.95 or one dozen, $9.95) and a crab dip ($9.95) served with baguette slices.
The salads were fairly typical, lacking any original options or blends, except for the crab salad ($8.95). The clam chowder ($2.95) could be improved; it was rather thin and lacked the rich flavor that is characteristic of New England's namesake pre-dinner nosh.
The rest of the menu followed suit with standard dishes -- exactly what one might expect at a typical seafood restaurant.
The Crab is ideal for all types of diners. Whether you are in search of a cheap, quick bite to eat or a bigger, more substantial entree, all can be accommodated quite easily.
For the low budget spender, there are a variety of sandwiches and basket meals available. After conversing with the next table, I found out the soft-shell crab sandwich ($8.95) and crab cake sandwich ($8.95) routinely earn top marks for taste.
Also available are fried shrimp ($7.95) and fried oyster baskets ($7.95), which can be combined to experience the best of both worlds.
If looking for the true seafood experience, The Crab's got you covered. True to its name, The Crab serves soft-shell, snow crab legs (both at market price), crab cakes ($16.95) and even a catch of the day (market price), all freshly delivered from the northern neck of Virginia. For a combination of seafood and pasta, there's the clam linguine ($14.95), mussels marinara ($12.95) and the shrimp and scallop fettuccine (15.95). While the crab cakes could have had more flavor, their consistency was just right and they did not contain too much filling. The mussels marinara consisted of steamed mussels on a bed of flat noodle pasta, topped with marinara sauce. While the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, the mussels were on the dry side.
The prices you might expect to pay at The Crab are similar to that of the Biltmore, maybe a little pricier. Appetizers range from $6 to $12, sandwiches from $7 to $9, basket meals from $6 to $8 and entrees from $10 to $17.
As a new entrant to the restaurant market here in Charlottesville as of last week, a few minor kinks still exist in both the appearance and menu.
Once fully operational, The Crab will be a cozy, fun place to visit when in the mood for seafood or something just a bit off the normal Corner Meal Plan fare. Although the food is mediocre compared to high-quality East Coast establishments, The Crab might just become a seafood lover's new home.
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