SHELL OF A TIME
THREE NEWLY OPENED CRAB BOIL RESTAURANTS MAKE NORTH COUNTY THE PLACE TO BE FOR CRUSTACEAN-LOVERS
Crab season kicks off this month, and three newly opened North County restaurants offer fresh ways for diners to indulge their crab passions without having to trap the crustaceans themselves. On Sept. 11, The Surfing Crab opened in the former Macaroni Grill building at Westfield North County mall in Escondido. In July, Tennessee-based Crab Fever opened an express version of its restaurant in the former Champion’s Diner in downtown Escondido. And in June, Orange County’s The Boiling Crab opened its second San Diego County location in the former Slater’s 50/50 building in San Marcos. They join the previously established Crab Pub and Joe’s Crab Shack, both in Oceanside.
These restaurants serve shellfish in different preparations, but their specialty is the traditional crab boil, which originated in
Canada in the 1700s but took on a Cajun flair when it arrived in Louisiana in the 1800s.
For those uninitiated with the get-your-hands-dirty crab boil tradition, here’s how it works. Shell-on seafood is steamed in a plastic bag filled with cooked cobs of corn, yellow and new potatoes and sliced sausage in a buttery and spicy broth of the customer’s choice. Diners use their hands and tools like a crab shell cracker or crab pick to de-shell the seafood on a table covered with butcher paper. Because of the mess, most restaurants serve their boils with moist towelettes, paper towels and disposable plastic bibs. Pricing is based on the size of the order and variety of seafood, which is sold by the quarter- or half-pound.
A typical crab boil includes a mix of other shellfish — shrimp, mussels, clams and lobster — and can feed from two to six people. Pricing starts around $25.
Here’s a look at North County’s newest crab spots.
The Surfing Crab, Escondido
This Cajun seafood boil and bar chain, which has eight locations in Texas, opened its first out-of-state location in Escondido last week. Unlike some crab boil spots, Surfing Crab splits the shell and deveins its shrimp, but getting the meat out of the crawfish and crabs takes effort. Diners can choose their spice level (from mild to fire) and their choice of seasoning flavor, including Cajun, garlic butter, lemon pepper, Old Bay & garlic, or the Surfing Special (all of the above combined, which I recommend). For those not up to the task of eating with their hands, Surfing Crab also offers fried seafood and a variety of Chinese noodle dishes and classic entrees, like orange chicken or beef with broccoli. 202 E. Via Rancho Parkway, Westfield North County mall, Escondido. (760) 270-2551, surfingcrabtx.com
The Boiling Crab, San Marcos
Founded in Garden Grove in 2004 by married restaurateurs Dada Ngo and Sinh Nguyen, this chain has nearly 30 locations worldwide, including an 11-year-old spot in Mira Mesa. Boil-buyers can choose from four varieties of crab, lobster, shrimp, crawfish, oysters, clams and mussels. There are four sauces (Cajun, lemon pepper, garlic sauce or The Whole Sha-Bang!) and spice levels (from non-spicy to XXX). There’s also fried catfish and shrimp, hot wings and chicken tenders, plus extras like gumbo, chowder and sweet potato fries. 110 Knoll Road, San Marcos. (760) 300-3043, theboilingcrab.com
Crab Fever Express, Escondido
While Crab Fever customers can enjoy a boil, this restaurant’s menu offers a much wider selection than other spots, including several pasta entrees, lobster, shrimp and crab roll sandwiches, gumbo, teriyaki beef, shrimp and chicken dishes, and fried items. The boils feature snow crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, clams, lobster and New Zealand mussels with choice of Cajun, lemon pepper, garlic butter or Fever Signature Sauce. The new Escondido location is smaller and more quick-service-oriented than the full-service Crab Fever outlet that opened in 2017 in National City. 117 W. Grand Ave., Escondido. (442) 277-4330, crabfeverexpress.com
Crab Pub, Oceanside
This San Diego-based, Louisiana-inspired crab boil chain opened its Oceanside location in fall 2022. It also has locations in Bonita and El Cajon. Crab Pubs offer Cajun-style food with an Asian twist. Besides boils, there are raw and grilled oysters, po’boy sandwiches, pastas and soba drinks. 3766 Mission Ave. No. 111, Oceanside. crabpub.com
Joe’s Crab Shack, Oceanside
This longtime Oceanside Harbor restaurant has a sister location behind the San Diego Convention Center. The national chain serves boils as well as a wide menu of seafood and American comfort fare. The boils and “steampots” offer choice of crab, shrimp, mussels, clams and lobster claws with a choice of seven sauces, including barbecue and Old Bay. 314 Harbor Drive, Oceanside. (760) 722-1345, joescrabshack.com