The Crab Shell in
Stamford, Connecticut, has its share of beer and babes, but there's
still room for families.
By Malerie Yolen-Cohen
A party is in full
swing when we get to the Crab Shell a few minutes after seven on a
summer Thursday night. The patio is thick with six-packs - the
abdominal and Budweiser varieties - and well-toned twentysomethings
winding down from a day at the office. No one seems too interested
in the boats hovering in the West Branch of Stamford Harbor for
temporary slips. The sun is setting, the throng is thronging and as
far as the carousers are concerned, the yachts can wait all night.
Mom gives me her "What are we doing here?" look as I grab my kid's hands and barrel
through five bouncers and assorted revelers. I have wonderful Crab
Shell memories of Ben and Jacob, now prepubescent, dancing to mellow
calypso music on Sunday nights when they were still wearing toddler
shoes. It seems the Crab Shell is growing up, too. Bands like
One-Eyed Cat, Bad Dog and Live Bone play Thursday through Sunday
evenings. Big guys you don't want to meet in an alley wear black
T-shirts emblazoned with Rock the Dock.
Amid the ruckus and
letting loose, I'm pleased to say, there is still room for an
extended family group of seven to gently sway the dock. That is, if
we keep away from the Crab Shack, the outdoor bar adjacent to the
restaurant on Stamford Landing Dock. Away from the bar, which
attracts a party like a cliff does lemmings, there are 50 outside
tables. The closer the table to the restaurant building, the older
the patron. We chose a large table inside, where it was quiet enough
to talk, with tables beside picture windows that overlook the creek
and parking lot.
It seems that one's
position on the premises dictates dress code. Outside,
everything - khakis, baseball caps, tattoos, bikini tops - is
acceptable. Inside, sweater sets and Oxford shirts rule. Wait staff
wear Crab Shell T-shirts in one of fifteen colors. Black and
lime-green appear to be the most popular.
Our waitress, Sonya,
has been on staff for 12 years, almost since the place opened in
1989. "This is really our big season, May through October, though
the Crab Shell is open all year," she explains. Five managers
supervise everything from Crab Shell diners to Crab Shack drinkers.
The restaurant's dockmaster - a headset-wearing force of
charisma - seems to have a rock-star status of his own.
"Where's your Rock the
Dock shirt?" I ask him.
"They're making a special one for me
- The Dock God," he humbly
replies. "The New York Times called me Ebony Thunder."
"Sounds like a porn name," I say, laughing, absorbing chutzpah from
the atmosphere. Mr. Thunder informs me that the Crab Shell's dock
normally accommodates 11 moderate-size boats, but he's been "known
to work wonders to fit 26 vessels in a pinch." On this night, there
are boats from Harrison, New York, and Greenwich, Connecticut - with
more New Yorkers ready to tie up. A yuppie jumps off his more than
moderate-size 60-or-so-foot yacht from Huntington, Long Island,
after arriving with a fleet of four other boats (three are vroomy
Cigarettes). His kids stay onboard with the nanny while he and his
wife join the party ashore. For some in the Huntington group, this
is a Thursday night ritual.
Back inside, my family's food has arrived. It is, in a word, decent.
Standard fried seafood, a nice but uninspired pan-seared tuna and
stuffed sole with lobster sauce are some signature dishes.
"Tell them the portions are extremely
generous," says my mom, who
knows a thing or two about filling a plate.
A starter family-style gorgonzola salad is delicious and tasty,
particularly if you love heaps of bleu cheese. Our five adults
polish off the huge wooden bowl's contents in less than 15 minutes.
Jacob, age 11, orders a yummy creamy/chunky New England clam
chowder - a big-bowl bargain at $4. Thirteen-year-old Ben wolfs down
shrimp cocktail with seven large shrimp that arrive snappy and
fresh. "And Mom," he exclaims, "I love the horseradish sauce!" I get
a generously portioned plate of Cape May clam strips, lightly
battered and crispy. Perfect for my taste. I pass on the
mayo-drenched coleslaw.
A kid's menu offering pasta, clam strips, and fish and chips ($8
includes beverage and ice cream) indicates that children are catered
to here. Mine are happy to help taste-test the ooey-gooey
Mississippi mud cake, which is so good I almost ask for another.
But our meal is winding down and the party outside is cranking
up-and moving indoors. A scantily clad Barbie-dimensioned woman hops
from one hunky lap to another at the table next to ours.
Dark now, outdoor scenery has transitioned into a scene. It's
Stamford, it's the waterfront and it's summer. For the Crab Shell
crowd, there's no better combination.
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Contact Us
Restaurant Information
Crab Shell Restaurant
46 Southfield Avenue
Stamford, Connecticut 06902
(203) 967-7229, www.crabshell.com, VHF Channel 9
Open Seven days. Closed on Sundays from December-March.
Hours Restaurant, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (10 p.m. during winter).
Bar, 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.
Cuisine Mostly seafood; some pasta, steak and chicken.
Entree price range $13-$20
Liquor Full bar
Reservations In winter months only, for parties of six or more.
Dress Casual
Outdoor dining Yes
Water views Yes
Delivery Yes
Delivery to boats Yes
Dockage 11 spots. $10 fee during lunch, $15 after 4 p.m.
Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, Diner's Club and American Express
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