Pickin' the best steamed blue crab

Steamed blue crabs could be the signature dish of our region. A summertime crab feast is just part of growing up around the Chesapeake Bay. 

When we asked readers to nominate the best places to pick crabs, we got just a few names. Not surprising, since crab pickin’ is mostly a backyard affair. But bushels of readers wanted to be testers. Six clawed their way onto our testing panel with outstanding crab-picking pedigrees.

On a recent sunny Sunday, they sampled crabs at the three most-nominated restaurants. Here’s what they found:

CHICK'S OYSTER BAR

THE QUEST for the best steamed blues starts at Chick's Oyster Bar, perched at the water's edge in Virginia Beach. At 1 p.m. on this summery Sunday, the Bloody Mary bar is still drawing a crowd, but there's plenty of seating at the indoor bars and dining rooms and the covered and uncovered decks that overlook Lynnhaven Inlet.

Locals love the place, judging from the crowd. And so do big-city restaurant critics. Chick's crabs got good reviews a couple of years back in The New York Times.

We request a table on the water and are shown to a couple of picnic tables on the uncovered deck. It's a sunglasses situation, and some of us want to catch those rays. A slice of shade on one bench accommodates those who don't. The gulls are gliding, the boats bobbing, the water glistening, which all boost the atmosphere scores.

The crabs arrive piled on round service trays not too long after being ordered. A few lemon wedges scattered on top speared with red plastic picking utensils complete the plate.

Testers like the crabs' color - a sort of sunset red - but lament that there is very little seasoning on the outside and just a faint aroma of spice to tantalize their taste buds. Appearance/aroma/atmosphere scores hover around average.

Chick's serves No. 1 jimmies right from the Lynnhaven River. It doesn't get more local than that. Ours hover at about 6 inches point-to-point across the shell. Most testers award above-average scores for size, although most think the crabs should have been meatier.

Chick's falters a bit in the seasoning/taste category. The spicing is Old Bay, but testers find the crabs too lightly seasoned for their tastes. Player Butler praises the tall can of Old Bay seasoning on the table. The testers also think some of the crabs are overcooked, yielding meat that is "mushy" and hard to pull from the shell.

Eating steamed crabs is a ritual that requires the proper tools: crackers, wooden mallets (one per table here), plenty of paper towels, a place for the shells. Check, check, check and check, the latter being a shiny metal bucket that looks nice on the table.

"All I need is my hands and melted butter," Jason Brown says.

To dip, Chick's offers melted margarine rather than butter, costing a couple of points. Testers would also prefer that the table be covered in white paper or newspaper, rather than with 10-inch Styrofoam plates that they call "confining."

"I'm not sure how to crack crabs on a plate," Player says.

On this day, steamed crabs are $40 a dozen. Value scores hover in the average to slightly below average range, as testers compare the price to take-out. Could restaurant crabs for restaurant prices please this group of diehards?

DOCKSIDE INN

This is the first time we've had side-by-side restaurants on our roster for The Pilot's Taste Test. Dockside is just the next dock up from Chick's, and judging from the number of nominations, it too boasts a loyal clientele.

Dockside is actually three businesses in one: a seafood market, a charter-boat business and a restaurant. We walk through the market to the restaurant, where a cheery hostess immediately begins prepping a table in a large dining room with ceiling fans and big open windows facing the Lynnhaven. Just like next door, Dockside is also steeped in nautical decor with blond wood walls sporting gamefish, and open-air seating on a deck.

Soon after taking the order for steamed crabs, the waitress starts setting us up. First, she unfurls thick white paper onto the table, making sure to cover the entire surface. She sets baskets of mallets, crackers, cocktail forks and a pile of napkins on the table. Then, she brings out paper grocery bags, stuffs them inside plastic bags, rolls back the tops to fashion makeshift trash cans and sets those around the table.

The crabs arrive shortly thereafter in two neat rows on aqua-colored cafeteria trays with a generous amount of seasoning on top. A few lemon quarters and plastic cups of melted butter complete the dish.

Scores for appearance/aroma/atmosphere put Dockside ahead in that category.

Dockside also serves No. 1 jimmies right from the Lynnhaven, but these crabs consistently measure about 7 inches from point to point.

"And they're just full of meat," David Braithwaite says.

Scores for size are way above average, giving the restaurant a comfortable lead in this category as well.

Dockside uses J.O. Brand Seafood Seasoning on its steamed crabs, and it's a big hit with our panel. Player already knows about the spice; she occasionally picks up a pound to season crabs from her own pots.

There is plenty of it, too, but the waitress offers even more. By this time, testers are silently picking crabs, bragging a bit by holding up particularly large pieces of backfin, sucking seasoning from their fingers and occasionally offering up an "mmmmm."

Halfway through, Yvette M. Boone's nose is running and her fingers wrinkling, indicating that she's nearing crab-pickin' nirvana.

Testers love the sweet meat that slides easily from the shells and the J.O. seasoning. "A nice alternative to Old Bay," Player says.And so Dockside racks up a round of perfect and near-perfect scores for seasoning/taste. The score for accoutrements follows suit.

Dockside also enjoys high scores for value. On this day, crabs are $35.99 a dozen.

"A great value," Jason says. "Meaty crabs, fun staff, good beer, good view, and I left here smelling like a seasoned crab! That's a good thing."

SOUTH END PUB

Somehow, the same New York Times critic that cracked crabs at Chick's Oyster Bar found his way to this dusty little bar and eatery several blocks from the Oceanfront strip. The big-city critic advised that epicures willing to forgo atmosphere for "ne plus ultra" crabs should venture here.

We already knew that some mighty tasty crabs come out of this kitchen; the restaurant ranked third in our fried soft-shell crab test a couple of summers back. Like Dockside, it sports its very own attached seafood market.

The place has been prettied up a bit since our last visit. Potted pansies cheer up the entrance, and a fake ficus tree greens up the dining room, but wires still dangle from the ceiling and the paint looks worn. A faint whiff of smoke drifts over from the bar.

"There really isn't any atmosphere," Virginia Watson observes. "I wouldn't just stop by if the place hadn't been recommended."

After a bit of a wait, our server arrives and says that only jumbo crabs can be ordered by the dozen. The others are for the $19.99 all-you-can-eat special. OK. Bring us some jumbos.

"I want to be scared of them when they come to the table," Jason says.

The menu here notes that it takes about 25 minutes to steam crabs and recommends relaxing with a cold drink. The waitress warns it will take even longer for the jumbos to steam and returns several times with apologies and updates that it would be 15 minutes longer, or eight. She's nice as can be but confesses that it's her first day on the job.

The crabs finally arrive 40 minutes after being ordered, lined up, belly up on an oblong, paper-lined tray, a generous sprinkling of seasoning on top and that unmistakable aroma of just-cooked crab. They are big, and they are heavy. First-round scores for appearance/aroma/atmosphere range from average to slightly above.

"True jumbos!" Player says.

At this point, pieces of thick white paper are brought out, but they don't completely cover the tables like they should. And only after the crabs are served do wooden mallets arrive. No crackers here - owner Geoff Osteen says that they "walk out of the place." Butter knives will have to do for all but Player, who always brings her own pickin' tools when eating crabs away from home.

We are served cups of melted butter - actually an 80:20 butter/margarine blend, which is not a favorite with the panel. All of this leads to a third-place finish in the accoutrements category.

But what about those big, dense crabs? They come from Back Bay and the Chesapeake Bay. Our testers know what a jumbo should look like, and these fare well above average in the size category.

"Perfect size," Yvette says. "And meaty!"

But each of our two trays contains a sook, or female crab. Osteen later says that was the kitchen's mistake - it should have been just jumbo jimmies - and immediately offers to make it right. He also says that No. 1 or No. 2 jimmies can be ordered by the dozen.

Sooks aside, testers are enjoying the sweet taste of the meat and how the crab fairly falls from the shells. South End steams the crabs with beer and uses a combination of J.O. Brand Seafood Seasoning and a custom seasoning blend from Old Dominion Spice Co. in Ashland. It's salty and spicy and has a hint of celery. Cooked just right, testers agree. And they love the spice. Scores for seasoning/taste are just one point shy of Dockside.

With just one category to go - value - South End looks like the second-place contender. So when judging value, our shrewd testers start asking themselves this question: Is the $55 a dozen price worth the difference compared to the $36 dozen at Dockside? While they like the taste and size, all rank South End second for value, and second overall.

Dockside Inn clenches first with a comfortable lead.

THE ROUND UP

Our winner!

DOCKSIDE INN
3311 Shore Drive at Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach
(757) 481-4545

Price: Market price, but during our visit $35.99 per dozen #1 jimmies

What they said:
“Medium-size, but meaty. I am used to big jimmies, but these gave the best jimmie a run for his money.” – Jason Brown

“Love the atmosphere on the water with boats going by. You can sit inside and still feel like you are outside.” – Player Butler

 “The seasoning was top notch, better than Old Bay, and plenty of it. It made my nose run and my fingers started to wrinkle – which is always a good sign.”  – Yvette M. Boone

“I will definitely come here again.” – Virginia Watson 

The others:

SOUTH END PUB
1706 Mediterranean Ave., Virginia Beach
(757) 428-4844

Price:  Market price, but during our visit, $59.99 per dozen jumbo jimmies; $44.99 per dozen #1 jimmies; $22.99 per dozen #2 jimmies; and $19.99 for all-you-can-eat #2 and female crabs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What they said:
“Medium seasoning that worked. The crabs were so juicy that you could see the juice inside. Very easy to pick; the meat practically fell out of the crab once opened. Mmmmmm!” – Jason

“Small out-of-the way place you may miss just driving by. More bar and pub than restaurant, but these were true jumbos, steamed just right.” – Player

“Pretty pricey, but well worth the money. I would pay, but only for a special occasion and only for company.” – Yvette

CHICK'S OYSTER BAR
2143 Vista Circle at Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach
(757) 481-5757

Price: Market price, but on the day of our visit $40 per dozen #1 jimmies

What they said:
“The seasoning here is mostly on the outside.” – Yvette

“Very little seasoning. When you pick up a crab, seasoning should be caked on your fingers. . . Some crabs were overcooked.” – Jason

“Not huge, but nice color and the smell of Old Bay.” – David Braithwaite

“Everything we needed was provided as soon as the crabs came. The waitress was pleasant and I liked being able to sit on the deck and watch the boats go by.” – Virginia

ABOUT THE SCORING:  Steamed crabs were scored in five categories: appearance and aroma of the crabs and atmosphere of the restaurant; size; seasoning/taste; accoutrements; and value. Testers' scores were added and averaged to arrive at the final scores.

THE NOMINIEES:

Multiple locations
The Oysterette Restaurant & Raw Bar (available Tuesdays in Chesapeake, Wednesdays in Suffolk)

Norfolk
Willoughby Inn Seafood Restaurant

Portsmouth
Clayton’s Restaurant

Suffolk
Bennett’s Creek Restaurant & Marina

Virginia Beach
Bubba’s Crabhouse and Seafood Restaurant
Chick’s Oyster Bar
Dockside Inn
Margie & Ray’s Restaurant
Pungo Grill
Virginia Beach Seafood Market & South End Pub
 
Elsewhere
Mackey’s Crab Bar & Grille, Mackeys, N.C.
Morris’ Crab and Seafood Market, Edenton, N.C.
Upper Deck Restaurant & Lounge, Pocomoke City, Md.

THE JUDGES

Jason Brown
27, Virginia Beach
Occupation: VDOT Traffic Management Center control room operator
Nominated: The blues my mother and I steam are the best. They have the right amount of beer, Old Bay, vinegar and some extra spices that separate our World Famous Blues from the rest. But if I were lazy, then K & B Seafood in Virginia Beach would be the place to be.
On steamed crabs: “Straight from Similac to blue crabs. Since the age of 4 my mother taught us how to pick crabs. She always gave us the plentiful back fin portion, mmmmm. How she hated doing all the work while we just grabbed the crabmeat and ran for our lives . . . after dipping it in some butter or sauce, of course!”

Player Butler
39, Virginia Beach
Occupation: Paralegal
Nominated: My favorite place to crack crabs is on my deck overlooking the Lynnhaven River after I have just pulled them out of my traps.
On steamed crabs: “I spent my summers as a child crabbing off a dock in Scott’s Creek in Portsmouth. Every day I would come home with crabs and beg my mother to steam them for me. She eventually made me have a quota of at least six jimmies that had to be the size of my hand before she would go to the trouble.”

Yvette M. Boone
39, Portsmouth
Occupation: Software developer and Web site designer, Norfolk State University
Nominated: Clayton’s Restaurant for eating out, and S & J Seafood for cooking at home, both in Portsmouth
On steamed crabs: “On Fridays, I create the perfect little setup with hot or cold steamed blue crabs, dipping sauce, cookie sheet, paper towels and a tall cup of sweet, lemon tea . . . and I get cracking. It’s the highlight of my week.”

David Braithwaite
51, Virginia Beach
Occupation: Self-employed, former captain of Pieces of Eight pirate ship
Nominated: Chick’s Oyster Bar, Virginia Beach
On steamed crabs: “I like the time it takes for the reward: the sweet meat. You never really get full because of the time it takes and eventually you tire from the work involved.”

Virginia Watson
62, Chesapeake
Occupation: Retired civil service contract specialist
Nominated: Clayton’s Restaurant, Portsmouth
On steamed crabs: “I started picking crabs in my backyard with my father when I was 5 years old. Even though he wasn’t a drinker, he thought you should have beer with the crabs. So we would pick crabs and I’d drink my half a jelly glass full of beer.”

NEXT TEST: FRIED SHRIMP

We liked the crab so much we decided to stick with seafood for our July taste test. Know of a restaurant that fries 'em just right?

Know of a restaurant that fries 'em just right? Let us know the name of the restaurant and the city where it is located.

Want to be a tester? Tell us why and be sure to include your name, age, city of residence and contact information, including an e-mail address if you have one.

Leave nominations (one vote per person, please!) and tester applications on our taste test line at (757) 446-2334 or send to tastetest@pilotonline.com.

Lorraine Eaton, (757) 446-2697,lorraine.eaton@pilotonline.com