Here are the 10 delicious preparations of soft-shell crabs in alphabetical order that appeared on my blog at baltimoresun.com/diningatlarge. They are not always on the menu; check before you go.
1
Asian, French and Baltimore-inspired crab cake and tempura soft crab finished with wasabi cream at Alizee in Tuscany/Canterbury.
2
Dusted with flour and Old Bay rub (contains a little brown sugar) and sauteed, finished with basil aioli at Annabel Lee Tavern in Canton.
3
Lightly tempura fried or sauteed with a Creole mustard drizzle at Catonsville Gourmet in Catonsville.
4
Grilled soft shells served with tomato and corn relish or crunchy (fried) polenta at Chameleon Cafe in Lauraville.
5
Lightly deep fried or pan fried to make it crispy and golden with an Old Bay and mustard hollandaise at La Famiglia in Tuscany/Canterbury.
6
Tempura soft crabs with succotash of sweet corn and butter beans and charred heirloom tomato emulsion at Ixia in Mount Vernon.
7
A great soft-shell crab sandwich can be had at Kibby's on Wilkins Avenue across from St. Agnes Hospital.
8
Crispy fried soft-shell crabs with a choice of chili, basil, garlic sauce or black bean, mushroom, ginger sauce at Lemongrass in Annapolis.
9
Panko-crusted deep-fried with an arugula-frisee salad with a lemon vinaigrette is one of several varieties at the Oceanaire Seafood Room in Harbor East.
10
Dipped in corn flour, pan-fried and served with a whole-grain mustard sauce and angel-hair zucchini at the Oregon Grille in Cockeysville.
Readers talk back
I've only tried softshell crabs once, and was incredibly un-impressed. I think I'll pick from this list for my next try... always try something twice.
Posted by: NEPA
The Oregon Grille "Whole Grain Mustard Sauce" is really a whole Grain Mustard and Scallion Burre Blanc, its buttery goodness...delicious.
Posted by: yum
Not a big fan of softshell crabs myself, but my source says Thai Landing has a killer version that customers cannot have enough of.
Posted by: Dan D
Eh, I've never been a fan of soft crabs. Partially because I don't really want to eat all those legs, and partially because of the "mustard." (Which is actually the crab's hepatopancreas- and I traffic in organ goo even less than organ meat.)
Posted by: TwoToedSloth
Perhaps some suggestions for where to find a lightly dusted with flour, sauteed in butter till crisp, soft crab on the Eastern Shore? Why, O why can't these folks, here, on MES learn to do seafood the way it should be done??? It's such a shame to deep fry a soft crab in batter. The delicate flavor disappears completely.
Posted by: Evelyn Orsini
The "mustard" is the best part of the soft crab.
Posted by: NotableM
