Anyone else notice a seafood boil craze going on? In White Plains there are three restaurants (Holy Crab, Cajun Boil and The King Crab) sporting similar menus within blocks of each other, the latter of which recently opened in September.
Plus anew place– Sailors Seafood in Elmsford – offers many of the same Louisiana-style saucy optionswhich you'll also findat thenot-yet-1-year-old Captain Crab in the nearby town of Hartsdale.And, there are two spots featuringCajun seafood boilsin Rockland.
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At each, you'll finda nautical theme complete with lots of accoutrements to keep the mess to a minimum. That meansbibs,plastic gloves andtools to crack shells and extract meat.
Entrees are served direct to your table (or via takeout)in steaming bags dripping with fragrant shellfish bathed in buttery sauces – no plates here. TheseCajun-inspiredseafood boils, often served family-style, include a choice of crab, clams, shrimp, mussels, crawfish and lobster(usually sold by the pound), corn on the cob, potatoes, and, in some casesadd-ons like sausage or quail eggs.With each, you pick your own spice level for the sauce.
Kevin Duong,co-founder and director of marketing at Shaking Crab in Nanuet, attributes the interestto"no-judgment eating." He added,"It's an experience where it's okay to make a mess and just be in the moment without your phone constantly by your side."
Sowhere can you go where it feels like New Orleans all year long? Check out the following, keeping in mind most now offer indoor dining only (no outdoor), along with takeout and delivery.
Westchester
Cajun Boil, White Plains
What had been Asian Legendat City Center in White Plains is now, as of mid-August, a seafood restaurant serving seafood boils full ofcrawfish, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, Dungeness crab legs and scallops. Pick your seafood, choose your sauce and select a spice level. There are other entrees,including salmon,steakand fried oysters, as well as Hibachi fried rice,noodles andsushi.
Go:23AMamaroneck Ave., 914-499-6839,cajunboilny.com.
Captain Crab, Hartsdale
When you're hungry, this Cajun spot, open since December 2019, has all that you need including "Hangry,""Very Hangry" and "Hangry feast" combos featuring potatoes, sausages, corn and a host of seafood such as mussels, clams, crawfish, shrimp, blue crab, snow crab and lobster tails. Also on the menu are gumbo, po'boy sandwiches, oysters and more, including a long list of fried seafood.
Go:149 S. Central Ave., 914-368-8818,captaincrabny.com.
Holy Crab Cajun Seafood, White Plains
A host of sauces await you atHoly Crab – garlic butter, lemon pepper, Cajun and the Holy Crab special– at this New Orleans-style seafood extravaganza, open since January 2017. Along with its popular seafood boil, which the menu is based on, there's other Cajun specialties such as fried catfish, jambalayaand crabcakes.
Go: 32 Mamaroneck Ave., 914-948-3888,holycrabny.com
Sailors Seafood and Bar, Elmsford
This newcomer, open since Oct. 2, has a playfulness that's apparent from its menu which invites you to "Get Your Hands Dirty." The menu is laid out in steps, with number one being pick your seafood and number two being about"Throw in the sauce," which ranges from not spicy to extra hot.
Manager Christian Torres said the restaurant wants to be a part of the community. To that end, there's a 15% dine-in discount for veterans (active or retired) and "hometown heroes" (police officers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, teachers or first responders); just be sure to ask for it andshow ID.
Go:210 Saw Mill River Road,914-909-2920,sailorsseafood.com
The King Crab, White Plains
Classic Louisiana home cooking usingCajun and Creole influences are mixed into the menu at the King Crab,opensince Sept. 8. This is the family-owned chain's eighth location and the first one in Westchester.
Walking into the restaurant, you're immediately struck by the set-up: White paper on every table complete with a bucket filled with a bag to make it easy to discard your mess.General Manager Jenny Zhang saidtheir commitment to diners, as well as to the quality and freshness of their food, is what makes them special. Snow crab, King crab (natch!), crawfish, calamari, lobster, clams and shrimp are part of the pickings should you opt for the seafood boil,along with seasonings such asCajun, lemon pepper, garlic butterand Juicy Special, which is a combination of all three. The restaurant also has a large variety of fried seafood,po'boy sandwiches and wings.
Go:250 Main St., second floor,914-848-4038,thekingcrab98.com
Rockland
AJ’S Sushi & Cajun Seafood, Suffern
A crab holding sushi is the logo here, telling you all you need to know: Both are readily available here. Choose the Louisiana-style seafood option where you can opt for shrimp, mussels, oysters, crawfish and the like, along with the usual saucesof lemon pepper, garlic butter, Cajun or a mixture of all three.
Go:8 N. Airmont Road, 845-547-2326,ajsushiandseafood.com
Shaking Crab, Nanuet
The motto at Shaking Crab, which has14 locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts,is "Bibs Up, Phones Down.It's Shaking Time."Co-founder Duong said its the energy of the place that makes dining so fun. Plus, you can'tuse your phones when your hands are drenched in Shaking sauce. The restaurant, open sinceJan. 28, features more sauces than many of the other places, including Envie (cilantro lime), Diablo (spicy tomato), Seoul (sweet chili miso) as well as their classic house Cajun and butter and garlic.
Go:114 E. Route 59, 845-215-9350,shakingcrab.com/nanuet
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram@lohud_food. Got a food lead? Email jmuchnick@lohud.com.
