Have you ever been asked the question "If you could have one final meal, what would it be"? Some might go for a juicy filet prepared medium rare with an herbed garlic butter. Others might go the sweet route and indulge in the ultimate chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge. For me, the answer is easy - CRAB LEGS! I remember the first time I tasted crab legs. I was about six and my family was dining at Red Lobster (this was back in the 80's when RL was actually known for good seafood). My dad pulled out a piece of that sweet bright colored meat and dipped it in the warm golden butter. The taste was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was sweet, but somehow savory. It had a rich taste that just melted in your mouth. It was an explosion of flavor that to this day I find myself stumbling to explain because I get so overwhelmed with utter joy.
With my extreme passion for crab, it was no surprise that my husband "surprised" me with reservations for our three year anniversary at one of my favorite seafood restaurants in the city, Devon. Devon Seafood has a trendy ambiance and modern feel. The upstairs is welcoming with a contemporary style bar and tables for light dining, however, downstairs is where the real magic happens. The white linen table cloth surrounded by a dim glow from the candles provides the perfect setting for pure indulgence.
Upon arriving at our table we were immediately greeted with warm biscuits and honey butter. Erase everything in your mind that you know about a biscuit. These are one of a kind and don't taste like any other biscuit I have ever had. The outside is crisp and has a pastry like flavor, but inside the biscuit is soft, fluffy and warm. Broken in half and spread with honey butter, it's the perfect start to get my taste buds going. We passed on salads and went straight for the lobster bisque. Growing up on the east coast, lobster bisque was an easy luxury to find. Here in the midwest however, coming across good (and I mean REALLY GOOD) lobster bisque is about as common as finding a celebrity with morals. I have to hand it to Devon, they have the texture and the flavor down to an art. While I prefer to have a lump of lobster in each bite, the lobster bisque did not leave me longing for anything. It was creamy and velvety in texture. The lobster was UBER tender and went down easily with each bite. It was heaven.
Now, onto the main event. For the main course I ordered crab legs (obviously) with grilled artichokes and garlic mashed potatoes. There is something about watching those bright colored shells piled high on a plate coming towards your table. My heart literally starts pounding at the very thought of it. The crab legs are served pre-cracked, but not so much that you don't have to put in a little work to get the meat out. And for me, part of the indulgence is having the satisfaction of cracking the remaining shell and pulling out the perfect piece of meat. I like to get my hands a little dirty and dig in. The crab was perfectly tender and steaming hot. The meat in the legs, as well as the claw, had the rich savory flavor I long for. The butter had been skimmed of the milk fats and provided the most satisfying golden dunking pleasure. It was an absolute melt in your mouth experience.
The side items definitely deserve an honorable mention. It's hard for a side item to stand up against crab legs. Let's face it, it's like trying to compare Zac Galifianakis to Bradley Cooper. While Zac is incredibly funny, it's just unfair to put him in the same category as Bradley Cooper. The garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and whipped into perfection with an abundance of garlic flavor. The artichokes were fresh and served along side a lemon garlic aioli that completed the smoky flavor of the grill. Each petal provided perfectly soft meat that was flavored with just a bit of garlic, salt and pepper. The sides win the award for best supporting role, but nothing is better than the leading character.
Devon did not disappoint in the least. It exceeded my crab expectations on all fronts. If you are as passionate about crab as I am, you must experience the pleasures of dining at Devon for yourself.
Happy Cracking!!
http://www.devonseafood.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment