Yes, many of us love turkey and fixings, and although this author would easily enjoy it weekly, it does pay to cleanse the palate of gobbler now and then. And what better way than unlimited seafood at a reasonable price point?
Fran’s take on the concept were Dungeness crabs that looked like they had been boiled whole, hacked in half, quick-baked, then tossed onto a platter with butter, lemons, and a side dish for show. For those uninitiated, Dungeness legs are smaller than their King Crab cousins, less salty, slightly sweeter with less of that ‘ocean’ taste, and about as tender. Yes, they’re a little more work, but not as much as snow crab and it’s totally worth it…plus, we were provided a huge metal beach bucket in which to toss the empties, which was fun. The salads were typical Italian restaurant style and fresh.
The legs we had were cooked just about perfectly — meaty, with no dry or waterlogged limbs. The texture was tender and the classic Dungeness taste was distinct. Service was great; we were cheered on to a second helping and urged to a third, but had to call it quits.
And for brief moments here and there, one could almost forget about turkey and stuffing and the coming winter season, and imagine the cry of a sea gull. Overall: tasty, convenient, decadent, and a good enough value to be worth the brief walk or drive on a cold Tuesday night.
All You Can Eat Crab Night at Fran’s; Tuesdays starting at 5:30 p.m., 116 S. Main St., (215) 862-5539.
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