I’m always up for another food adventure. I’ve long since maintained that one of the best ways to spend your money is on a good meal, so that’s exactly what I decided to do this past weekend while in Seattle. Asking the Twitter community for recommendations, I was told that I should check out the Crab Pot.
Since I was already in Seattle for PAX Prime 2010, I figured I may as well check out a restaurant that I cannot enjoy back home in Vancouver. It’s not like I’m any stranger to seafood — Vancouver has a lot of great seafood restaurants — but the Crab Pot is a different animal altogether. It’s anything but fine dining.
You order a big metal bowl of seafood, which is then dumped directly onto your table. (Well, they lay down a sheet of paper to protect the tablecloth, but the food is literally poured out for you to enjoy.) Susanne and I opted for the “Westport Seafeast.” This meal for two includes dungeness crab, snow crab, shrimp in the shell, steamed clams, Pacific mussels, andouille sausage, corn on the cob, and red potatoes. It’s a lot of food for about $25 a person. Other menu items include Alaskan king crab legs, oysters, grilled seafood, cioppino, salmon, and salads.
The original plan was to hit the Crab Pot location at Pike Place Market in Seattle, but we ended up going to the Bellevue location instead. The view was still quite nice, as the restaurant is built on a make-shift pier, next to what appeared to be a man-made lake. There’s an outdoor patio and this is frequently visited by the local waterfowl.
So, here’s the pile of food that arrived at our table. It was a fun experience, since you really get your hands dirty as you whack at the crab legs with the provided wooden mallet. The quality of the seafood wasn’t exactly the best, however, as it didn’t taste like it was all that fresh. It’s quite possible that the Pike Place Market location could have fresher seafood, but I can’t say for sure.
I do have to say that the choice of spices was quite good and our server was on top of things with whatever we needed. I was certainly full by the time we were done. And yes, everyone is given a special Crab Pot bib too.
Naturally, the Crab Pot experience is decidedly different from the Gumbo Pot experience I had in Los Angeles. What other (insert food product here) Pot places are there?
I’m waiting for you to make the trip to Sarasota for the whitest sand in the world and one of the top beaches in Florida, Siesta Key Beach. We have a great selection of restaurants and really fresh seafood to choose from. Plus, Sihan Wongs Mom makes a mean traditional Chinese lunch at 1pm at Wong Kai Imports.
Nice! Seems like the Bellevue one has less of a line up compared to Pike Place.
I’d still take Vancouver seafood ANYDAY.
Hi Michael, found my way over to your blog from Ed’s blog đ Man… I definitely could not handle all that food that you got there at the Crab Pot Seafood Restaurant, I wonder if they provide some sort of boxes to take home with, as I am guessing alot of customers are likely not able to finish all that food! Tell you what though… looking at that big pile of food is sure making me hungry!
So the big question is, were you able to eat it all? Judging by the smile on your 4th photo, It sure does look like it!
Till then,
Jean
We finished all the seafood, but couldn’t finish the corn or the potatoes. We ate about half of the potatoes and a little more than half the corn.
That’s awesome Michael, and yeah that makes perfect sense actually! Gotta eat the more expensive and the actual goodies that you came for!!! đ
Till then,
Jean
Corn and potatoes are just fillers and add to the flavor. I rarely eat them except for 1 corn and a few bites of potatoes. I want to enjoy the seafood, like you did.
I’m sure, as you know, great seafood mostly depends on the freshness. If you are inland and getting really fresh seafood then you are paying through the nose for the luxury of eating it that fresh.
The prices here in Sarasota aren’t expensive except for St. Armands Circle. You can get just out of the Gulf that morning for quite a good deal here.
Imagine a Crab Pot in Louisiana or thereabouts in the Gulf – what are they serving now?