It’s the commence of crab period all-around DC. Here’s wherever to uncover smooth-shells—the Mid-Atlantic and Southern delicacy is normally accessible in late spring via early tumble.
A lot more into cracking tough crabs? These are some of our beloved waterfront spots well worth a drive.
All-Set Cafe and Bar
8630 Fenton Street, Plaza 5, Silver Spring
BLTs fulfill the Bay at this Silver Spring seafood place, which serves a tender-shell sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and Previous Bay tartar sauce on a brioche bun.
Anju
1805 18th St., NW
Fall by the modern day Korean restaurant at brunch for chef Angel Barreto’s tender shell crab juk (consider a Korean variation of grits). A hearty bowl will come loaded with creamy Anson Mills rice porridge, sesame, soy, shiitake mushrooms, garlic chives, spring onions, and chili oil—all crowned with a crispy crab.
Black Salt
4883 MacArthur Blvd., NW
Diners at the Palisades seafood cafe can check with chefs to specially get ready any of the aquatic delicacies in the adjoining market’s case—including tender-shell crabs when they are in period. The kitchen can customise the crabs with most any present seafood preparation on the menu. You can trade crab cakes for delicate-shells more than fingerling potato salad—or just have them only ready.
Chez Billy Sud
1039 31st St., NW
The Georgetown brasserie is functioning a weekend specific that will run on the common menu when crabs are accessible: sautéed smooth-shells with ramps, roasted fingerling potatoes, green goodness dressing, and a springy salad of pea shoots, fava beans, peas, and pickled shallots.
Clyde’s Restaurant Team
Many destinations in DC, MD, and VA
Clyde’s, Outdated Ebbitt, and Hamilton are all operating softy specials, together with a common fried crab sandwich or an entree with watercress and cucumber salad, crispy potatoes, scallions, and avocado-buttermilk aïoli.
Dauphine’s
1100 15th St., NW
The New Orleans restaurant from the Salt Line team just opened downtown, and it mixes Large Quick traditions with Mid-Atlantic elements. Chef Kristen Essig dishes up her blackened comfortable-shell Creole more than creamed Prairie Ronde rice with file.
Elle
3221 Mt Nice St., NW
Crispy tender-shells get the sandwich remedy at the Mount Pleasant bakery and cafe. They’re stuffed into a handmade roll with smoked ranch, avocado, pickled green tomato, and iceberg lettuce.
Esaan
1307 Previous Chain Bridge Rd., McLean
Chef/operator Yutthpon “Tu” Wetchapinan resources a confined selection of soft-shell crabs for specials—often weekend only—when the crustaceans appear into time. Crab fans can connect with forward to reserve the smooth-shells (both one as an appetizer or two for an entree) that are battered, fried, and served with nam tok (chili-lime-herb) dipping sauce.
Hank’s Oyster Bar
Locations in Dupont Circle, the Wharf, and Outdated City, Alexandria
Seem for softies as specials at chef Jamie Leeds’s New England-motivated seafood haunts, which capitalize on Chesapeake catches together with delicious lobster rolls.
Hai Duong
6795 Wilson Blvd #7-9, Falls Church
A specialty at this Eden Centre cafe is Vietnamese-type crispy crabs with butter, onions, chopped chilies, and shredded pickled veggies.
Ivy Metropolis Smokehouse Tavern
1356 Okie St., NE
A single of our beloved urban crab residences serves total local crustaceans two methods arrive summer time: steamed tough-shells on the deck, and chalkboard gentle-shell specials like a crispy sandwich with remoulade sauce, fries, and slaw. If you want to try out you hand at cooking soft-shells your self, the adjoining downstairs current market and seafood wholesaler ProFish, sells them.
Izakaya Seki
1117 V St., NW
Hand-illustrated menus modify everyday at this family members-run izakaya tucked off the U Avenue corridor—so if you see crispy smooth-shells, snap them up.
Pogiboy
1110 Vermont Ave., NW
Tender-shells get a Filipino spin at Tom Cunanan and Paolo Dungca’s rapid-relaxed place inside downtown DC’s Block foods corridor. Rooster-fried crabs are tucked in a selfmade ube mantou (a steamed bun) with chili/crab-extra fat mayo, sizzling honey, cilantro, and cucumbers (accessible Friday via Sunday, when they final).
Rakuya
1900 Q St., NW
Dupont’s well-known sushi place and izakaya rolls up spring and summer delicate-shells in a unique roll with curried mayo and pickled ginger.
Reveler’s Hour
1775 Columbia Rd., NW
The Adams Morgan pasta joint from the staff behind Tail Up Goat dishes up Italian-design and style tender-shells—coated in a crunchy semolina crust and served with garlic confit crema, Calabrian-chili relish, and grilled baby leeks.
The Salt Line
79 Potomac Ave., SE
Just one of our favourite smooth-shell dishes in town arrives from chef Kyle Bailey, whose Nashville-very hot crab with black-garlic honey is a seasonal distinctive. Crabs will be back again on the Navy Lawn seafood house’s menu by early June.
Sushi Taro
1503 17th St., NW
Chef Nobu Yamazaki channels the year with a lot of of his dishes, irrespective of whether fish flown from Japan or cooked things. Comfortable-shells below get a black tempura batter thanks to squid ink.
Foodstuff Editor
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her indigenous DC. Prior to signing up for Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA software in New York, and held different cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.