FOOD + DRINK 52 I BOROMAG.COM I OCTOBER 2016 Next up was rib eye served on a massive butcher’s block. It was savory, juicy and tender, and while the restaurant recommends you pair it with a 2008 Les Allées de Cantemerle Bordeaux, Singlecut’s Weird & Gilly IPA paired with it remarkably well, too. Not far behind the rib eye was lobster arragiata, a cracked whole Maine lobster, lightly fried and served over spaghetti with broccoli rabe. It was paired with a 2013 Jura Chardonnay, described as a “burgundy-like white wine” by Cummings. I may not know enough about wine to know if it tastes like a burgundy, but I know when a wine just works. And with this lobster, it undeniably did. If you like lobster, you’ll like this dish. If you don’t like lobster, you’ll still like this dish. If you’re allergic to lobster, this dish is worth a trip to the ER. Sweet and succulent, tangy yet savory at the same time, the lobster arragiata runs the gamut of what you’d expect from lobster, and then it hops the fence and starts pulling from other cuisines. Its sauce had the tangy, lemony flavor one would expect, but there was a spiciness that managed to be attention-grabbing without being overwhelming at the same time. It was one of the most interesting takes on lobster I’ve ever experienced. As we finished our wine and built up a desperate mental fortitude to fit the last lingering pieces of succulent lobster and steak into our stomachs, Cummings brought out yet another member of his impressive team: Belin the pastry chef. The pastry chef. While something in me cried out in silent protest (I assume the part that evolved to keep me from gorging myself into becoming an easy meal for an extremely lazy jaguar), the rest of me told that part of me to shut up and make some room. Blueberry cheesecake and a triple chocolate cake came out, followed by a 2014 Vidal Blanc ice wine from Standing Stone Vineyards in the Finger Lakes. The blueberry cheesecake was sweet and thick, and its crust (arguably the best part about any proper cheesecake) was delicious. The triple chocolate cake was surprisingly light and, I feel, a misnomer: chocolate cake, chocolate filling, white chocolate crumbles and a hard chocolate shell icing on top is a decidedly quadruple chocolate cake. But I wasn’t there to quibble about semantics, I was there to eat ridiculously decadent food. It was when we were offered espresso and coffee that I simply had to start refusing. I am only one man, with one stomach, after all. I have limits, whether I like them or not. Our night at Crabhouse was wonderful and full of great drinks, amazing food and improperly named chocolate cakes. Should you decide to swing by, order the fried soft-shell crabs for the table and some tasty Queens beers, and try the lobster arragiata. If you’re not in a shellfish mood, the rib eye is your friend, or simply ask any of their incredibly helpful staff for their suggestions. The Crabhouse will be rolling out a full brunch menu soon, and the staff has already started testing out a Bloody Mary bar. With valet parking returning soon and stunning skyline views a short post-dinner walk away, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bad thing about Crabhouse. The restaurant might not be as boxingcentric as it used to be. Fight cards and boxing gloves no longer adorn the walls, and with new management has come new takes on classic dishes. But if Tony Mazzarella’s goal was to provide a place for a community he loved to celebrate their lives with good food and drink, then his legacy is in good hands. Photos: Bridget Kenny/BORO
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