hae-byun-eh kkot-geh (해변의 꽃게)

hae-byun-eh kkot-geh (해변의 꽃게)

서울특별시 종로구 인사동3길 5-3; also at 서울특별시 종로구 인사동 142tel: 02-722-7237

what was consumed: the big table! which includes soy sauce crab, spicy marinated crabs, soy sauce shrimp, and crap stew

i love soy sauce crab. like love. so when m told us about a place she'd discovered that offers unlimited soy sauce crab, we made an almost beeline to visit. hello, hae-byun-eh kkot-geh, why didn't we meet earlier?

Yum.

we ordered the big table, and have ordered variations of that at subsequent visits to hae-byun-eh kkot-geh. we didn't know the spicy marinated crab was unlimited, so the next time we went, we made sure to order multiple iterations. and probably my favorite. it's super spicy, but the seasoning is so delicious! i powered through. and the soy sauce crab? nice and salty, just the way i like it. and unlimited! wootwoot!

and when they say unlimited refills, they really mean unlimited refill. and not just for the soy sauce crab, but also for the soy sauce shrimp (provided that it's included in the meal you selected) and the spicy marinated crab as well (as mentioned). additionally, they have a bar of other treats (soup, salad, noodles, chicken stew, banchan, etc) for all of the fixin's. only the rice (i know!), crab stew (if you order it altogether), and maybe the kimchee pancake (though we never asked) is not unlimited.

hae-byun-eh kkot-geh is sort of difficult to find. here's how we did it: off the main insadong road, turn in to the street next to the nature republic. then make an immediate left and in about 30 feet, you'll see the entrance.

omg, i want to go right now! nom nom nom ... 

jin mee restaurant (진미 식당)

jin mee restaurant (진미 식당)

서울특별시 마포구 마포대로 186-6 선화의원

지번 서울특별시 마포구 공덕동 105-127

tel: 02-3211-4468

what was consumed: soy sauce crabs

one of my favorite korean dishes is blue crab that has been marinated (pickled?) in soy sauce. i love the spicy version as well, but there's little like the salty taste of the sea found in these delicious critters.

jin mee restaurant is located near gong-deok station, off the mapo (i think) police station. they have some online presence (thanks to food bloggers), but not a website of their own. but sometimes these "hole in the wall" places, wrought with photos of the owners on family holidays and autographs from the celebrities that have dined over the years, are worth looking out for.

per person, you will be allotted 1 large-sh crab. the crab has been marinated in soy sauce, topped with a few other things like sesame seeds and chilis. don't worry, though, those who fear the spice. this crab dish is definitely a salty one, not a spicy one. the combination of the salty soy sauce combined with the meaty and sweet (raw) crab meat is just delicious. each crab is pretty decent in size (good thing, too, because each serving you pay for includes just 1 crab) and the large body shell is served separately from the body/legs. the soy sauce has gotten a chance to reach the insides of the crab so that each bite might have a bit of crab and a bit of salt. delish! and don't forget to take the soy sauce that has marinated the crab and pour a bit over your rice so that the delicious flavor might last just a little bit longer.

and, of course, the meal would not be complete without varied side dishes (bon-chon) that accompanies the meal. various kimchees, some dwen-jang soup, and some delicious seaweed varieties. to note is the one that looks like a series of seaweed strings that have been pressed together into sheets. i might have asked for quite a few plates of this - i could have eaten sheets and sheets of this for days upon days. YUM. 

other blogs i've read recommended reservations; good tip! jin mee's tables are reserved for those who called earlier, unless you're friends with the owner (which is always the case, i've found. then there's always a table waiting for you). and so, until i get to that level, i will call ahead and ensure that a table is waiting for me. oh, jin mee. you are not cheap, but definitely worth the visit and the taste. i can't wait to visit you again!

the boiling crab

the boiling crab
13892 brookhurst street, garden grove, CA 92843 (this is the location i visited; there are a number of different ones in so.cal ... and the new location in san jose is apparently now open. there are also locations in texas, but who knows if/when i'll ever be out there - ha!)
tel: 714) 636-4885
hours: monday-friday 3pm,-10pm, saturday-sunday 12pm-10pm

what was consumed: blue crab, shrimp, corn on the cob, red potatoes, all in the medium/hot "the whole shbang" (rajun cajun, garlic butter, and lemon pepper) ... oh, and sweet potato fries

who would've thought that there'd be a place in the middle of no-where-town, "asian-ville," orange county, california that offered cajun style seafood ... and have it be as popular as it is! nick first told me about this place when i was in SF and said that when i got back to so.cal, i should definitely look it up and check it out. i'm glad i did.

upon entering, the dining area is filled with long, wooden, picnic table-like seating in the center and wooden booths around the perimeter. i had heard that there is high possibility for a line to form, so i made sure that we avoided primo dining hours. since our party was small (3 of us) and it was a little late for lunch/early for dinner, they immediately sat us in a booth (our preference). the table was covered with white paper and no utensils. we would soon figure out why.

the server came around to take our drink orders, and when she returned soon with our drinks, she took our food order. they were out of the king crab legs (the seafood is available according to the season, so we expected there to be some absent items, to our disappointment of course), so we ordered shrimp, blue crab, red potatoes, corn on the cob, and sweet potato fries. the server then proceeded to ask what sauce we wanted. i had read about their special "the whole shbang" sauce and proceeded to order the whole shbang (once in medium and once in hot).

the fries came out first and while we were munching on the fries, the rest of our meal came out ... in large plastic bags. the idea is that while the seafood is all steamed (to order) in the kitchen, the sauces are then infused into the contents. after the server brings out the deliciousness, you then proceed to either take pieces out of the bag and eat with your hands or spill the entire bag's contents out onto your table and then proceede to eat with your hands. i recommend keeping the contents in the bag because it makes less of a mess and it allows the remaining contents to continue seeping with the delicious spices and butter. YUM.

after my frist visit there, i told christine to go when she goes back to so.cal. and even despite the google-y shrimp eyes, she tells me she totally enjoyed the experience!

and so, when you are ready to get your hands covered in sauce and eat steamed seafood with delicious cajun spices, let's go to the boiling crab!

online: http://www.theboilingcrab.com/

cantler's

cantler’s
458 forest beach road, annapolis, md 21401
tel: 210) 757-1311
hours: sunday-thursday 11am – 11pm, friday & saturday 11am – midnight

what was consumed: crab (lots of crab!), fried oysters, hush puppies, beer

summertime is crab season in annapolis! christine told me about going to eat crab with my cousin when she (christine) first came into town. since then, i looked forward to sitting by the water in annapolis, drinking cheap beer, and indulging on delicious crab ... finally, on mother’s day, i got my chance! upon invitation by some mutual friends, as we drove through eastern market, we ended up heading out to annapolis to cantler’s.

when you drive out to the area and you think you’ve gone to far, that’s when you see the parking attendant for cantler’s. turns out, cantler’s is an uber popular place when it comes to good food and good atmosphere (it’s right on the water) during crab season.

the first time (in may), we sat outside and, frankly, it was chilly with the breeze blowing. but after a few cans of yeung ling (or, my fav – coors light), you forget about that. the second time, we intended on sitting outside, but it started to rain like crazy! so, we sat inside, which was fine. you order the crab by the dozen and they come out doused with old bays along with cups of lemon juice and butter. you may, then, crack open them crabs and enjoy! i can eat lots and lots … delicious!

in addition to the crab, there are a number of other side dishes that you may order – fried clams, hush puppies, etc. they even have a special menu for kids (with options such as grilled cheese sandwich and fried clams). but be sure to order the ears of corn – definitely a nice touch to the crustacean meal!

oh, i can hardly wait for the next crab season ...

online: http://www.cantlers.com