Sunday, March 4, 2018. The scheduled movements are over for a weekend-long wedding in honor of Mary Ann's niece. But that doesn't mean that the family will so much as slow down in the frequency of its meetings. Today's brought together a dozen people for a supper at the Blue Crab at West End. When I arrived (after my 90-minute radio show), the attendance had risen to fifteen, jammed across the open-air deck. This setup almost certainly meant that Mary Ann--a lover of outdoor dining--had a hand in the seating.
The waiter was unusually skillful. That was a big help, because we needed to get separate checks. He told us about all the famous restaurants where he had worked in New York and elsewhere. We knew about his skills because he told us about how things wore in restaurants where he formerly worked. The separate-check imperative at was quite an undertaking, given that it's against house rules. With good reason, I'd say. But in this case, it was a life saver. Among the diners was several young men--brothers or cousins of bride--who rarely get involved in large groups like this.
My order was simple: a dozen raw oysters, followed by char-broiled oysters in the style of Drago's. The oysters were flagrantly salty, meaty and given of the aromas of the sea. One of our number is from the Chesapeake Bay area and sometimes raises oysters himself. Louisiana oysters are so much better than the bivalves of the Northeast that he couldn't help but be impressed. Still, not many people went for the raw oysters. This is exactly what I had in mind, so I could put away eight or none on my own.
I had an easier time distributing the grilled oysters, which everybody loves. (And they did tonight, too.) That finished my eating. But other orders were interesting as well. One I found intriguing was made with red snappers and a sauce that was somewhere between a cheese sauce and a cream sauce. Also noteworthy was the price for that (and the crabmeat on it), a shade above $30.
This is the first time I've dined at the Blue Crab in awhile. It's as good as I remember. But one aspect of the place cries out to be remedied. The larger parking lots nearby are across Lakeshore Drive from the restaurant (unless you're lucky enough to get closer. There is no median of any kind, and crossing Lakeshore Drive reeks of danger--especially at dusk, when it's uncertain whether drivers can see the pedestrians. I managed to cross when a group of some eight others made a move through the traffic. This made us visible long enough for us to make it across. I don't know who planned this road, but it deserves a rethinking. Luckily, I was able to return to my car when Mary Ann--who, in her secret identity as The Parking Witch--managed to find a space right in front of the restaurant's entrance.
After about half an hour spent dividing the checks, the gathering ended. I always enjoy spending time with these people from MA's deep family. Some of them were instrumental in letting our family reside in Washington D.C. while Katrina's damage had been settled and we could come back home. And that is something we'll never forget.
Blue Crab. West End: 7900 Lakeshore Dr. 504-284-2898.
Written by Tom Fitzmorris March 06, 2018 13:15 in
