In my opinion, the best dining experiences are those in which you actually share an experience with others. There are a ton of ways to achieve this in our city: themed restaurants, unique dining styles, and sampling dishes designed to be shared. I am a firm believer that part of the joy of living in our city is going out to eat – you just have to do it to get the full Philadelphia experience.
Last week, I was invited to Media Night at Crabby Cafe & Sports Bar (1050 North Hancock Street, Unit 1) in the Piazza. I don’t make it to NoLibs that frequently, so I was excited to pop on over and see how she looked on a beautifully warm summer evening.
I was greeted by a nice, cold glass of white sangria (one of my favs!). The other guests and I sat down at tables designated by our spice preferences. I went lemon cajun . . . and you’ll see where that comes in later.
First, we met Tony, the chef, and Tim, the owner. Tony created the restaurant’s menu from his own personal preferences – he liked Louisiana style cooking but craved Vietnamese spices to go along with it. All dishes at Crabby’s are served communal style and are, according to Tim, “meant to be messy.” Thank goodness for the bibs.
We started with raw oysters ($2 each). I think I’m scarred because my first oyster ever was from Ippolito’s, but these were good. I enjoyed the sauces – nice and spicy!
Next up were the Cajun Fries ($4) and Sweet Potato Crisps (4.50). The fries were definitely a hit with my table.
Since Crabby’s is technically a sports bar, they have to have wings, right? The Crabby Wings ($9) were very yummy . . . another good sauce option!
Then, it was time to make sure our bibs were extra secure and get ready for the main event: the ‘ol buckets!
Now let me tell you: this was my first time going to town on something like this. Sure, I had seen photos, but the real thing – heaven. Being a newbie, I was struggling majorly with how to even begin, but luckily Kaitlin from I Can Cook That was there to guide me! The menu (with prices) provides you with multiple options to make the perfect basket for your group. The lobster and crab were delicious . . . our lemon cajun spice pick was perfect. I couldn’t really get the art of eating a crawfish, though, and I think the clams were MIA as soon as the photo was taken. I also really liked the sausage and corn – overall very, very yuuum.
I am looking forward to heading back over with my friends for another seafood bucket. If you need an excuse to drag your crew over to NoLibs, the Crabby Cafe has a few Saturday events this summer to write down in your planner:
- Crabby’s Luau Party: 4pm on July 19th. Unlimited food & drinks for two hours, outdoor dancing and leis.
- The Crawfish Boil: 4pm on August 9th. An authentic crawfish boil, complete with a live jazz band.
- Crabby’s Clam Bake: 1-3pm, 4-6pm or 7-9pm on September 13th. Classic New England-style meal with clams, crab legs, and vegetables served by the bucket.
Each event is $40 (or $25 if you skip the booze) and are rain or shine. I hope to see you out there this summer!
