Last week I told you about excellent Tresco restaurant, The Ruin Beach Café. Well, this week I want to tell you about The Crab Shack - owned by the same people as The Ruin, but found on Bryher, which is the island next door to Tresco.
The Crab Shack opened a few years ago, serving locally caught crab, and mussels and scallops two nights a week, in what is pretty much a shed next to The Hell Bay Hotel. Demand was so high that you had to book months in advance, so they soon started opening four nights a week, Monday to Thursday. The menu is as simple, and incredible, as it sounds. You can order mussels or scallops for starter or main, and/or crab for main, which comes in three sizes - medium (£20 - feeds 1-2 people), large (£30 - feeds 2-3) and monster (£40 - feeds 3-4). They do now also do lobster, which wasn't available when we were there (as they hadn't caught them that day) so I'm not sure how much it costs, but it's very good value; and spider crab (again, only if they've caught some that day).
All the food is served in cataplanas and is messy, fun and cooked to perfection. The scallops were doused in delicious butters, and the mussels cooked in wine and garlic.
You can choose from 3 sauces for the crab - parsley and garlic, lemon and chive, or lime, chilli and ginger. My parents had the lime, chilli and ginger, while we went for the parsley and garlic. The crab is all smashed up for you, and you're given implements to get the rest of the meat out.
Sides are salad and/or chips. Delicious chips.
Boats go to Bryher on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights from the other islands, and will take you home again afterwards. I really recommend a trip to the Scillies, and to both The Crab Shack and The Ruin. Super local food, cooked brilliantly, and served simply enough to let the ingredients shine through - heaven!
The Crab Shack opened a few years ago, serving locally caught crab, and mussels and scallops two nights a week, in what is pretty much a shed next to The Hell Bay Hotel. Demand was so high that you had to book months in advance, so they soon started opening four nights a week, Monday to Thursday. The menu is as simple, and incredible, as it sounds. You can order mussels or scallops for starter or main, and/or crab for main, which comes in three sizes - medium (£20 - feeds 1-2 people), large (£30 - feeds 2-3) and monster (£40 - feeds 3-4). They do now also do lobster, which wasn't available when we were there (as they hadn't caught them that day) so I'm not sure how much it costs, but it's very good value; and spider crab (again, only if they've caught some that day).
All the food is served in cataplanas and is messy, fun and cooked to perfection. The scallops were doused in delicious butters, and the mussels cooked in wine and garlic.
You can choose from 3 sauces for the crab - parsley and garlic, lemon and chive, or lime, chilli and ginger. My parents had the lime, chilli and ginger, while we went for the parsley and garlic. The crab is all smashed up for you, and you're given implements to get the rest of the meat out.
Sides are salad and/or chips. Delicious chips.
Boats go to Bryher on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights from the other islands, and will take you home again afterwards. I really recommend a trip to the Scillies, and to both The Crab Shack and The Ruin. Super local food, cooked brilliantly, and served simply enough to let the ingredients shine through - heaven!
I don't really like seafood at all, but I ADORE photographing it. It's such a great subject for food photography. This really is one of my biggest blogger problems ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha! It is great to photograph, unfortunately I didn't take my proper camera on hols so these are all shoddy, in the dark corner, iPhone photos!!
DeleteRosie xx
Ahhh this seafood is making me so hungry! I love food that's really simple but delicious and this really hits the spot!
ReplyDeleteLauren xx | The Lifestyle Diaries
It's served just as it should be, no fancy anything, just incredible quality food, with a bit of flavoured butter :)
DeleteRosie xx
I scream 'sea food' (ok, it is not as catchy as 'I scream ice cream') but you know what I mean ;)
ReplyDeletewww.allnnothing.com
All the seafood! Was SO good!!
DeleteRosie xx
Mmmm this all looks too delicious! Reminds of my dinner at Bonnie Gull last week - I had the whole crab, so messy but so worth it! Love that it comes in a bowl with sauces though! Lots of love, Andrea xxx
ReplyDeleteAndrea's Passions
There's little better than a whole crab and some patience... one of my favourite things :) This was so good with all those sauces to mop up too.
DeleteRosie xx
Simple, well cooked seafood is literally my favourite thing ever!
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Angie
SilverSpoon London
You'd love The Crab Shack then Angie!!
DeleteRosie xx
When sea food is this fresh it is at its best, the crab looks divine and like that you can choose your seasoning Lucy x
ReplyDeleteIt is so good being that fresh it kind of puts you off eating it anywhere else!
DeleteRosie xx
I love the Crab Shack so much, hands down the best scallops I've ever had in my life. It's such simple food but so delicious, and I love how everyone gets all messy and the long tables encourage strangers to talk. I met a really interesting couple who were spending their holiday on Scilly canoeing around the islands!
ReplyDeleteC x | Lux Life
The scallops they do are divine - love that they're so fresh and so simple :) Wish I was back there now!!
DeleteRosie xx