A few days ago was my first chance to eat regular food under my Diet Plan, so I was very excited to eat whatever I wanted.  The funny thing is as a result of my controlled diet, and medication my blood sugar is under control and I don't crave foods.  I have hunger but as of recently I don't have a great desire to consume any particular type of food. 

THE CRAB HOUSE

(703) 750-0888

The front of the restaurant is the crab house, and the back of the house is still a Korean Barbecue.  The DC Metro are used to be a haven for crab houses and all you can eat seafood places, but as peoples eating habits changed, and the depleting ocean couldn't produce the same quality of seafood, they have gone by the wayside.  The four remaining pillars for crab houses in Northern Virginia are Captain Pell's in Fairfax, Ernies Crab in Alexandria, Majestic in Falls Church, and a nameless crab house in Woodbridge. 

Captain Pell's is by far the best they have the highest quality and the most consistent delivery of crabs.  As their industry gets smaller the suppliers segregate the crabs and leave the best for the their best customers. 

The majority of the crabs we eat in this area today aren't even from the Chesepeake Bay anymore.  Long gone are the nights were you can take your three year to Point Lookout, or Piney Point, take a chicken neck and tie it a piece of string, throw it just over the edge of a pier and have a gathering of crabs picking at the red flesh like fat people in the candy aisle of the groccery store.  Today the best crabs are shipped in from North Carolina, and Louisianna were the waters are still sustainable.  

This new place in the Western Edge of Alexandria near the Braddock Road Home Depot, and Pinecrest Golf Course, is to say the least dissapointing.  They have good calamri, as it's home made, yet their clam strips are bought from a nameless prepacked national foods distributor.  We ordered a half dozen of the Jumbo size, I thought their might be a problem when they charge $65.00 for the Jumbo, when everyone elses charges $80-95 a dozen for Jumbo Size.

It took 30 minutes for the crabs to come out, which means they were steaming the crabs to order.  Under most circumstances a good thing, but this day it was clearly a tactic to extend the shelf life of the crab stock.  The cook had punctured each of the crabs to make sure the heat from the steam entered to reheat the meat.  2 out of 6 crabs had the qaulity and volume of the meat you would expect when you pay for the Jumbo size crabs.  That's only a 33% level of quality goods on an order, not a good way to start a business.  From those only 1 was not punctured, and a wild coincidence the 1 which was not punctured had the best tasting meat, and the most volume of meat.  If you have eaten blue crabs you know what you're getting into as soon as you pick it up.

Needless to say I won't be going back to this place, and probably will recommend against it.  It's a shame because having a crab house near me would be a great way to get some fresh seafood. 

I give it 1/2 Belly Fat. 

My new rating system:

BELLY FAT  = 1 Star = It's only good to fill your stomach in the event of a nuclear fall out.
FAT ASS     = 2 Stars = It's good enough that you can sit hear and add some junk to the trunk.
MAN BOOBS = 3 Stars = It's good, so be prepared to develop man boobs.
FAT HEAD = 4 Stars = It's really good so after the fat is packed onto your gut, rump, and boobs, it will have to find a release in your big fat head.
SUMO  = 5 Stars = It's good enough that you should use this as a primary source of consumption to become a professional sumo wrestler.