by Steven Doyle
For those who know me, I have been on this insane crab kick. No, really. When I am not out hunting for the succulent shellfish, I am making something at home like a crab salad sandwich. It really is the perfect food.
My crab of choice is Dungeness, possibly because I enjoy table side cracking and picking of the deliciously sweet meat. In the coming weeks I will share some of the very best crab that Dallas has to offer. Let’s start today with a Dallas institution, Del Frisco. Currently Del Frisco Double Eagle Steakhouse is offering their Seafood Plateau. This is their version of the Seafood Tower found all over the planet. What makes this beauty so special is the large emphasis on crab.
When the Plateau arrives you will immediately jet your eyes to the enormous stone crab. Stone crab is surely food of the gods. They are large, bountiful, easy to eat and the dense white meat is super sweet. The sweet meat lends itself to the obligatory creamy mustard sauce, but Del Frisco offers a plethora of sauces to choose from. Stone crab is so flavorful, they could be eaten without sauces.
Chef David Holben is not a Naked Cowboy
We are currently deep up in stone crab season. These are marvelous creatures that lose their limbs easily. They can actually eject a claw when stuck in a precarious position. When fishing for the crab, only one claw is taken then released back into the water. The missing claw grows back quickly, and larger.
Also on the Plateau you will find King Crab, sliced in half for easy eating. In addition there are some rather large shrimp strategically placed about on the platter, along with some splendid oysters. On our most recent visit we enjoyed the Naked Cowboys, a delicious oyster that is taking the country by storm. The Naked Cowboys have this beautiful brininess, and a firm flesh. These oysters are harvested from the wild from the Long Island Sound, and have become extremely popular, possibly due to their name, but definitely due to their flavor.
The oysters on the Del Frisco Plateau may vary, but they are served with a delicious mignonette, but you may refer your Naked Cowboys nude and straight from the shell. The Plateau is served as a bounty and can easily feed four hungry adults as a prelude to a steak. This Plateau is also available at the downtown Fort Worth location.
