Sea Crab restaurant.  Click to enlarge.   Bar looking towards the liquor store.  Restaurant tables behind the photographer. (PG).   11/29/22

Eileen and Paul Goldfinger,  Restaurant reviewers for Blogfinger.net

As many of you know, the old Clancy’s is now a seafood restaurant called the Sea Crab Bar and Boil.  Their cuisine “leans to New Orleans cooking. Their motto  is ‘Catch, Cook, Eat.'”

We heard the owner interviewed on the Net, and he pledged the highest and freshest seafood.

Website is http://www.theseacrab.com

25 South Main Street, Neptune, NJ.  07753.  (Note:  This business is in the West Grove strip mall outside the gates of Ocean Grove.   Although it is “West Grove,” it is officially in Neptune Township, so the OG alcohol prohibition does NOT apply.)

732 361 6148

They have been in business for a year, and  we have heard no scuttlebutt about it.  The manager  Rob told us that many Grovers go there, partly because they are so conveniently located.  The restaurant is upscale compared to Clancy’s and is family owned.

We decided to go in for a Tuesday light dinner at 7 pm.  There were few customers.  It is a large restaurant/bar/liquor store.   They have done  remodeling in taking down a wall in the restaurant area.

One row of restaurant tables is near the bar and extends front to back. Next to that row is a wall, and then there are more tables on that south side.

A Japanese sushi chef is on site working in the back with an apprentice.

The menu is varied and enticing.  Their Boil Buckets are generous, and there are 3 catches: Shellfish, Classic, and Crab.  In addition there is a Fisherman Feast Catch.  The boil prices go from $34 up to $199.00.  There is a variety of fried  (“crispy”). seafood platters.

For “land lovers” there is a choice of steaks and a steak burger.  There are appetizers, soups and salads.

Happy hour is from 3-6 pm, Monday through Friday.  And they have Karaoke Fridays at 7 pm

We had three items for dinner, and all were delicious:

a. Crispy calamari. Calamari is difficult to cook right, but this generous portion was lightly coated for frying and it was perfect:  tasty, crispy, and just the correct texture.  $15.00. We shared.

b.  Firecracker shrimp salad:  Fresh fried shrimp and mixed greens  served with a light ginger dressing.  Very good.  Spicy dressing came on the side for the shrimp, and we found it to be too “hot” so they brought us some marinara sauce for dunking the shrimp. $15.00.   It is best for one person, but it can be shared as an appetizer.

Eileen wanted the Cobb salad, but they were out.

c. Seafood Gumbo.   We had a cup for $7.00 and it was wonderful; mlldly spicy.  $10.00 for a bowl;  also they have New England Clam Chowder

This restaurant is cheery and bright, and the service is very good.  Our only complaint:  The music is too loud!

The owners  are about to do some work at the north end of the store, having taken over a vacated adjacent shop.  This will make the Ocean Liquor store larger. We hope that their prices will be competitive with Wegmans.

We give them 4/5 Blogfingers.

On their menu it says “Eat fish, live longer.”

For those of you who like to cook at home, our book on heart health/prevention contains 12 (out of 32) original heart healthy seafood recipes by Eileen Goldfinger. Our motto is “Eat more fish!”

I found in my cardiology practice that many patients had little idea as to how to cook seafood.  Unlike most seafood restaurants which fry much of their fish,  we have no fried fish in our book.   Eileen uses Smart Balance or extra virgin olive oil or canola oil to sauté fish.

In medical school they failed to teach us about extra virgins.

Go to Barnes and Noble and type in Paul Goldfinger, MD. for our paper back.  Or you can get a signed copy for $10.00, and we deliver. Blogfinger@verizon.net

PEGGY LEE: