THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505040039
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant review
SOURCE: BY DONNA REISS, RESTAURANT CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
THE CRABS SCUTTLING down the six-lane crab run - as children brandishing water pistols squirt them toward victory - probably will not be happy.
The steamed crabs overflowing galvanized buckets and plastic trays on long wooden tables probably were not happy, either.
But diners at the big, busy, casual Happy Crab looked cheery as they cracked the shells of the steamed shellfish that give the Virginia Beach restaurant its name.
Manager George Langert says there's no crab shortage at the eatery on Laskin Road. Nor is there a shortage of customers, despite this season's prices: trays of jimmies are $29 a dozen, and buckets of steamed seafare with all the trimmings are $24.95 for two.
The atmosphere is festive and the pace lively even before Memorial Day and summer beckon out-of-towners.
Our waiter kept us posted on the progress of our orders, swinging out our pail of crustaceans on schedule.
Servers in bright floral shirts scurried about with abundant portions of everything, including draft beer in schooner glasses and a fancy pink drink called ``junk-a-nu-do,'' a not-overly sweet coconut-rum punch presented in a pineapple.
Tables are wooden rectangles with bare benches, a sturdier version of the park picnic table. Holes in the center of the tables are perfect for galvanized shell buckets.
It was fun to hear the clang of clam shell against metal as we picked our way through the steamer bucket-for-two, with its generous serving of hard-shell crabs, giant crab legs, oysters, clams, shrimp and mussels. Kept in the steamer a few moments too long, perhaps, or overdosed a bit with Old Bay, they still were good.
The price included a standard iceberg salad, chunks of cornbread, superior hush puppies, and nicely steamed vegetables. We were surprised at the generous serving of zucchini, carrots, and red potatoes - a nice touch on the side.
Another reasonably priced offering was a $15.95 seafood platter with shrimp, scallops, oysters, crab cake and a hunk of fish, in this case, a nice slice of catfish. Like the steamer and the other entrees, this dinner came with salad, vegetables, bread and hush puppies. Deviled crabs, not too common on restaurant menus, were large puffs that were a bit too creamy and not quite satanic enough for our taste, but we were glad to see them on the menu.
There were plenty of choices for fish and seafood, as well as a few steaks and a chicken breast, two pasta dishes and soups.
Sandwich fans will find several selections under $6, including fries or chips. We weren't too impressed with the crab cake or the tuna, but tucked into a roll, they would make a better lunch than the fried fish at the fast-food places nearby.
We tried only one of several desserts, the house special mud pie. It was generously packed with an abundance of almost flavorless coffee ice cream, but slightly redeemed by a chocolate wafer crust and a creamy fudgy sauce. Other sweets were Key lime pie, chocolate cake, rice pudding and ice cream.
The Happy Crab has an upbeat atmosphere for casual family dining and for crowds wanting to share buckets of crabs and pitchers of beer.
In summer when the peelers start to shed in the restaurant's tank, soft-shell crabs will grace the menu and the 200-seat outside deck will open. Last winter the Happy Crab closed, but locals can look for year-round service this season. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
BILL OF FARE
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB