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It was a sunny October day, so it only felt appropriate to pretend it was still summer. Summer, to me, always means seafood. Since The Original Crab Shanty on City Island had been on my list, I took the long commute up to the hidden gem Bronx neighborhood for some good old fashioned crab cookin’.
Even from the outside, I knew I was in for a treat. The Original Crab Shanty looks from the outside like a chain restaurant in suburban America. Yet, unlike a chain restaurant in suburban America, there’s nothing quite like it, especially in New York City.
As I entered the premises around 2 p.m. on a Sunday, I was greeted by colorful and endearingly tacky decor with a bustling crowd to match. Riding out further on the escapism train, I impulsively ordered a mai tai. I was on an island, after all.
I sat down with Sharon, the manager of The Original Crab Shanty for 46 years, which is impressive considering they’ve only been open for 47. I immediately like her demeanor. She told me she was in sweatpants because she got sprayed by a sprinkler, though it’s unclear why a sprinkler was on in October. If only she knew the Daily News was coming in today, she joked.
The menu is quite expansive, and as I took my time scanning over the seemingly endless options, I was given a massive loaf of golden garlic bread. As I tore into it, Sharon told me people come strictly for the garlic bread, and I understand why. I realized my decision to come to City Island alone was well worth it for that moment — I got the whole loaf to myself.
I finally made a decision and went for the fried calamari ($14.99) and the “Crabby clams,” ($20.99), which are crab-stuffed clams.
The calamari came out quickly, and had a light, airy breading, almost like a hybrid of cornmeal and tempura. But let’s not get it twisted — I was here to try crab. When my crabby clams arrived, I was immediately surprised by the massive portion. These clams must have frequented the gym; they were meaty. The half dozen clams each had a mountain of plump crab meat that was chopped and mixed with the clam itself, and the oily sauce with bits of herbs and spices made for a luscious, buttery bite. The breadcrumbs on top felt naturally homey and warm.
I am fortunate to eat a lot of great food for both my job and out of sheer personal desire to constantly seek out good eats in New York, and yet, the crabby clams were one of the best bites I’ve had in a good while, really leaving their mark in my memory. It felt like eating at grandma’s house — if grandma’s house was by the ocean — and it transformed my sunny October day into an endless summer.
While I would gladly order the crabby clams again and again, next time I think I’ll also go for some snow crab legs, or perhaps I will bring a friend to split that garlic bread with, along with an order of the “A Banquet for Crab Lovery,” ($131.99) a feast of Maryland-style crab cakes, hardshell garlic crabs, stuffed Dungeness crab, soft-shell crabs, and snow crab legs.
The Original Crab Shanty also serves plenty of seafood pastas, fried appetizers like buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks, oysters, a full raw bar, and some non-seafood options like prime rib, chicken parm and filet. If you don’t have time to dine in, there’s a takeout window.
“I don’t have a view, I don’t have tablecloths, but I have the best food and best prices in City Island,” Sharon tells me. “I make up for it.”
City Island manages to stay one of New York’s best kept secrets. Those who know, know, and those who don’t are missing out. But if you need any motivation to go, let The Original Crab Shanty be the driving factor.
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