Under the Sea (Boiling Crab)

Ever since I heard the news about Boiling Crab making its way down to San Diego, I've been waiting with baited breath. Okay, that's a lie, but I have been semi-interested to see what the big deal is (I've had friends tell me the ones up in Orange County are great and always have long lines). 

The Mira Mesa location opened up a few weeks ago, but I wanted to wait it out for a bit so they could get their newly opening kinks worked out. Their idea is strikingly similar to Crab Hut; cajun inspired seafood with an Asian flair. Think plastic bags full of steaming seafood and butcher paper covering the table to catch all the sloppy goodness. You get to choose between 4 seasonings: rajun cajun, lemon pepper, garlic butter, or the whole she-bang (all of the above), and 4 ranging levels of spiciness. I went with my family this past Monday around 5:45, with almost no wait. 

 

We decided to get 2 lbs of the whole she-bang medium spicy shrimp ($9.00/lb),

 

gumbo with rice ($6.00),

 

a fried shrimp basket ($9.00),

and a chicken tenders basket ($7.00)- for some crazy reason I can't explain, my brother doesn't care for seafood. I know, he's crazy.

The shrimp was a little less flavorful than I had hoped, and the gumbo was just okay, kinda bland and almost bordering on gummy (definitely would not order that again). The fried shrimp and chicken were good, but those dishes shouldn't be the draw of the restaurant. I will say I definitely enjoyed the fries, though. They had a nice crisp and weren't sheisty with the seasoning on them. The service was above average, with people coming by to make sure everything was okay; refilling our waters and such. 

I'm a relative fan of Crab Hut, so I instinctively compared the two. Who won? Crab Hut's shrimp, while a few dollars more expensive, is the better option. Maybe I just need to give the Boiling Crab another chance, and I probably will, since it's a closer drive to me than Crab Hut. Then I'll get another chance to don one of these bad boys:

Just can't hate on those pockets that catch the extra splatter from all the seafood. If you do go, try to make it before or after the dinner rush. When we left around 7, there was quite the line.  

The Boiling Crab

9015 Mira Mesa Blvd 

San Diego, CA 92126