The first crabcake of my life, years ago, was very good. What followed it was a towering crabcake stack of disappointment. Each too heavy, bready, fishy, sloppy, grainy, or gritty. I ate them at the best restaraunts. I ordered them from the coast. All were found lacking.
Happily, tonight I ate the crabcake to end all crabcakes.
We were in Clayton and Urbanspoon suggested that if we wanted southern or soul food we should try Almond’s. In fact, I think one review specifically suggested if we wanted to eat in Clayton but didn’t want the Clayton vibe, we should try this place.
I had one of Gary’s crabcakes.
You know how sometimes you look at a crabcake that’s a perfectly round crab-puck? It’s 1.5 inches thick and the breading is even and your heart sinks. You just know it’s going to be heavy crabby bread covered in inedible grit. That’s just how this crabcake looked.
Then I bit into it: it was as light and crispy as a cruller. A cruller filled with crab. It was as if they took the breadcrumb coating, formed it around a mold of frozen butter and seasoning, flash fried it, and then while it was still hot drained most of the melted butter and injected the hollow crunchy fried shape with creamy crab. Not too full, because otherwise you couldn’t feel the crunch give just a bit before you hit the filling.
I said to Gary, “it’s a fish donut.” and he agreed. Best crabcake ever.
6 responses to “Almond’s in Clayton”
Should fortune ever smile on me and I get to St. Louis, we are so going there.
I hate when that happens. You taste something so good and the next time you try it the memory is there and one disappointment after the next.
I like the crab cakes at Ruby Tuesday’s. It’s a chain, and I like them, anyway.
I have a salad for lunch, today. It’s in self-defense, really.
I am so jealous I could spit. I, too, am forever questing for the ideal crab-cake. *sniff*
Me, I like a whole Dungeness crab and butter. I prefer taking it apart myself.
Becs – There, and La Bonne Bouchee. SML – I know. It’s worse when it’s a genetic mutation of something you usually hate.I have only had one glass of wine in my life I liked, a Sangria at Pasta House. Been there since and it was a freak.Tami – Oh, but you’ll have crabcakes soon.elisabeth – Sorry, it’s at Almonds in Clayton. I would have gone back tonight but Gary said, “We already ate there.” SO somehow we ate at Casa gallardo. like thats unique.Hattie – This month’s Wired magazine mentions a new process they can use in which high pressure will cook a lobster and destroy the shell, so you have the Body Worlds version of lobster on your plate.