Boy, oh boil…are you ready for some seafood? If you’re in the mood for a seafood boil, come to Not Just Crab Cajun Seafood & Bar. It is absolutely the right place to be. The restaurant is located in Randallstown, Maryland, but it does all of Maryland proud with its crabby atmosphere and oh-so-tasty seafood offerings.
Don’t you love it when you find a jewel? I mean, I’m no Christopher Columbus…I know I didn’t discover this to anyone in the area, but I was grateful that my explorations led me to it.
I decided to try the green mussel boil. Here’s the reason. I love mussels, but I had no idea about green mussels. I was transfixed with the appearance of the gorgeous iridescent tips of these shells… and their size.
It makes a girl wonder, “Are these mussels on steroids?” Okay, all joking aside—no they are not.
Not Just Crab gives you your choice of boil seasonings: Cajun, Buttery Garlic, or Lemon Pepper. Just when I thought those were some awesome choices, the hostess informs me that they have a seasoning called “Boom!” Now, she didn’t have to tell me too much after she let me know that’ Boom is a mix of all of the seasonings together.
I cannot tell you how uncouth I was as I sat in my car and ate this green mussel boil right out of the bag, licking my fingers and using the mussel shells to scoop up the sauce. It was a bad look, but I didn’t care. However, this is when you probably should care…if you have to go anywhere else after you eat because the smell is potent. Take it from the woman who found herself in the church bathroom spraying herself down with Febreze.
My meal was a carry-out meal, but they do provide a plastic apron, gloves, and a wipe to help out the sometimes-messy situation. It would be wise to use them.
It was so good that I told a friend. My friend ordered the catfish nuggets and coleslaw, and here’s a compliment any establishment would love to hear…she kept reiterating how good the nuggets were and how she was getting so much for her money.
Did I mention I went to this place three times in a month? It’s a little embarrassing. I should have had more self-control, but the food was earnestly delicious. Here’s my observation. Three out of the three times I went, it was—at the very least- good. Two out of the three times that I went, it was fantastic. The time in the middle was when I had the Cajun wings and hush puppies. I am a huge Hush Puppies fan, and they were wonderful. As for the Cajun wings, they weren’t bad, but I wouldn’t say they were great so that’s where the crown slips just a tiny bit.
Here’s what I love about the third time I went. My friend and I decided to sit down and eat a meal there. It was a Saturday night, and the restaurant was nicely lit, with a warm and friendly atmosphere, and I could see the quirky Baltimore-themed decorations all around. When I settled in, I decided to go with a half-pound of green mussels, but then I added a half-pound of shrimp. For every half pound, I also received a potato. The boil also includes corn on the cob. My friend went for the King Crab Legs boil.
As for your seasonings, you can let them know just how spicy you want it. The seafood boil menu is extensive, and you can mix and match your items. The boil menu items include:
Blue Crab
Lobster Tail
King Crab Legs
Snow Crab Legs
Dungeness Crab
Whole Shrimp
Headless Shrimp
Crawfish
Clams
Green Mussels
Black Mussels
Although this article focused on the seafood boils, there are many other menu options, including gumbo, raw oysters, fried baskets, and of course, if you are a seafood place in Maryland, you have to serve crabcakes.
Not Just Crab Cajun Seafood & Bar is a solid choice for a good meal. There is also a location in Springfield, Pennsylvania, and they are seeking to spread out with more franchises, so who knows, there may be one coming to your town soon.
Multi Cultural Cooking Network 