NYC hidden dining gems: City Island’s Original Crab Shanty brings New England to NYC

It was a sunny October day, truthful it lone felt due to unreal it was inactive summer. Summer, to me, ever means seafood. Since The Original Crab Shanty connected City Island had been connected my list, I took the agelong commute up to the hidden gem Bronx neighborhood for immoderate bully aged fashioned crab cookin’.

Even from the outside, I knew I was successful for a treat. The Original Crab Shanty looks from the extracurricular similar a chain edifice successful suburban America. Yet, dissimilar a concatenation edifice successful suburban America, there’s thing rather similar it, particularly successful New York City.

As I entered the premises astir 2 p.m. connected a Sunday, I was greeted by colorful and endearingly tacky decor with a bustling assemblage to match. Riding retired further connected the escapism train, I impulsively ordered a mai tai. I was connected an island, aft all.

I sat down with Sharon, the manager of The Original Crab Shanty for 46 years, which is awesome considering they’ve lone been unfastened for 47. I instantly similar her demeanor. She told maine she was successful sweatpants due to the fact that she got sprayed by a sprinkler, though it’s unclear wherefore a sprinkler was connected successful October. If lone she knew the Daily News was coming successful today, she joked.

The paper is rather expansive, and arsenic I took my clip scanning implicit the seemingly endless options, I was fixed a monolithic loaf of aureate garlic bread. As I tore into it, Sharon told maine radical travel strictly for the ail bread, and I recognize why. I realized my determination to travel to City Island unsocial was good worthy it for that infinitesimal — I got the full loaf to myself.

The Original Crab Shanty successful City Island. (Kaitlyn Rosati for New York Daily News)

I yet made a determination and went for the fried calamari ($14.99) and the “Crabby clams,” ($20.99), which are crab-stuffed clams.

The calamari came retired quickly, and had a light, airy breading, astir similar a hybrid of cornmeal and tempura. But let’s not get it twisted — I was present to effort crab. When my crabby clams arrived, I was instantly amazed by the monolithic portion. These clams indispensable person frequented the gym; they were meaty. The fractional twelve clams each had a upland of plump crab nutrient that was chopped and mixed with the clam itself, and the oily condiment with bits of herbs and spices made for a luscious, buttery bite. The breadcrumbs connected apical felt people homey and warm.

I americium fortunate to devour a batch of large nutrient for some my occupation and retired of sheer idiosyncratic tendency to perpetually question retired bully eats successful New York, and yet, the crabby clams were 1 of the champion bites I’ve had successful a bully while, truly leaving their people successful my memory. It felt similar eating astatine grandma’s location — if grandma’s location was by the water — and it transformed my sunny October time into an endless summer.

Garlic breadstuff astatine The Original Crab Shanty successful City Island. (Kaitlyn Rosati for New York Daily News)

While I would gladly bid the crabby clams again and again, adjacent clip I deliberation I’ll besides spell for immoderate snowfall crab legs, oregon possibly I volition bring a person to divided that ail breadstuff with, on with an bid of the “A Banquet for Crab Lovery,” ($131.99) a feast of Maryland-style crab cakes, hardshell ail crabs, stuffed Dungeness crab, soft-shell crabs, and snowfall crab legs.

The Original Crab Shanty besides serves plentifulness of seafood pastas, fried appetizers similar buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks, oysters, a afloat earthy bar, and immoderate non-seafood options similar premier rib, chickenhearted parm and filet. If you don’t person clip to dine in, there’s a takeout window.

Calamari astatine The Original Crab Shanty successful City Island. (Kaitlyn Rosati for New York Daily News)

“I don’t person a view, I don’t person tablecloths, but I person the champion nutrient and champion prices successful City Island,” Sharon tells me. “I marque up for it.”

City Island manages to enactment 1 of New York’s champion kept secrets. Those who know, know, and those who don’t are missing out. But if you request immoderate information to go, fto The Original Crab Shanty beryllium the driving factor.

• Address: 361 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
• Phone: (718) 885-1810
• Hours: Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Prices: Italian specialties $21.99-$43.99; King Crab Legs (MP); Try Something Else Besides Seafood $24.99-$35.99; Sharon’s Pasta Pasta and Penne a La Vodka $15.99-$44.99; Hot Appetizer $13.99-$32.99; Mussels $17.99-$23.99; Cold Seafood & Raw $12.99-$44.99; Crabby Clams $20.99; Surf & Turf $34.99-$49.99; Feeling Crabby? $42.99-$63.99; Feasts $125.99-$138.99; Fried oregon Broiled $21.99-$41.99; Whole Lobster Special $33.99
• Delivery and takeout available; reservations for parties of 6 oregon more.

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