One of the best compliments you can give a restaurant is to say that it reminds you of home — provided, of course, that you have fond memories of home. Crab Corner is that kind of place. I spent the first thirty-plus years living in both Virginia and Maryland, where it was routine to buy bushels of crabs on the weekends or go boating and crabbing with my father.
I love blue crabs, but they’re a lot of work for little meat. Eating them is great when you’re with a group and want to sit around, chat and eat for a few hours. But, on this visit, it was me and my son. Being the lazy person that I am, I opted for the crab cake platter instead of the steamed crabs. The platter ($25.95 for 2 crab cakes) came with two sides. I upgraded to a cup of Maryland crab soup (an additional $1.50). It was a hearty soup full of crab, tomatoes, lima beans, carrots, corn, onions and served with half of an in-shell crab. The second side was an order of hush puppies — some of the tastiest ones you’ll find in town.
The crab cakes were excellent. They had all the makings of a good crab cake — very little filler and loosely formed with plenty of lump and jumbo lump meat that falls apart with little effort; enough seasoning to enhance the flavor but not too much as to mask the sweetness of the meat. While they don’t match the quality of my favorite crab cakes from Jerry’s Seafood in Lanham, MD or Faidley Seafood in Baltimore, they’re the best crab cakes I’ve had in Vegas, by far.
Crab corner is kid-friendly, too. The kid’s menu consists of chicken tenders ($5.95) or popcorn shrimp ($6.95). Both come with fries and a drink.
The atmosphere is reminiscent of crab houses back east — unspectacular decor that feels friendly and approachable with plenty of table space to throw down large sheets of paper that serves as the place mat for buckets of seafood. There’s no mistaking where the owners, Mark and John Smolen, are from. The walls are full of Maryland Terrapins and Baltimore Ravens memorabilia. On Sunday’s there probably isn’t a better place in Vegas to watch the Ravens then here.
The Smolen brothers also own and operate Nevada Seafood Wholesalers, the suppliers of much of this town’s seafood for restaurants and markets like Seafood City and others in and around China Town. With shipments of seafood from the east coast and the Gulf region flown in almost daily, you’re sure to dine on some of the freshest seafood in town. And with those imports comes a slice of nostalgia for many east coasters.
5 Stars
4161 S Eastern Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 489-4646
