Over Easter, (yes, I know, that was a hell of a long time ago now and I’m only just posting…) we headed down to Devon for four days and the highlight was our meal at The Crab Shack in Teignmouth. I knew it would be nice, having been recommended by several of my twitter followers but I wasn’t expecting it to be that nice. Isn’t it lovely when somewhere exceeds your already high expectations?
We’d booked ahead, and it’s a good job because this tiny restaurant was full to the brim and we saw 4-5 groups turned away at the door.
Perched on the edge of the water, The Crab Shack is pretty unassuming, despite its bright red paintwork. Once inside, it’s a lot fancier than you’d think from the outside! With such lovely views, I’m sure their few outdoor tables book up very quickly in the summer.
What’s on the menu?
On the day we were there, a few items had sold out, including Teignmouth crab claws (grilled in garlic butter with chips and rouille dip; be still my beating heart). Fortunately, the one thing we really wanted to try was still available – their
As a seafood restaurant with a focus on locally caught seafood you can expect very fresh fish, crab and even lobster on the menu among other things. There were a few non-fishy dishes but if fruit des mare isn’t your vibe perhaps don’t book here!
We ordered truffle fries, the Crab Shack roll, teign mussels in a cream white wine sauce, cockle popcorn, samphire fritti and soft bread for dipping. Although our little man is a good eater, back in April, we weren’t quite ready to splash out on local seafood for him but the restaurant were very happy for us to bring something bland and mushy for him to eat.
Winner winner, crab roll dinner
The Crab Shack roll was just perfection. Piles of fresh, soft and flavourful langoustine, prawn and crab folded into a slightly spicy mayonnaise and loaded onto a buttery brioche roll. The chilli heat comes in second to the sweetness of the shellfish and tickles your palate in just the right way. Top off each mouthful with a couple of truffle fries and you’re in heaven.
Sadly this one was Dave’s order (although I had a good few mouthfuls) but my Teign mussels in a cream white wine sauce were gorgeous too. Soft, plump and incredibly fresh and again, complemented perfectly by those truffle fries.
The cockle popcorn and samphire fritti were indulgent extras but worth the splash, especially with that shallot vinaigrette for dipping.
To finish
We were too full for pudding – and facing a drive back to Bristol, decided not to push it! All in all, a great little independent restaurant which we really enjoyed. I would recommend booking ahead if you’d like to visit yourself and if you manage to get those Teignmouth crab claws, let me know how they taste!
Our bill was £108 including tip for two main courses, three sides and a bottle of wine.
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