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Published on 5/16/08
Published at 6:48pm
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According to Bill Dugan of the Fish Guy seafood shop, “Southerners like to play tricks on us Yankees.” Dugan explains that after blue crabs molt this time of year, they’ll start to grow back a paper-thin replacement shell within days. Some fisherman try to pass off “paper-shells,” but Dugan demands the newly shed for the ideal delicacy. The soft-shells are pan-fried then served with pickled ramps (which Dugan digs himself) as part of his weekly Thursday four-course Wellfleet dinner. ($100 including tax and tip; 4423 N Elston Ave, 773-283-7400)
Chef Joncarl Lachman of HB Home Bistro looks to Southern America and Northern Italy for his soft-shell entrée, creating a collard green and bacon risotto to accompany the crispy crab. To counter the richness of the risotto and the creamy Old Bay–spiked tartar sauce (Old Bay is also added to the flour used to lightly coat the crab before frying), slivers of pickled red onions get added to the plate for a touch of acidic tang. ($30; 3404 N Halsted St, 773-661-0299)
HotChocolate has a well-earned reputation for desserts, but it would be a shame to skip over the savory food to get to them. Chef de cuisine Mark Steuer’s softshell starter includes a nod to his Germanic roots. Acidic brown mustard and cider vinegar potato salad gets peach wood–smoked ramps, while frisée is tossed in ramp vinaigrette. Steuer dusts the crab in tapioca flour for extra crispness when pan-frying, then plates it with an ultra-rich duck egg aioli. ($12; 1747 N Damen Ave, 773-489-1747)
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