New Plank Road eatery A&G Crabshack & Deli offers seafood and more
Date published: 9/13/2007
By NANCY DEARING ROSSBACHER and STEPHEN W. SYLVIA
FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR
She:
Here's an example of the charming quirkiness of Spotsylvania's A&G Crab Shack & Deli. The paper placemats, emblazoned with the state bird of Virginia and the names of the eight presidents sired here, are the stuff of Old Dominion diner nostalgia. But when I looked up from what amounted to a cheat sheet (I couldn't remember the eighth president), I was met with the radiantly smiling face of energetic server Natalia, who took our orders in a lilting Ukrainian accent.
He:
Fellow diners, also, were all over the map. In the front room, two men contentedly argued sports scores at the wooden bar that lines one wall, while a third, seated at a nearby table, made short work of sequential trays of hard-shell crab. In the small, tile-floored back dining room was a heterogeneous mix of after-office ladies, college students and families.
She:
Owner Maria Costa has crafted a menu poised to appeal to a broad range of tastes. While the focus is, of course, on seafood--shrimp, fish and crabs--salads, subs and steaks make an appearance.
He:
On this visit we stuck with seafood, and I found that the zest in the Zesty Shrimp appetizer ($7.99) comes from the gentle-afterburn dipping sauce rather than any spices on the tender, plentiful, shells-on boiled shrimp.
She:
The broiled seafood platter ($19.99) had a no-frills presentation, but the three large scallops and three large shrimp were grilled to perfection and the plank of whiting flaked handsomely. Less exciting but still respectable were the nicely browned crab cake and crisp hush puppies.
He:
I had settled on the soft-shell crab platter ($15.99) when chef Martin came out to greet some nearby regulars. "Please," one implored, "would you do that soft-shell crab and linguini thing for me?"
Intrigued, I went along with her and ordered off-menu. The result was a dish that should be on-menu: al dente linguini with two succulent soft-shell crabs atop, the whole awash in a rich cream sauce with capers ($17.99).
She:
The dessert we tried had no formal name, so I'll call it the Bananarama ($4.25). The frothy concoction contained banana pudding rounded with banana slices, with whipped topping drizzled with raspberry sauce. Two slender, delicate cream wafer rolls were perched jauntily on either side.
I recommend this one.
He:
Last thoughts. A&G comfortably combines unpretentious decor, fresh seafood and bubbly service.
She:
Nestled as it is in a very small strip outside of town, it can be easy to miss. Just look for the initial signs: A&G Crab Shack is next to J&B's Party Store.
The scoop: Casual, nonsmoking, full bar, takeout, wheelchair accessible, medium to high noise level, front and rear parking, major credit cards accepted.
Nancy Dearing Rossbacher and Stephen W. Sylvia publish a Civil War magazine together. She likes to cook. He likes to eat. To reach Rossbacher and Sylvia, e-mail them at editor@nstcivilwar.com. Or call 540/ 374-5448 with comments about today's restaurant review.
