Miss Katie's Crab Shack

238 Victoria Street 

North Melbourne, VIC 3051

http://www.misskatiescrabshack.com/

I love food as much as the next person; maybe even a touch more, but I like to think that I’m not a food snob. After all, there is no reason a good baked potato (topped with cheese and scallions and crispy bacon bits and more cheese for good measure) can’t be as enjoyable as a fancy dinner for two. To be honest, I would much rather dig heartily into my meal than spend my time working out just which fork I am supposed to use. 

Miss Katie’s Crab Shack is the ultimate in no-fuss eating. Housed in what’s very much a dive bar, the entire place is set out for crab-wrangling. Newspaper lined the tables, ready to be bundled up with used crustaceans. The nautical-themed bar was rustic to say the least, but it would feel a bit wrong to be slurping from crab claws in a tablecloths and napkins sort of place. 

Katie's Fried Chicken ($17)

I’ve developed a bit of a fried chicken habit recently, which I am mulishly blaming on the pressures of work and study. Hence no convincing was required to get me to order Katie’s Fried Chicken ($17), which came as 6 generous pieces of battered wing and thigh in a take-away box. 

Katie's Fried Chicken ($17)

I’ve read a few mixed reviews on the chicken, and I am firmly in the camp of the adoring fans. Though slightly sweeter than most, the spiced batter benefited from the addition of cinnamon, which brought out the more delicate flavours of the chicken. On the side was a dish of ranch sauce, light and cool against the hot, juicy drumsticks. 

Katie's Low Country Boil ($25)

Katie’s Low Country Boil ($25) came to the table with a bib, a mallet, and a devastating aroma. Put the bib on. No seriously, put it on – you’re going to need it. 

Katie's Low Country Boil ($25)

Boiled in the all-American seasoning of Old Bay, the mixture of herbs and spices seeped into every crevice of the crab. Though meat is fairly scarce in a blue swimmer crab, we picked out the succulent chunks from the claws and legs and, together with corn on the cob and chunks of smoky kransky, had ourselves a decadent meal. When we finished with the crab, we wiped up the aromatic mixture of crab, garlic butter, and old bay seasoning with a tenderly sweet hunk of House Baked Corn Bread ($3) 

And here’s a picture of Chris with the mallet. Mind you, he’s only the model; I was the one grabbing the crab with both hands and snapping it in half. 

Though we’ve definitely had bigger meals, our dinner left us feeling entirely satisfied from the richness. As the waitress said, there is nothing healthy on the Southern American-inspired menu – one of the specials was deep fried macaroni and cheese for goodness’ sake! And whilst the food at Miss Katie’s is without a doubt great, I think the real enjoyment comes from throwing decorum to the wind and just digging in.

Rating: 15/20 – lost decorum.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.