There were several moments during our recent lunch at the Crab House Café that your reviewer and his comrade had to pinch ourselves and remember that we were dining close to Weymouth on the UK’s south coast rather than somewhere more glamorous in the Mediterranean. Sure, beautiful weather helped, but the joy of the Crab House Café lies in the fact that it confidently punches above its weight. This is place where visitors can enjoy both a fine meal and a wonderful ambience.
The auguries were good. The venue had been recommended by a friend. An email exchange prior to visiting confirmed that despite the restaurant’s name, vegetarians would be catered for. At the same time, we were advised to book at least two weeks before intending to dine. This proved sound counsel. On arrival, a queue had formed outside the Crab House. Visitors without reservations were being turned away. It’s easy to see why. To call the venue a café is to do it a disservice. Sure, it’s a glorified shack with outdoor seating, but the food it serves up would not be out of place in some of London’s finer establishments. Rick Stein, among others, has strongly endorsed it. Beyond the obvious – i.e., crab – the menu apparently changes twice daily, reflecting what’s been freshly caught. Close by, the Café has its own oyster beds too.
We settled into our table on the patio, looking out across the Fleet River and then the seemingly endless expanse of Chesil Beach. Palms grow in the pebbled garden, which is decked out with bright pink sun umbrellas. Hanging baskets contain similarly brightly hued flowers. There was ample time to take in the view and soak up the vibe. At no stage did we feel rushed. Rather, with an extensive range of cocktails (which include a house gin made from local botanicals) and a menu which offers a selection of pre-starters as well as the usual arrangement of courses, it would be all too easy for an afternoon to pass by without moving from one’s seat.
While it was a slight disappointment to learn that the Crab House had sold out of its nose-to-tail fish crackling pre-starter, we were delighted by an opening dish of garden radishes served with homemade butter and Dorset sea salt. As the menu suggested, this was an appetiser to awaken the taste buds. If restaurants are to be judged on the quality of their butter – an often reliable yardstick – then this one passed the test with flying colours. Throughout, we were pleased also to see a strong emphasis on the localism of produce. It would have been a step too far for your reviewer to have dissected a whole crab with hammer and pick in front of his vegetarian comrade – although this option is available. Forks and bibs are provided too. Nonetheless, a crab remoulade starter (the crustacean was a local, from Portland) more than made up for this. The addition of Dijon mustard provided piquancy and lobster mayo rich depth. Mains saw your normally decisive reviewer struggle. Options included coley, hake, mackerel, monkfish, mullet, sea bass and sole. It was the cashew nut and wild garlic pesto which accompanied the former that finally tipped the balance for me – and I did not regret my choice. My comrade was equally delighted with her roasted beetroot salad, a wonderful assemblage of vibrantly hued vegetables. A bottle of crisply refreshing Galician Albarino made everything feel more pleasant too. Even if pricing was expensive for the area (expect to pay in the mid-20s and upwards for fish mains), it felt more than justified. This is a venue every culinary minded diner in Dorset should mark on their to-visit list.