There is an obvious reason that Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach Miami has been around for 95 years, and it's not just the location... Joe's stone crabs serves up the freshest, cleanest, most delicious stone crabs this side of the Mississippi (does Mississippi have stone crabs?)... The waiter told us that the stone crabs have been caught locally in South Florida for years.
The stone crabs are served pre-cracked with a piquant mustard-mayonnaise sauce, complementing the cool, fresh stone crabs with a lively kick. I found a recipe for the mustard sauce on Epicurious.com, however I have yet to try it out, so do not take my word for it.
* 1 tablespoon Colman's dry mustard, or more to taste,
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
* 1 teaspoon A-1 sauce
* 2 tablespoons light cream
* salt
Interesting fact about stone crabs from Joe's website: "The claws make up half the weight of the whole crab, they are removed by carefully grabbing from the rear and twisting. The crab is returned to water and the claw regenerates. It takes between 12 to 24 months to reach legal size again"... Fact or Fiction? I am still skeptical.
I had ordered the evening's special, Soft Shell crabs battered in oats over rhubarb, baby corn and spinach in a creamy sherry sauce... divine! The crunchy dry texture of the batter contrasted perfectly with the creamy, soothing consistency of the sauce... the rhubarb and baby corns were crunchy (cooked beautifully), and the spinach leaves soft, but still green, not overcooked. The whole dish was beautiful.
For the sides, we ordered the spinach sauteed in garlic (very garlicy) and the hash browns... Both fantastic. The hash browns were seasoned with salt and pepper and had crispy outer crust. Our waiter informed us that these were the two staple side dishes... rightfully so.
And of course, had to order the Key Lime Pie for dessert... This was key lime pie done right... Yellow, creamy, not too tart but just enough, with a thick crumbling pie crust. Beautiful.
As much as I rave, the only way to fully experience these world famous stone crabs is to try them yourself... Be prepared to be impressed.
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